Chicago Bulls Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Impacts Rondo's Future; Chicago's Bench Draw Praise

April 21st, 2017 at 4:53pm CST by Austin Kent

We learned earlier today that Bulls guard Rajon Rondo will miss the remainder of the first round and perhaps some of the next with a fractured thumb. That bad news complicates how the pending free agent’s summer might unfold, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.

Though Rondo is signed through next year for $14MM, the Bulls can part ways with him should they choose to do so by June 30. Half-way through Chicago’s dysfunctional regular season, such a split seemed inevitable. These days, up two games to zero on the No. 1 seed Celtics, that’s not the case.

A strong finish to the regular season, coupled with his impact on the Bulls’ surprising first-round wins over Boston this week, have bumped the oft-maligned veteran’s value to its highest point in seasons.

Don’t underestimate the impact that Bobby Portis, Paul Zipser and Nikola Mirotic have had on their first-round series against Boston, Sam Smith of Chicago’s official team site writes. The Bulls big men have helped their team hop out to an unexpected two-game lead on the No. 1-seeded Celtics.

Rajon Rondo Out Indefinitely With Thumb Fracture

April 21st, 2017 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

10:47am: Rondo has a cast on his right hand and will be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days, Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg confirmed today (Twitter link via Nick Friedell of ESPN.com).

Meanwhile, with Rondo out, Grant will start at the point and Carter-Williams will back him up, Hoiberg said (Twitter link via Friedell). Cameron Payne will also be active (Twitter link).

10:04am: Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo suffered a hand injury in Game 2 of the team’s series against the Celtics, and Chicago announced today in a press release that he has been diagnosed with a fractured right thumb. While surgery isn’t required at this time, Rondo will be out “indefinitely,” according to the Bulls.

The injury will make things difficult for a Bulls team that has enjoyed a strong showing from “Playoff Rondo” in the first two games of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Although Chicago remains the favorite in the series, with a 2-0 lead and two home games on tap, the team will have to find a way to win without Rondo, who was a difference-maker in those first two games. The former Celtic averaged 11.5 PPG, 10.0 APG, 8.5 RPG, and 3.5 SPG in the Bulls’ two victories in Boston.

With Rondo out of the lineup, the Bulls figure to turn to Jerian Grant and Michael Carter-Williams for minutes at the point. Grant has been Rondo’s primary backup in the first two games of the series, while Carter-Williams saw a little playing time in Game 2. Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler will likely assume more of the ball-handling responsibilities in Rondo’s absence as well.

Community Shootaround: Boston’s Comeback Chances

April 18th, 2017 at 9:48pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Bulls shocked the Celtics in Game 1 behind Jimmy Butler‘s 30 point performance. Rebounding was a major issue for coach Brad Stevens‘ squad, as Chicago pulled down 21 more boards than Boston did.

Rajon Rondo stepped up in Game 2, nearly bringing home the 2017 postseason’s first triple-double. The Celtics made just 30.3% of their shots from downtown and they appeared overmatched on the defensive end.

That leads us to tonight’s topic: After watching two games, do you think Boston can win this series?

Only 18 teams have ever comeback from 0-2 to win a 7-game series, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). The Celtics are the only No. 1 seed in history to drop the first two games against a No. 8 seed in a 7-game series. The 1993 Suns went down 0-2 in a 5-game series as a No.1 seed against the Lakers, but they came back to win that series and eventually won the Western Conference.

Can Boston comeback from the 0-2 deficit? If the Celtics come out victorious this round, how far can they go? Take to the comment section below to share your thoughts. We look forward to what you have to say!

An earlier edition of this post incorrectly relayed the number of teams to come back from 0-2 in a 7-game series. Only 18 teams have done so.

Rajon Rondo Hopes Bulls Bring Him Back

April 18th, 2017 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

It was an up-and-down first year in Chicago for Rajon Rondo, who found himself in the starting lineup at times, and on the bench at other times. However, with the Bulls in the playoffs and holding their own so far against the No. 1 Celtics, Rondo said today that he hopes the club picks up its option on his contract for next season, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.

“I like where I’m at. I think we have a really good team,” Rondo said of the Bulls. “We made a big trade halfway through the season. All the things this year with 45 different lineups, we still made it to the playoffs.”

Rondo’s deal calls for a salary worth more than $13MM next season, but currently only $3MM of that figure is guaranteed. As Johnson notes, the veteran point guard said today that he’d like to be back with the Bulls even if Dwyane Wade opts out of his contract this summer.

Pistons Committed To Keeping Caldwell-Pope

April 16th, 2017 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons plan to match any offer that restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope receives, according to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press.

The organization is prepared to give the fourth-year shooting guard a maximum deal if that’s what it takes to keep him in Detroit, Ellis adds, with several sources saying he is an important part of the team’s future.

Caldwell-Pope averaged 13.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game this season, but his numbers declined after the All-Star break. Ellis states that the Pistons may have viewed the situation differently if they were confident that Stanley Johnson was ready to become a starter, but they believe keeping Caldwell-Pope is vital and they wouldn’t be able to get an adequate replacement because of their cap situation.

Ellis touches on several other Pistons-related matters:

Trade talks involving Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson will continue this offseason. Ellis states that the organization is becoming impatient with Drummond, with coach/executive Stan Van Gundy saying in Friday’s press conference that he needs a “sense of urgency to elevate his game.” Jackson’s drop in production stemmed from left knee tendinitis that plagued him throughout the season, and Ellis claims the only available replacement who might be an upgrade is the Suns’ Eric Bledsoe.
The Pistons believe they have enough young players and future first-rounders to acquire a star this offseason. There were rumors that Drummond was offered to the Kings for DeMarcus Cousins before he was sent to New Orleans, and a source told Ellis the Pistons contacted the Pacers about Paul George but never got close to a deal. George has another season left before he can opt out, and Detroit might be interested in taking the chance that it can re-sign him, but only if the price in a trade comes down. Other targets could include Jimmy Butler and Carmelo Anthony.
Although the Pistons might benefit from a franchise-altering move, Van Gundy said smaller deals are more realistic. “There’s a couple things we’d like to do and make us a little bit better, but I don’t think we’re broken” he said. “Getting our point guard situation back to where it was or even better is more than feasible and corrects a great deal of the problems we’re talking about. Our roster is pretty good from there.”

Latest On Carmelo Anthony

April 15th, 2017 at 9:13am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks president Phil Jackson didn’t mince words when addressing his long-simmering dispute with Carmelo Anthony in a press conference Friday. Making his intentions clear to end their relationship, Jackson said, “I think the direction with our team, he’ll be better off somewhere else.”

The problem is that there’s no easy way for a break-up to occur. Anthony is under contract for $26,243,760 next season and $27,928,140 in 2018/19 with an early termination option. There is also a 15% trade kicker that must be paid by whatever team acquires him, along with a no-trade clause that Anthony can use to block any deal he doesn’t like.

With that in mind, several NBA writers have taken a look at where Anthony might wind up:

Anthony has three options for the offseason, writes Tom Ziller of SBNation. He can waive the no-trade clause and accept a deal, although Ziller says he shouldn’t feel obligated to do so just because Jackson wants him gone. He can submit a list of teams that he would agree to be traded to, which would presumably include joining friends LeBron James with the Cavaliers, Chris Paul with the Clippers or Dwyane Wade with the Bulls. Or he can make a stand and tell the Knicks that he won’t leave until his contract expires. Ziller favors the last option, noting that Anthony likes being in New York and has earned the power he obtained through the no-trade clause.
The Cavaliers, Clippers and Celtics, whom the Knicks reportedly contacted about moving Anthony before the February deadline, are listed as possible destinations by The New York Post, along with the Heat and Wizards.
Miami may have interest in Anthony, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel, who notes that team president Pat Riley pursued the Knicks star in free agency three years ago. With more than $25MM expected to be freed in cap space once the Chris Bosh situation is resolved, Miami could add Anthony with a simple trade, and Winderman suggests Justise Winslow as a possibility. However, that would leave the team unable to re-sign James Johnson and Dion Waiters.
The Bulls “will steer completely clear of whatever Carmelo does,” predicts Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. In a video posted on CSNChicago.com, Friedell suggests that if Anthony had come to Chicago three seasons ago, Tom Thibideau probably would have been kept as coach and current Knicks Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah would still be with the Bulls.

2017 NBA Draft Lottery Odds

April 13th, 2017 at 8:37am CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA’s 2016/17 regular season now in the books, the odds for this year’s draft lottery have been set. With the help of our Reverse Standings, as well as information from LotteryBucket.com, here is the 2017 lottery order, along with each team’s chances of landing a top pick:

Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn Nets)
- No. 1: 25.0%
- Top-3: 64.3%
- Lowest pick: No. 4
- Note: Celtics acquire pick due to ability to swap first-round picks with Nets.
Phoenix Suns
- No. 1: 19.9%
- Top-3: 55.8%
- Lowest pick: No. 5
Los Angeles Lakers
- No. 1: 15.6%
- Top-3: 46.9%
- Lowest pick: No. 6
- Note: Pick will be sent to Sixers if not in top 3 (odds: 53.1%).
Philadelphia 76ers
- No. 1: 14.7%
- Top-3: 45.3%
- Lowest pick: No. 7
- Note: Sixers have right to swap picks with Kings, so their No. 1 and top-3 odds are a little higher than they otherwise would be. No. 1 and top-3 odds for Sixers’ own pick are 11.9% and 37.8%, respectively.
Orlando Magic
- No. 1: 8.8%
- Top-3: 29.12%
- Lowest pick: No. 8
Minnesota Timberwolves
- No. 1: 5.3%
- Top-3: 18.3%
- Lowest pick: No. 9
- Note: Timberwolves won tiebreaker with Knicks.
New York Knicks
- No. 1: 5.3%
- Top-3: 18.2%
- Lowest pick: No. 10
- Note: Knicks lost tiebreaker with Timberwolves.
Sacramento Kings
- No. 1: N/A
- Top-3: 2.5%
- Lowest pick: No. 11
- Note: Sixers have right to swap picks with Kings, rendering No. 1 pick impossible and greatly reducing odds of top-3 pick.
- Note: Pick will be sent to Bulls if not in top 10 (odds: 0.01%).
Dallas Mavericks
- No. 1: 1.7%
- Top-3: 6.1%
- Lowest pick: No. 12
New Orleans Pelicans
- No. 1: 1.1%
- Top-3: 4.0%
- Lowest pick: No. 13
- Note: Pick will be sent to Kings if not in top 3 (odds: 96.0%).
Charlotte Hornets
- No. 1: 0.8%
- Top-3: 2.9%
- Lowest pick: No. 14
Detroit Pistons
- No. 1: 0.7%
- Top-3: 2.5%
- Lowest pick: No. 14
Denver Nuggets
- No. 1: 0.6%
- Top-3: 2.2%
- Lowest pick: No. 14
Miami Heat
- No. 1: 0.5%
- Top-3: 1.8%
- Lowest pick: No. 14

Rajon Rondo Has “Significant” Wrist Injury

April 10th, 2017 at 9:22pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Rajon Rondo has missed the last three games with a wrist injury, including tonight’s tilt with the Magic, and it’s likely he misses the Bulls’ final regular season game against the Nets on Wednesday. Coach Fred Hoiberg described Rondo’s injury as “significant” when he addressed the media earlier today, as Nick Friedell of ESPN.com relays (ESPN Now link). Hoiberg’s comments came in the wake of Rondo visiting a hand specialist.

The Bulls currently own the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 40-41. If Chicago makes the postseason, it could be battling one of the conference’s top teams without the availability of its best point guard.

Rondo signed with the Bulls during the offseason and although he got off to a rocky start with the club, he settled in as a solid contributor. Since being benched in late December, he’s averaged 8.2 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest. He’s also found his stroke from behind the arc, something that’s plagued him during his entire career. He shot two 3-pointers per game since the calendar turned, making 41.9% of his attempts.

The 31-year-old point guard has one year and slightly less than $13.4MM left on his contract after this season. However, only $3MM of that amount is fully guaranteed. If Rondo isn’t waived before June 30, the entire amount becomes guaranteed.

New York Notes: Porzingis, Atkinson, Dinwiddie

April 8th, 2017 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kristaps Porzingis says Achilles tendinitis is responsible for a disappointing season, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The second-year big man began having Achilles pain at Christmas, and it has affected him ever since. “I was out there playing at a high level,” he said. “Then the injuries, little things [that] happened got me out of my rhythm. Then it was kind of on and off, some games good, some games not so good. I was trying to find that rhythm for a long time. Then the second part of the season, it was just a big fight for us and mentally tough. I think I grew from this season.’’

Porzingis has missed three straight games with back spasms and may not play again this season. Coach Jeff Hornacek said this week that he plans to be “careful” with how he uses the 21-year-old. If his season is over, Porzingis will finish with 66 games, six fewer than last year, while averaging 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per night.

There’s more tonight out of New York:

Porzingis should be prepared to inherit Carmelo Anthony‘s role as go-to guy next season, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. The Knicks are expected to make a concerted effort to trade Anthony this summer, and Porzingis seems like his logical successor. Iannazzone notes that Anthony and Derrick Rose dominated the ball this season, but both could be gone this summer.
First-year coach Kenny Atkinson offered gratitude and a promise to Nets fans after the team concluded its home schedule today, relays Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn picked up its 20th win by rallying to play spoiler against the Bulls. “The crowd’s been outstanding considering we haven’t had a ton of wins and not fighting for a playoff spot,’’ Atkinson said. “The support’s been great. We understand we have to take another step next year, and they should demand that. That’s on us to get better this offseason.”
One of the players who helped pin the costly loss on the Bulls was point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who was waived by Chicago in the preseason, notes Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago. Dinwiddie scored Brooklyn’s final seven points of the game as the Nets erased a nine-point fourth quarter deficit. Dinwiddie came to the Bulls in a trade with the Pistons last June, but he was waived in July, then re-signed and was cut again in October. He signed with the Nets in early December.

Wade's Elbow OK After Return

April 8th, 2017 at 8:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dwyane Wade gave the Bulls a bit of good news in an otherwise horrible afternoon in Brooklyn, relays Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. Chicago dropped a key game in its pursuit of a playoff spot, but Wade was able to get through the contest with no pain in his right elbow. It was his first game since fracturing the elbow March 15th. “Elbow felt cool,” Wade said. “Just my legs, trying to get my legs back. And my wind back. But my elbow felt great.”