Chicago Bulls Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lawyer: Jackson Didn’t Investigate Rose Case

September 14th, 2016 at 8:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

The attorney for the woman accusing Derrick Rose of rape in a civil lawsuit suspects the Bulls traded him because of the legal action and says Knicks president Phil Jackson didn’t investigate the case, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.

Brandon Anand, who is representing the unidentified woman in a $21.5MM suit, says the Knicks made no attempt to contact her before completing the deal.

“My first reaction was maybe [the Bulls are] hiding this from the Knicks and passed him off without giving full disclosures,” Anand said, “but it seems to me like the Knicks should’ve done their own investigation.”

Jackson responded that he was “aware” of the suit before making the trade, but didn’t see a need to investigate it further, adding that, “Investigation is a big word.”

“I think [the Knicks] should’ve conducted that big word [and called me],” Anand said. “I think I would’ve shown them the documents that were public, that were fair game, and I think it all speaks for itself. [Rose’s] testimony certainly revealed a lot. Just showing them the evidence that’s already out, they would’ve gotten a very clear idea about what actually happened.”

Rose admits that he and two friends drove to the woman’s home in the early morning hours of August 27th, 2013. He also said in a deposition just before the trade that “you can assume” that the men had sex with her.

An October 4th trial date has been set, meaning Rose would probably miss at least two preseason games and several practices if a settlement is not reached by then.

Traded First-Round Picks For 2017 NBA Draft

September 13th, 2016 at 3:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2017 NBA draft is still more than nine months away, but with the start of the regular season fast approaching, it’s worth taking stock of how this season’s results will affect next year’s draft. Depending on how certain teams perform during the 2016/17 campaign, other clubs will have the opportunity to pick up an extra first-round selection, or to swap first-rounders with those teams.

There’s a good chance that a few more 2017 first-round selections will change hands before the 2017 trade deadline, or on draft night next June, but many picks have already been included in trades. Five teams currently have the opportunity to grab an extra first-rounder in 2017, while two other teams could have the chance to move up in the first round by swapping picks with another club.

Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the first-round picks that could (or will) change hands. For each selection, we make a note of which team is sending and receiving it, the protection on the pick, and what will happen if the protection language prevents the pick from being conveyed. For instance, the Bulls are on track to receive the Kings’ first-round pick, but only if it falls outside the top 10. If Sacramento’s pick is a top-10 selection, the Bulls will instead receive the Kings’ second-rounder.

Here’s a breakdown of the traded first-round picks for 2017:

Traded first-round picks:

Brooklyn Nets

From: Washington Wizards
Protection: 1-14
If not conveyed: Nets will have chance to get Wizards’ 2018 first-rounder (protected 1-14).

Chicago Bulls

From: Sacramento Kings
Protection: 1-10
If not conveyed: Bulls will instead receive Kings’ second-round pick (protected 56-60).

Los Angeles Lakers

From: Houston Rockets
Protection: None

Orlando Magic

From: Los Angeles Clippers or Toronto Raptors (less favorable)
Protection: 1-14 (Clippers pick)
If not conveyed: In the unlikely event that the Clippers’ pick gets protected and the Magic receive Toronto’s pick, the Raptors would have a chance to get the Clippers’ 2018 first-rounder (protected 1-14).

Philadelphia 76ers

From: Dallas Mavericks
Protection: 1-18
If not conveyed: Sixers will instead Mavericks’ 2017 second-rounder (protected 56-60) and Mavericks’ 2018 second-rounder (protected 56-60).

Philadelphia 76ers

From: Los Angeles Lakers
Protection: 1-3
If not conveyed: Sixers will get Lakers’ 2018 first-rounder (unprotected).

Portland Trail Blazers

From: Cleveland Cavaliers
Protection: None

Portland Trail Blazers

From: Memphis Grizzlies
Protection: 1-5
If not conveyed: Trail Blazers will have chance to get Grizzlies’ 2018 first-rounder (protected 1-5).

Sacramento Kings

From: New Orleans Pelicans
Protection: 1-3
If not conveyed: Kings will have chance to get Pelicans’ 2018 first-rounder (protected only for No. 1 pick).

Utah Jazz

From: Golden State Warriors
Protection: None

Pick swaps are rarer than simple pick trades, but they’re often included in deals to get around the fact that teams can’t trade consecutive future first-round picks. For instance, in the Nets/Celtics blockbuster that saw Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett land in Brooklyn, Boston received the Nets’ 2014, 2016, and 2018 first-rounders, plus first-round swap rights in 2017. The Nets couldn’t leave themselves without first-round picks in back-to-back future seasons, so giving the Celtics the right to swap selections ensured that the Nets would still have a 2017 first-rounder — either their own or Boston’s.

That pick swap is one of two that could be in play this season. Here they are:

Potential first-round pick swaps:

Boston Celtics

Can swap with: Brooklyn Nets
Protection: None
If Celtics choose to swap, they’d owe Nets their second-round pick (protected 31-45).

Philadelphia 76ers

Can swap with: Sacramento Kings
Protection: 11-30 (can only swap if Kings’ pick falls in top 10)
If Kings’ pick falls between 11-30, their obligation to Sixers is extinguished.

RealGM’s database of future traded pick details was used in the creation of this post.

Bulls Reserves Need To Step Up This Season

September 12th, 2016 at 9:13pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Bulls, who completely overhauled their roster this offseason, could struggle mightily this season if the team is unable to get consistent production from its reserves, Bobby Marks of The Vertical opines in his look back at Chicago’s summer.

Wade Came To Chicago For More Than Basketball

September 2nd, 2016 at 9:31am CST by Arthur Hill

Dwyane Wade‘s reasons for signing with the Bulls after 13 years in Miami transcend basketball, relays ESPN.com. In an interview with Good Morning America that aired today, Wade said he hopes to serve as a voice to help end the wave of gun violence that has infected Chicago. That violence touched Wade’s family last week when his 32-year-old cousin, Nykea Aldridge, was killed in the city by a stray bullet. Wade, who grew up on Chicago’s South Side, and his mother, Jolina Wade, a former drug dealer, participated in a series of panel discussions on gun violence just before Aldridge was shot. “Now I’m back in the city of Chicago — I’m back for a reason,” Wade said. “I played 13 years in Miami. Now I’m back in the city, let me see what I can do as one person to help lend my voice and help shed light on the tragedy that’s going on and find a solution to start the process of making change.”

Kiwi Gardner To Play For Bulls' D-League Team

August 25th, 2016 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Adam Johnson of D-League Digest offers up a few more details on the D-League expansion draft, noting that most players selected won’t end up playing for the teams that drafted them. Still, Kiwi Gardner – selected in the second round by the Windy City Bulls – is expected to play for Chicago’s D-League affiliate this season, his agent tells Johnson.

Stephen Jackson Interested In Bulls

August 25th, 2016 at 10:15am CST by Luke Adams

Stephen Jackson, another longtime NBA veteran attempting to make an NBA comeback, also appeared on SiriusXM NBA Radio this week (SoundCloud link). Jackson suggested he has “a good two years left” and named the Knicks, Bulls, and Pelicans as a few teams that would interest him. “I’m not one of those guys chasing the ring,” Jackson said. “I have one, so I’m really not one of those guys that’s looking to be a part of a championship team and try to steal a ring and not really earn it. … I just want to play basketball and do what I love to do.”

2016 NBA D-League Expansion Draft Results

August 24th, 2016 at 1:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA D-League conducted its expansion draft today, allowing the league’s three new teams to add the rights to 12 players apiece. The league’s previously-existing 19 teams had been permitted to retain the rights to 10 players each, leaving the rest of their players unprotected and free to be drafted, as Chris Reichert of UpsideMotor.com explained earlier today.

As we noted on Tuesday, the D-League’s three new franchises this year are affiliates for the Nets (Long Island Nets), Hornets (Greensboro Swarm), and Bulls (Windy City Bulls).

The players those three teams added today won’t necessarily play for them this season — in fact, it’s somewhat rare for expansion draftees to suit up for their new clubs, as D-League Digest tweets. Many of those players will try to catch on with an NBA team or will end up playing overseas. Still, the expansion draft gives the D-League’s new teams some assets as they start to build their rosters for the coming season.

Per Reichert, here are the results of today’s expansion draft. The player’s former D-League team is noted in parentheses, and picks are ordered by round. The teams will hold their players’ rights for the next two seasons:

Long Island Nets (Twitter link)

Gary Forbes (Grand Rapids Drive)
Carrick Felix (Santa Cruz Warriors)
Jamaal Franklin (Los Angeles D-Fenders)
Akil Mitchell (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Peyton Siva (Delaware 87ers)
Alex Kirk (Canton Charge)
Austin Freeman (Westchester Knicks)
Kendall Gray (Iowa Energy)
Lazar Hayward (Los Angeles D-Fenders)
Dwayne Polee Jr. (Reno Bighorns)
Matt Bouldin (Fort Wayne Mad Ants)
Lewis Jackson (Salt Lake City Stars)

Greensboro Swarm (Twitter link)

Josh Davis (Austin Spurs)
Abdul Gaddy (Maine Red Claws)
Tony Bishop (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Scotty Hopson (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Toure’ Murry (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Rodney Williams (Oklahoma City Blue)
Josh Huestis (Oklahoma City Blue)
Ralston Turner (Grand Rapids Drive)
Keanau Post (Raptors 905)
Damien Wilkins (Iowa Energy)
Kris Joseph (Westchester Knicks)
Dee Bost (Raptors 905)

Windy City Bulls (Twitter link)

Wesley Saunders (Austin Spurs)
Kiwi Gardner (Santa Cruz Warriors)
Ralph Sampson III (Maine Red Claws)
Booker Woodfox (Texas Legends)
Jerel McNeal (Northern Arizona Suns)
Akeem Richmond (Reno Bighorns)
Casey Prather (Northern Arizona Suns)
Jon Octeus (Canton Charge)
Justin Dentmon (Texas Legends)
Jamal Jones (Delaware 87ers)
Xavier Thames (Fort Wayne Mad Ants)
Ian Chiles (Salt Lake City Stars)

Jimmy Butler No Longer A Trade Candidate

August 23rd, 2016 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

A handful of big-name players, including Jimmy Butler, Paul Millsap, and Blake Griffin, have been mentioned in trade rumors at some point this summer, but those guys almost certainly aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. In addition to Butler, Millsap, and Griffin, stars like DeMarcus Cousins, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Love are staying put with their current teams, despite being the subjects of frequent trade speculation.

While the gist of Kyler’s tidbits on each of those six players is the same – they’re not being traded unless things change drastically for the team or player – each situation is a little different, so let’s round up some of Kyler’s latest info on those stars…

The Kings and Cousins have agreed to take a “fresh-start approach” to their union, according to Kyler, who notes that the big man likes the hiring of coach Dave Joerger. While Cousins’ potential 2018 free agency will be a factor down the road, Sacramento is turning away incoming inquiries and will likely play out the 2016/17 season with Cousins as the team’s cornerstorne before considering any franchise-altering decisions.
Like the Kings with Cousins, the Thunder would have to play extremely poorly in the first half for the team to consider any major in-season change involving Westbrook. Sources tell Kyler that there is almost no scenario in which Oklahoma City explores moving the star point guard during the season, though the team will of course be keeping a close eye on how its roster looks in the post-Kevin Durant era.
Per Kyler, sources close to Griffin “have been adamant” that he intends to re-sign with the Clippers once his current contract is up — that could happen next summer, since the star forward has an early termination option. Doc Rivers is confident Griffin will remain in Los Angeles for the long term and has no interest in engaging in trade talks, says Kyler.
The Hawks seriously explored a Millsap trade in July, but those talks came to an end after the team lost Al Horford. Sources tell Kyler that Millsap has been assured he won’t be dealt anytime soon, though the veteran’s potential 2017 free agency looms as a possible concern if Atlanta struggles out of the gate.

Hoiberg Confident Rondo/Wade Backourt Can Work

August 13th, 2016 at 10:40am CST by Eddie Scarito

The Bulls added experience this offseason in Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo, potentially at the cost of putting a cohesive unit on the court, but coach Fred Hoiberg believes his new look roster can be effective on offense, Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com relays. “The biggest thing is we have multiple playmakers now, we have guys who can get in and break down the defense,” Hoiberg said. “That’s the most important thing to have on an NBA roster is multiple ballhandlers, multiple playmakers. Bigs who are gonna set screens and put pressure on the rim.”

New Knicks center Joakim Noah has no ill feelings toward the Bulls and appreciates the time he spent in Chicago, but is still looking forward to facing his old franchise this coming season, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. “I have no anger towards nobody,” Noah said. “If we had a couple rough years at the end, I’m just still so grateful for the opportunity the Bulls gave me. It’s like a family to me. Even though it’s a new chapter for the end of my career to be in New York, I think Chicago is always going to be a home to me.“

Butler, Rondo Recruiting Stephen Jackson

August 9th, 2016 at 7:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Stephen Jackson, who is reportedly eyeing an NBA return, says he’s being recruited by members of the Bulls, Raul Barrigon of HoopsHype relays.

“Well, actually not a lot of people know that Jimmy Butler has been calling me,” Jackson told Barrigon. “We’ve been talking for like three months now. Even Rajon Rondo has been calling me, they really want me on the Bulls team. I’ve been talking to a lot of guys, because guys know what I bring. There’s not many guys like me. There’s probably one or two guys in the NBA like me that can play both ways and don’t mind really shutting the guy down. I’m a winner, I’ve been in the playoffs many years. Guys know I’m a great teammate, Tim Duncan called me the ultimate teammate. I know how to play good for the guy next to me. I’m getting calls and I will be ready and that’s the biggest part.”