Chicago Bulls Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Aldridge on Lee, Ainge, Agents, Beal, Portis

January 18th, 2016 at 6:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

David Lee seems to have fallen out of the Celtics‘ rotation a year after going through the same experience in Golden State, writes TNT’s David Aldridge in his weekly column for NBA.com. Boston is fully healthy for the first time this season, which has cut deeply into Lee’s playing time as coach Brad Stevens opts for a smaller lineup. “I’ve been through this before, and it turned out OK,” Lee said. The 11th-year forward is making nearly $15.5MM in the final season of his contract and is headed for free agency for the second time in his career.

Aldridge touched on a number of other topics in the piece:

With a little more than a month before the trade deadline, Celtics GM Danny Ainge has to decide whether to deal the team’s excess draft picks to pursue an available star or save the picks and use them to build for the future. Boston owns the Nets‘ unprotected first-rounder this year, along with a Mavs first-rounder that is top-seven protected. The Celtics could potentially get the Wolves‘ first-rounder as well, but it is only top-12 protected, so that’s unlikely. If Minnesota keeps the pick, it will have to give Boston second-rounders this year and in 2017.
Pressure has increased on agents to get not only the best playing contracts for their clients, but TV and movie roles, music opportunities and shoe deals as well. The Wizards‘ John Wall last week became one of a handful of big name players to change agencies recently when he left Relativity Sports, which had represented him since he was drafted in 2010. “The people I was with have been a great partnership the five years I was with them,” Wall said. “They did a lot of positive things for me. It was just a situation where I felt me and my team wanted to go in different ways with how I wanted to build my team.”
Aldridge believes the Wizards still plan to give Bradley Beal a max contract, even though he will probably be under a minutes restriction for the rest of his career. Aldridge contends that Beal can be an All-Star playing 30-35 minutes a night and compares the situation to what the Celtics did when Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were in their final years there or how the Spurs handle their veterans.
Aldridge also sees a bright future for Bulls rookie Bobby Portis, saying he can succeed through hard work despite his limited vertical leap.

Central Notes: Pistons, Gores, Noah, Turner

January 18th, 2016 at 5:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons may be returning to downtown Detroit, according to Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Owner Tom Gores confirmed today that the move is being considered, but everything is still in the preliminary stage. Former sports agent Arn Tellem, whom the Pistons hired in August as vice chairman of Palace Sports and Entertainment, has been examining the potential of a new downtown facility. “Arn is doing some heavy lifting on really trying to understand what’s the best thing for everybody,” Gores said today. “I’d say we’re in the diligence process and we’re keeping a close eye on it, but we just made a philosophical decision that we want to do more in Detroit.” The Pistons have been outside the city for nearly four decades, playing at the Pontiac Silverdome before moving to the Palace of Auburn Hills in 1988. Commissioner Adam Silver was in Detroit today and plans to talk with Gores about the potential move.

There’s more news from the Central Division:

As his team hits midseason, Gores likes the chemistry he sees on the court, writes James Hawkins of The Detroit News. The Pistons entered today in the sixth spot in the East, just three games out of second place. They are shooting for their first playoff appearance since Gores became the owner in 2011. “It took [coach/executive] Stan [Van Gundy] a little time to pull it together,” Gores said. “He’s very much based around how chemistry works and certain players being able to work with each other. That’s been the biggest difference [from past teams].”
Joakim Noah‘s shoulder injury is a sign to the Bulls that it’s time to rebuild, contends Steve Rosenbloom of The Chicago Tribune. He argues that the team should try to trade away Pau Gasol and Derrick Rose, if it can find a taker.
The Pacers have gotten a boost from the return of Myles Turner, according to Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. The rookie big man missed 21 games after fracturing his thumb in November, but is starting to show he has a future in the NBA. “I hate sitting out there watching sometimes, especially sitting down and not being able to make an impact on the game,” Turner said. “But now that I’m back and my coach has some trust in me, we keep building that trust going forward.”

Central Notes: Noah, Bucks, Pacers

January 18th, 2016 at 9:45am CST by Will Joseph

Coach Fred Hoiberg does not anticipate the Bulls making a move in the wake of Joakim Noah‘s injury, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com relays. “I don’t think there’s anything serious out there,” Hoiberg said. That is not totally surprising, considering Noah was the big man that Chicago most wanted to trade, executives around the league told Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Bulls recently measured the trade market for Pau Gasol, who has said that he’s leaning toward opting out of his contract this summer.

Here is more out of the Central Division:

It’s conceivable that the Bulls would be able to re-sign Noah, who is set to be a free agent, to a short-term deal because not too many teams are expected to offer significant money to a 31-year-old center coming off shoulder surgery, Mark Schanowski of CSNChicago.com writes. In an interesting stat to note, the Bulls are actually 8-2 this season without Noah, Stein tweets. Surely, however, the Bulls would prefer to have Noah’s presence on the court.
Bucks shooting guard Khris Middleton has found a rhythm with his shot after struggling at the start of the season, Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel details. The resurgence is vital because Middleton, who re-signed with Milwaukee for a five-year, $70MM contract as a restricted free agent last summer, is a key piece for the Bucks’ future, Gardner adds.
C.J. Miles, who is averaging a career-high in minutes this season (26.9 per game), is performing well as a combo forward instead of a shooting guard for the Pacers this season, Andrew Perna of RealGM writes in a profile of the veteran.

Heat Rumors: Udrih, Whiteside, Wade

January 17th, 2016 at 11:51am CST by Arthur Hill

Beno Udrih‘s improved play may force the Heat to shake up their rotation once Goran Dragic returns from injury, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Udrih, who was acquired in a November 10th trade with Memphis, has taken over as the starting point guard with Dragic out of action. Dragic was sent home from the team’s current road trip with a calf strain. He will be re-evaluated after the Heat return home tonight, but there is no timetable for his return. Winderman speculates that if Udrih continues to play well, he could turn Tyler Johnson from a combo guard into just a shooting guard and perhaps eat into the minutes of Gerald Green and Justise Winslow.

There’s more Heat-related news today:

An ideal situation for Miami would be for free agent center Hassan Whiteside to accept an Early Bird salary of about $6MM next season and then receive a maximum deal the following year, Winderman writes in the same piece. However, the columnist adds that there’s virtually no chance of that happening, as Whiteside can expect at least an $80MM offer this summer.
That payday will be extra sweet for Whiteside, according to Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders, as the 26-year-old center spent two full years out of the NBA before getting a chance with Miami midway through last season. Now that he has a shot at a huge contract, Whiteside listed a few basic things he will be looking for. “I want to go to a team that’s about winning,” he said. “[A team] that has a good understanding of what it takes to win and a good city with a good fan base.” Blancarte expects the Hawks, Celtics, Hornets, Bulls and Lakers to compete with the Heat for Whiteside.
Earning an All-Star spot is still important to Dwyane Wade at age 34, writes Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post. Wade, who signed a one-year, $20MM deal with the Heat last summer and is headed for free agency again, is fifth in the overall voting with two days remaining. He said the results show he has staying power with the public. “I’m turning 34 years old, and the fans still want to see me in the All-Star Game,” said Wade. “It’s a pretty cool thing. Besides my first All-Star, it probably means the most.”

Latest On Joakim Noah’s Future In Chicago

January 17th, 2016 at 8:51am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls are facing life without Joakim Noah for the short term, and maybe for the long term, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Noah will be out of action for the next four to six months after being diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder Saturday. He will also become an unrestricted free agent this summer for the first time in his career, leaving his future in Chicago in doubt.

Even though the nine-year veteran’s role with the team has been reduced this season — and the Bulls have an 8-2 record in games he has missed — Johnson relayed that Noah’s teammates were somber as they struggled with the news. “It’s tough to lose a guy like Jo,” Jimmy Butler said. “He does so much for us. Forget basketball. You hate to see that happen to a good person. He’s down, as he should be. He wants to play for this team.”

The injury should alert GM Gar Forman and vice president of basketball operations John Paxson that it’s time to shake up the roster, contends Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. The loss of Noah diminishes the Bulls as a contender this season, and Friedell believes it’s time to focus on the future. That includes finding a taker for Pau Gasol, who has a player option for next season and is expected to enter free agency this summer.

Noah’s injury likely means more playing time for promising rookie Bobby Portis, but that won’t solve the Bulls’ more pressing problems, according to Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com (Insider only). While Portis can expect to become part of the rotation, Doolittle cautions that it’s not clear how he fits in. Starting him alongside Gasol creates a poor defensive lineup, as does bringing him off the bench with Nikola Mirotic. Starting Taj Gibson next to Gasol leads to a problem with floor spacing. Doolittle also believes defensive woes will end the experiment of starting Mirotic at small forward.

On top of that, Butler and Derrick Rose are playing hurt, and nobody is certain when Mike Dunleavy Jr. will return from his back troubles. Doolittle writes that some of those concerns could have been alleviated by trading Noah for help at the wing. He says the Bulls need to hold onto Gasol to be a factor in this year’s playoffs, while Mirotic and Portis have team-friendly contracts that Chicago’s front office would probably prefer to keep.

A different view comes from Sam Smith of Bulls.com, who argues that it’s too early to write off Noah’s future in Chicago. Smith thinks the injury presents an opportunity for both sides to hammer out a short-term extension with less competition from other teams.

Eastern Notes: Pacers, Nene, D-League Moves

January 16th, 2016 at 11:04am CST by Dana Gauruder

Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird admits his team hasn’t figured out whether to play with a smaller or bigger lineup, according to Nate Taylor of the Indianapolis Star. The team’s inconsistent play has left him baffled, Taylor adds. “I just can’t get a handle on it right now because these guys are up and down,” Bird told Taylor. “I can’t tell you what is best for us right now. We’ve had success with the small lineup, but we’ve had success with two big guys in there. It’s going to take a little bit more time, but I would like to have won more games up to this point. I don’t think any of us feel comfortable with how we’re playing and the way things are going.” Bird wants coach Frank Vogel to continue using the smaller lineup for the time being to create offensive mismatches, even though the bigger lineup is statistically superior defensively, Taylor adds.

In other news around the Eastern Conference:

Nene is an essential frontcourt piece for the Wizards and he must stay healthy for the team to make a playoff run this season, J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com opines. Nene’s passing, movement, screening, deflections and ability to create his own shot are why the Wizards weren’t interested in trading him during the offseason, J. Michael continues. The frontcourt combination of Marcin Gortat, DeJuan Blair and Kris Humphries cannot duplicate his skills and the fact that Nene — who is making $13MM this season — becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer provides the added bonus of not tying up salary beyond this season, J. Michael adds.
The Bulls recalled power forward Cristiano Felicio from the D-League, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports (Twitter link). The move is related to the shoulder injury suffered by center Joakim Noah on Friday, Johnson adds.
The Celtics assigned shooting guard R.J. Hunter to their D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, the team tweets.
The Raptors assigned power forward Anthony Bennett, small forward Bruno Caboclo and rookie shooting guard Delon Wright to their D-League affiliate, Raptors 905, the team tweets.

Bulls Notes: Trade Possibilities, Hoiberg, Butler

January 15th, 2016 at 5:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls could use more athleticism at small forward but are in a difficult position to make a trade, according to Sam Smith of Bulls.com. With Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah both likely to be free agents this summer, Derrick Rose having a long injury history and Jimmy Butler being untouchable, Smith believes the Bulls are limited in what they can offer in a major deal. He mentions former Bull Luol Deng as a possibility because he is being “phased out” by the Heat, but speculates Taj Gibson would be the asking price. Smith writes that the Suns would want a first-round pick for P.J. Tucker, and the Celtics would ask for rookie Bobby Portis in exchange for Jae Crowder. The Bulls may have to settle for what they have unless they are willing to surrender a significant piece in return.

There’s more out of Chicago:

Despite some ups and downs, rookie coach Fred Hoiberg still has the attention of his team, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun Times. Even with the distractions of Gasol and Noah possibly heading elsewhere next season — if not before — Hoiberg has found a way to keep the team focused. “I think guys are listening,’’ Rose said. “We have good-hearted people here. We don’t have any knuckleheads or anything like that. It’s all about just incorporating that into the game. Everything he tells us in shootaround, and everything he tells us before the game to prep us before the game, we just got to incorporate that into the game, but on a more consistent basis.’’
Butler got the coaching style he had been seeking from Hoiberg in Thursday’s comeback victory over the Sixers, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Butler made headlines in December when he took a public shot at Hoiberg for being too “laid back,” but Hoiberg was intense with his halftime speech Thursday when the Bulls were trailing by 16 points. “Fred came in here and got on our [butt] to tell you the truth,” Butler said. “I like it though. He was fired up. He came in and let us know that’s not how we’re going to play.”

Pacific Notes: Gay, World Peace, Kelly, Acy

January 15th, 2016 at 11:00am CST by Chuck Myron

It’s not accurate to say the Kings have Rudy Gay on the block, and Sacramento isn’t actively shopping him, sources tell James Ham of CSN California and CSNBayArea.com, adding that it’s unclear whether the team’s reported offer to the Pelicans of Gay for Ryan Anderson took place. Gay has strong relationship with DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo, Ham notes, adding that Gay recruited Rondo, a longtime friend, when the point guard was a free agent this past summer. Gay has also been linked to the Bulls and the Clippers in the past, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee, and much has changed since the Kings made him virtually untouchable in trade talk a year ago, Jones adds. He’s struggled to fit into coach George Karl‘s system on the court, Jones writes, noting that the team has had concerns about its depth at two guard all season and speculating that Rondo’s presence might make Gay expendable. See more on the Kings and the rest of the Pacific Division:

Metta World Peace would like to play in the NBA for another two seasons, though it appears he’ll be OK with whatever the outcome is following the end of his Lakers contract this summer, observes Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. The 36-year-old is meanwhile dispelling his volatile reputation, serving as a mentor for younger Lakers, as Carr details. “I didn’t think he would be that nice of a guy,” rookie D’Angelo Russell said. “But he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met.”
Ryan Kelly is seeing less playing time this season than in his first two years with the Lakers, but he’s confident that he’s a much better player than he was when he arrived in the NBA, Carr notes in a separate piece. He’s on an expiring contract and is set for restricted free agency at season’s end.
The Kings netted Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray in the same trade with the Raptors a little more than two years ago, and all three are still paying dividends, with Gay and Acy on the roster, and Gray, an assistant for the Pistons D-League team, still a confidant of Acy’s, as The Bee’s Matt Kawahara details.

Central Notes: Dudley, Morris, Baynes

January 14th, 2016 at 11:34am CST by Chuck Myron

Jared Dudley believes the Bucks made the right move for themselves when they traded him to the Wizards and Zaza Pachulia to the Mavericks this past summer, even though they did so for virtually nothing in return other than cap space, observes Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Dudley thinks he came out well, too, lauding the Bucks for placing Pachulia and him in “great situations,” Gardner relays.

“Even if me and Za were there, you have to incorporate Jabari [Parker] back in,” Dudley said. “He still would have been playing 28, 29 minutes. For the long-term approach for them, they’re doing it the right way. You have to see if Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and Jabari can coexist.”

See more from the Central Division:

Marcus Morris is fond of Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy, whom he believes has given him a more clearly defined role than Jeff Hornacek did with the Suns, as Morris told Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Morris responded harshly when Washburn asked him about Suns owner Robert Sarver’s criticism of “millennial culture” and Morris’ twin brother, Markieff, saying the owner “doesn’t even know basketball.” Marcus also hinted that the Suns will indeed trade his brother. “He’s in good spirits,” Marcus said to Washburn about Markieff. “Whatever team he ends up going to, he’s still going to be that same player. He’s just excited to see what’s next and where he’s going. Some things were said about him in the press and I know that’s totally wrong. People talk about adversity; coming from where we come from [Philadelphia] is adversity. This is small stuff. He’ll get over it fast.”
Van Gundy was quick to point to Aron Baynes‘ strong free-throw shooting as one of the reasons the Pistons signed him to a three-year, $19.5MM deal this summer, and that’s indeed been paying dividends to offset Andre Drummond‘s struggles at the line, as Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press notes.
The Bulls don’t have enough to put a scare into the league’s true title contenders, so it’s imperative for the team to make a trade, posits Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com. No NBA team has gone longer without making a trade than the Bulls, who haven’t pulled off a swap since July 14th, 2014, though they’re reportedly gauging interest in Pau Gasol and others.

Bulls Gauge Trade Interest In Pau Gasol

January 13th, 2016 at 10:57pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Bulls recently measured the trade market for Pau Gasol in discussions that have more often centered on Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson, league sources tell Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher (video link). Chicago wants a talented young player in return, whether it’s a defensive-minded wing player or a stretch four, and to open playing time for Bobby Portis, Bucher adds.

Chicago has reportedly been determined to find an upgrade at the wing and believes that it needs more outside shooting, and the team is willing to part with some of its ample frontcourt depth to acquire the right player, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported recently. The players most often linked to such a move have been Gibson and Noah, and the revelation that the team is potentially shopping Gasol is a new twist. The Bulls have been mentioned in connection with Timberwolves shooting guard Kevin Martin, who is reportedly available, as well as Jamal Crawford of the Clippers, though neither player fits the mold of the talented young player or defensive-minded wing that Bucher noted the team was seeking in his report.

Noah, who’s averaging a career-low 4.3 points per game while struggling with shoulder issues, is making $13.4MM this year in the final season of his deal, and Gibson has an $8.5MM salary for this season, with $8.95MM owed to him for 2016/17. Gibson supposedly has a higher value on the trade market, as a Western Conference GM recently relayed to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, but the team would likely prefer to deal Noah, given the decline in his play and expiring contract. It’s doubtful Chicago would be able to extract much in the way of value for Noah, though Bucher indicates that a decent market for him exists.

As for Gasol, he possesses a player option worth $7,769,520 for 2016/17 and has said that he’s leaning toward opting out of his contract this summer. He did add that he would like to remain in Chicago beyond this season. “Yes, of course,” Gasol said about staying with the Bulls after 2015/16. “But when the time comes we’ll evaluate it. I’ll see how the season went. Where are the team’s interests, where are my interests, what options do I have? But most important is for me and the team to focus on what we have this season to make the best out of it and give ourselves a chance to win the title.”

The Bulls would have only Early Bird rights on Gasol if he does decide to opt out, meaning they’d have to use cap room if they wish to ink him to a starting salary on his next deal that’s more than 175% of his nearly $7.449MM salary for this season, a figure that would come to $13,035,330. The Bulls have more than $64.75MM in guaranteed salary against a projected $89MM cap, though some believe it could rise as high as $95MM next season. It’s not clear if the team is pessimistic that it will be able to retain Gasol, or if it understands that he is the player who would generate the best potential return in a trade.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.