Bulls Rumors

Central Notes: Hill, Morris, Portis

December 29th, 2015 at 12:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Pacers small forward Solomon Hill has maintained a positive attitude despite falling out of coach Frank Vogel‘s regular rotation, which could have been an issue for the player seeing as he’s in the final year of his contract, Mark Montieth of NBA.com writes. “I have to keep being upbeat,” Hill said. “If I was down in the gutter and C.J. Miles went out and I was thrown out there and I’m not ready, it’s just going to show why I shouldn’t be playing. It’s days like this that show my hard work is paying off.” Hill also noted that he’s aware that he has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate, but insists he doesn’t want to leave Indiana, even if it would mean more playing time, Montieth adds. “I’m an Indiana Pacer,” he said. “They drafted me. I’d definitely love to be here and be part of something great with this team. We have the makings of a special team. We have the potential to be one of the top two teams in the East.”

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Marcus Morris is excelling for the Pistons and he should be given a larger role in the offense, David Mayo of MLive.com argues. Morris isn’t pushing for more shots, as he thinks more opportunities will come within the offensive system. “At the end of the day, coach does a great job of getting me the ball, finding spots for me to get the ball in my isos and my posts, so I’m not really too worried about whether I’m going to get my shots up, because half the time I know they’re going to come,” Morris said. “It’s more just the ball-movement thing.”
With so many players returning from injury, the Cavs realize it’s going to take time for the team to gel, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal writes. “Just because guys are coming back doesn’t mean everything is going to be right,” LeBron James said. “It’s going to take time because for the first eight weeks we had built chemistry, we knew who was playing, we knew who wasn’t playing. We had rotations, Coach had rotations down, so we got to get back to that.”
The solid play of rookie Bobby Portis for the Bulls will make it difficult for coach Fred Hoiberg to sit him when Joakim Noah returns from injury, writes Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com. “He’s not afraid of the moment that’s for sure,” Hoiberg said of Portis. “To be 20 years old and go out there, big minutes against Oklahoma City in a game on Christmas Day on ABC, it shows you what the kid’s makeup is all about. The kid’s got no concern, just thrives and has all kinds of confidence. You love to see that. He’s not gonna back down from anybody.”

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Barnes, D-League, Donovan

December 28th, 2015 at 12:43pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA has suspended Grizzlies small forward Matt Barnes for two games without pay for his role in the off the court altercation with Knicks coach Derek Fisher back in October, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports. Barnes is expected to serve the suspension during tonight’s game against the Heat and Saturday’s game at the Jazz. He will lose $64,409 in salary because of the suspension, Wojnarowski adds. The small forward will be eligible to play the next time New York and Memphis square off, which is set for January 16th in Memphis.

Here’s more from around the league:

Thunder coach Billy Donovan said that he wasn’t worried about the differences between managing NBA players and college ones when he accepted Oklahoma City’s vacant coaching position this past offseason, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman writes. “I didn’t look at coming here to Oklahoma City under that umbrella of ‘what are all these relationships gonna be like,’ because I think we’re all people,” Donovan said. “I think you communicate, you talk, generally things work themselves out. Everything’s not always gonna go perfect, but I think if you’re working for the same cause, moving in the same direction, things get resolved.” Donovan was responding to a question regarding the difficulties new Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg is experiencing this season after also making the jump from the NCAA to the pros.
The Rockets have recalled swingman K.J. McDaniels and power forward Montrezl Harrell from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, their D-League affiliate, the team announced (Twitter link). This was the third D-League assignment on the season for McDaniels and the second for Harrell.
The Celtics have assigned power forward Jordan Mickey to their D-League affiliate, the team announced (via Twitter). This will be Mickey’s eighth jaunt to Maine on the season.

Bulls Rumors: Paxson, Hoiberg, Butler, Carlisle

December 26th, 2015 at 9:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said the team benefited from a five- to 10-minute talk by executive vice president John Paxson, according to Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. Several players said Paxson’s address helped them get focused again after a difficult week that included a three-game losing streak and an incident where Jimmy Butler publicly questioned Hoiberg’s coaching style. “Look, John was a tough, tough guy,” Hoiberg said. “… Our guys really respect John and it was good that he sat in there and again that’s what we did a lot in those three days we had off. It wasn’t just time on the practice floor, but we spent time in the film room just talking things out and John was a big part of that.”

There’s more news tonight out of Chicago:

Paxson would have preferred that Butler address the coaching situation privately, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. In a Friday morning interview on radio station WSCR-670 AM in Chicago, Paxson said the team needs to get beyond any lingering dispute between the player and coach. “My feeling is that as long as it’s been addressed, which it was, and the parties are there to move on, it will be OK,” Paxson said. “When you lose and our schedule not getting any easier, it’s very easy for anyone to point fingers. But the reality is what you have to do and what you have to understand is if you’re not in this thing together, then you might as well not be in at all.”
Despite hitting some bumps in his first NBA coaching job, Hoiberg has a big supporter in Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, Friedell writes in another post. Their relationship began when Hoiberg played for the Pacers in the late 1990s and Carlisle worked as an assistant under Larry Bird. “Fred’s been in the NBA if you count his playing years, his management years … 15, 16, 17 years,” Carlisle said. “… I wouldn’t paint this [picture] that he’s some newcomer. … The job I see him doing [with the Bulls] is a very strong one. I wouldn’t believe the hype.”
Last week’s incident with Butler indicates a leadership void in the Bulls’ locker room, contends Steve Aschburner of NBA.com. The columnist says Butler’s attempt at leadership seemed “forced or rushed,” but injuries and declining production have pushed Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah out of leadership positions, while Pau Gasol is “too cerebral and mature” and may opt out of his contract this coming summer.

Trade Candidate: Joakim Noah

December 25th, 2015 at 2:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

Matt Marton / USA Today Sports Images

Joakim Noah was the All-NBA First Team center and the Defensive Player of the Year in 2013/14, a season in which he finished fourth in MVP voting and embodied the scrapping spirit of former coach Tom Thibodeau‘s Bulls. It seemed at times that year as though he was simply willing his team to its 48 victories and the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, as Derrick Rose again missed most of the season. So, it’s striking to see where Noah is now. The Bulls have benched him and reportedly put him on the trade block, and he was averaging just 4.5 points per game, a career low, before spraining and suffering a “slight tear” in his left shoulder this week, an injury likely to keep him out for up to a month.

The downfall seemed to start with Chicago’s decision to sign Pau Gasol in the summer of 2014. Gasol made it clear during his time with the Lakers that he plays best as a center, not as a power forward, and that’s particularly true as the NBA moves increasingly toward small-ball. The addition of Gasol forced Noah, long entrenched as Chicago’s center, to change the way he played. The adjustment has been difficult, and the nagging injuries that have plagued Noah certainly haven’t helped. He remained in the starting lineup last season, but his scoring average dipped into the single digits for the first time in six years. His rebounding slipped to a six-year low, too.

It’s tough to measure whether Noah has sustained his defense, and as teams consider trading for him, making the right read on this will be critical. His defensive reputation took a hit last season, as he sunk to 12th in Defensive Player of the Year voting after winning the award in 2013/14. Still, his defensive impact on the Bulls was about the same in terms of the team’s defensive rating with him on the court versus off, according to NBA.com. Other advanced metrics say he was indeed a poorer defender in 2014/15 than he was in 2013/14, including Basketball-Reference’s Box Plus Minus, where his number went from 5.5 to 3.6, and ESPN’s Real Plus Minus, where he went from 3.92 to 2.21.

This season, the data sets disagree in the opposite direction. The team’s defensive rating with him on the court is worse than it is when he’s sitting, but he’s seen gains in Box Plus Minus and Real Plus Minus. The Real Plus Minus metric shows him as the league’s seventh-best defensive center.

Teams that invest heavily in proprietary data figure to have an edge, and few study the numbers the way the Mavs do. Dallas quite famously came up empty in its bid to acquire a marquee starting center this past summer, but the center the Mavs wound up with, Zaza Pachulia, is averaging a double-double and is 12th in Defensive Real Plus Minus this season, just five spots beneath Noah. The Mavs would surely hesitate to give up assets for Noah, whom they could simply sign in free agency this summer, particularly given Pachulia’s strong play.

The Rockets are another team heavy on analytics, and questions have swirled about Dwight Howard, who, like Noah, isn’t the player he once was. Noah would bring some leadership to a team that appears to sorely need it, but a Dwight-for-Noah swap is a far-fetched idea, at least without a third team involved. The Bulls would have to include an extra chunk of salary, since Noah is making just $13.4MM compared to Howard’s pay of more than $22.359MM, and the tandem of Howard and Gasol was already a failure for the Lakers. It would help if the Rockets sent the Bulls the wing players and shooting they’re reportedly after, but Houston isn’t trading James Harden, Trevor Ariza is shooting just 31.8% from behind the arc, and the other Rocket wings of note — Corey Brewer, Jason Terry and Marcus Thornton — would scarcely be enough to entice Chicago.

Another Southwest Division team would make a much more intriguing suitor. The Pelicans appear to be going nowhere fast, having fallen to 9-20 after an overtime loss to the Heat today. Eric Gordon, a career 38.0% 3-point shooter, might just fit the bill for the sort of perimeter upgrade the Bulls are apparently seeking. Ryan Anderson is an alternative who’d provide shooting from a different position and would ostensibly be a better fit next to Gasol than Noah is, though the Bulls have no shortage of frontcourt players. The Pelicans made a strong statement about their desire to have Anthony Davis at power forward instead of center when they signed ex-Bull Omer Asik to a five-year deal in the summer, but he’s struggled mightily this season. So has Noah, of course, but the Pelicans could experiment with a change of scenery, and if Noah doesn’t pan out, they don’t have to re-sign him. The same goes for either Gordon or Anderson with the Bulls, since they’re both poised for free agency, too. Still, the Pelicans don’t appear eager to trade Anderson, and chatter about Gordon has been quiet of late.

The Bulls face a stiff challenge to find a new home for Noah, who turns 31 in February. Trading Taj Gibson, whom they’ve also apparently made available, would probably be easier to pull off and reportedly net a greater return, but that could turn a position of strength into one of weakness if Noah and Gasol depart in free agency this summer, leaving Chicago with Nikola Mirotic and the untested Bobby Portis up front without a strong candidate to back them up. GM Gar Forman and executive VP of basketball operations John Paxson also have to be careful about removing a leader from a locker room that seems to have some troubling dynamics. Nevertheless, it appears from a basketball standpoint as though the Bulls have already moved on from Noah, so it makes sense for the Bulls to find a palatable offer and formally bid him adieu before the chance to recoup any assets at all for him vanishes.

What potential trades do you think would work for Noah and the Bulls? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

And-Ones: Warriors, Dawson, D-Will, Bulls

December 24th, 2015 at 10:14pm CST by Charlie Adams

Luke Walton has helped the Warriors get off to 26-1 start in Steve Kerr’s absence, but as Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report suggests, it’s been a more difficult task than it might appear on the surface. “When an assistant becomes a head coach, players hate it,” said Andre Iguodala, who went on to praise the job Walton has done at finding a balance between acting as head and assistant coach. As we wait to see if the Warriors can extend their historic start against the Cavs tomorrow, let’s have a look at a few items from around the NBA.

The Clippers have recalled Branden Dawson from the D-League, the team announced on its website. Dawson averaged 4.9 points across seven contests while on assignment with the Grand Rapids Drive.
Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post summarizes Deron Williams’ disappointing tenure in Brooklyn. Williams was supposed to be the face of the franchise, but he had a difficult time staying healthy and his performance on the court suffered as a result. “I felt like I didn’t know if I was ever going to be healthy again,” Williams said to Bontemps. The Mavericks signed Williams to a two-year, $11MM deal this summer.
Jimmy Butler’s comments directed toward Fred Hoiberg have some fans wondering if one of the two will be ousted from Chicago, but Sam Smith of Bulls.com writes in a mailbag column that he’s confident both members of the pair will still be with the Bulls next season.

Bulls Notes: Butler, Hoiberg, Hinrich

December 23rd, 2015 at 6:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Jimmy Butler‘s recent criticism of Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg‘s laid back demeanor has rankled Derrick Rose‘s camp, but the swingman has the full support of veteran big man Pau Gasol, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun Times writes. “I don’t mind those comments,’’ Gasol said, when asked about Butler declaring himself the team’s leader this season. “I think those comments are positive. Those comments and attitudes don’t raise my eyebrows. I think it’s good certain guys want to take ownership and say, ‘Hey let’s go.’”

“There was some positives and some negatives to that situation,’’ Gasol said of Butler’s public statements regarding the team. “It’s a good thing to say, at some point, enough is enough, something’s got to happen, something’s got to change, and you’ve got to say something and stir the pot a little bit. But some things also need to stay directed indoors and not be exposed outside.’’

Here’s more from out of the Windy City:

The Bulls are committed to Hoiberg, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports said on “The Vertical” podcast (audio link via Twitter at one-hour, one-minute mark), and Wojnarowski suggests that if Hoiberg doesn’t pan out, it jeopardizes the jobs of executive VP of basketball operations John Paxson and GM Gar Forman.
Point guard Kirk Hinrich has been a calming influence for the Bulls and one of the few constants for the franchise the last few seasons, Jake Fischer of SI.com writes in his profile of the player. “He’s been a warrior for the franchise,” small forward Doug McDermott said of Hinrich. “He’s been a really good player and put it all out on the floor. He deserves a lot of credit.”
While he remains an elite passer at the center position, Joakim Noah‘s broken shot mechanics and resulting lack of confidence in his offensive game have made him a liability on the court, Tom Ziller of SB Nation writes.

Bulls Make Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson Available

December 23rd, 2015 at 1:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bulls are determined to find an upgrade at the wing and feel like they need more shooting, and they’re open to trading either Joakim Noah or Taj Gibson for the best possible wing player available, executives from around the league have told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, as he said on “The Vertical” podcast (audio link via Twitter at one-hour, three-minute mark; transcription via Blog a Bull). Noah, poised to hit free agency this summer, said today that he’s expected to miss two to four weeks with a “slight tear” in his shoulder, a comment that came after Wojnarowski recorded his podcast. Gibson, signed through next season, has higher value on the trade market, a Western Conference GM said recently to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.

Jimmy Butler caused a stir with his recent criticism of coach Fred Hoiberg, but he’s well-entrenched on the wing with a new five-year contract. Tony Snell is shooting 38.7% from 3-point range as the replacement starter for the injured Mike Dunleavy at the other wing position, but he’s averaging just 5.6 points in 22.8 minutes per game. Dunleavy still appears to be a month or two from returning to play in games after a recent setback in his recovery from back surgery.

Wings are in high demand around the league, as former Nets executive Bobby Marks said to Wojnarowski on the podcast. The Timberwolves have reportedly made shooting guard Kevin Martin available, and the Bulls were apparently among the teams interested in him last season, though it’s unclear if they’re still eyeing him or if they’d be willing to relinquish Gibson or Noah for the career 38.5% 3-point shooter who turns 33 in February. Multiple reports have indicated that the Clippers are thinking about trading Jamal Crawford, though he’s a career 34.9% 3-point shooter who’s hit on only 30.9% of his attempts from behind the arc this season. The Nuggets are reportedly dangling Randy Foye, though he’s posted only 5.9 points in 20.0 minutes per game with 28.0% shooting this season.

Noah, who’s averaging a career-low 4.5 points per game, is making $13.4MM this year, while Gibson, a recent addition to the starting lineup, has an $8.5MM salary for this season, with $8.95MM coming his way in 2016/17. Chicago is a taxpaying team, so the Bulls can only take in 125% of the salary they trade away, plus $100K, unless they bring in players with contracts that fit within the minimum salary exception. The Bulls, who haven’t made a trade since July 14th, 2014, don’t have any trade exceptions.

Which wing players do you think the Bulls could reasonably acquire for either Noah or Gibson? Leave a comment to let us know.

Joakim Noah Out Up To A Month

December 23rd, 2015 at 12:13pm CST by Chuck Myron

Joakim Noah said he’s been told he’ll miss the next two to four weeks because of a “slight tear” within his sprained left shoulder, an injury he suffered in Monday’s loss to the Nets, as Noah said to media today, including Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com and K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter links). The potentially month-long timeframe confirms Tuesday’s speculation from coach Fred Hoiberg after the team said Noah would be re-evaluated in two weeks.

The ailment is the latest frustration in a tough season for the 2016 free agent whom Hoiberg benched. He made his first start of the year in Saturday’s loss to the Knicks, recording a season-high 21 points to go with 10 rebounds, but he went back to a reserve role Monday before the injury. The ninth-year veteran is averaging a career-low 4.5 points per game, and his 22.3 minutes per contest are his fewest since his rookie season. Still, he’s been reluctant to criticize Hoiberg even as he’s shown signs of frustration with his reduced role.

Noah’s absence temporarily alleviates a frontcourt logjam for the Bulls, who’ve been trying to find time for promising rookie Bobby Portis while still keeping Noah, Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic involved. Still, the injury surely does little for Noah’s trade value, which has appeared relatively soft. One Western Conference GM told Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that he thinks Noah is poised to leave Chicago in free agency this summer, though Gasol has said he’s “very likely” to opt out.

The Bulls are also dealing with a long-term injury to Mike Dunleavy, who still appears about a month or two away from game action. They nonetheless are without the volume of injuries necessary to trigger an extra roster spot via the hardship exception. They can’t get a disabled player exception unless one of their players is expected to miss the rest of the season, and while two players among the 15 on their roster are without fully guaranteed contracts, both are big men, another indication that Chicago is unlikely to make a roster move to compensate for the loss of Noah.

How do you see the rest of the season playing out for Noah? Do you think the Bulls will trade him? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 12/22/15

December 22nd, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler has made some sharply critical comments about new coach Fred Hoiberg‘s laid back coaching style, a move that reportedly didn’t sit well with Butler’s teammates or the front office. “I believe in the guys in this locker room, yeah,” Butler had said after last Saturday’s loss to the Knicks. “But I also believe that we probably have to be coached a lot harder at times. I’m sorry. I know Fred’s a laid-back guy and I really respect him for that, but when guys aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do, you got to get on guys. Myself included. You got to do what you’re supposed to do when you’re out there playing basketball.”

According to Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com, the Bulls are having difficulty adjusting to Hoiberg’s style after years of defensive-minded “taskmaster” Tom Thibodeau. Both Butler and Hoiberg are in the first year of their respective five-year deals, which makes any potential discord between Butler, the team’s star, and the new coach a dicey and uncomfortable proposition.

This bring me to the topic for today: Should the Bulls look to trade Jimmy Butler given his recent remarks and the rift that is reportedly developing between he and his teammates?

While there is little doubt that Butler is the team’s best player, it can be a chemistry killer if the face of the franchise isn’t on board with the coaching staff’s program. Butler has also reportedly rankled his fellow Bulls with his propensity to do his pregame warm ups on his own, a practice that caused Joakim Noah to have a talk with him recently, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Friedell had suggested that Butler’s remarks may have signaled “the beginning of the end” of his time in Chicago, though the controversy has seemingly died down since this past weekend.

But what say you? Were Butler’s remarks about Hoiberg out of line, or do they have merit? If you believe that the swingman was correct in his assessment, do you think he was justified in voicing his frustrations publicly? Would the Bulls be better served trying to deal Butler if a significant return could be garnered, or should the front office take the player’s comments to heart and look to make a change in the coaching staff? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

And-Ones: Bickerstaff, Noah, Smith

December 22nd, 2015 at 10:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Rockets point guard Patrick Beverley is a big supporter of interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff and hopes the team plays well enough to nab Bickerstaff the position on a more permanent basis, Mark Berman of FOX 26 relays (via Twitter). When asked what it would mean to him if Bickerstaff was officially named head coach, Beverley said, “Oh, everything. He’s been great. We’re very close. [He] holds everybody accountable. No one’s bigger than the team. Our defensive principles and defensive intensity have definitely gone up since [he became interim coach]. It wouldn’t surprise me if he will be our head coach for years to come. That wouldn’t surprise me. We’re playing for him. Of course we play for ourselves. Of course we play for our family. We’re playing for him, for him to be here and the rest of the coaching staff.”

Here’s more from around the league:

Bulls center Joakim Noah is expected to miss at least two weeks of action due to a sprained left shoulder, according to the team. Noah underwent an MRI today and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, but coach Fred Hoiberg noted that Noah could be out longer than that, Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago relays. “The initial diagnosis, the shoulder sprain and the initial recovery is two weeks or rehab, then he’ll be re-evaluated. That’s what I’ve been told,” Hoiberg said. “Maybe two, maybe four. I just don’t know yet.” The big man is averaging 4.5 points and 8.8 rebounds for Chicago on the season.
Offseason signee Jason Smith has upgraded the Magic‘s bench on both ends of floor, and his strong play has coach Scott Skiles thinking about expanding Smith’s role, John Denton of NBA.com writes. “I always felt like he was a very good team defender and we felt like in a solid defensive system he’d be very good,’’ Skiles said of Smith. “He’s really protected the rim for us and he’s been very good at moving around and communicating. He’s been very valuable for us.’’

Load More Posts