Chicago Bulls Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Cauley-Stein, Draft, Izzo

March 29th, 2014 at 10:17pm CST by Eddie Scarito

When Kentucky squares off against Michigan in Sunday’s Midwest Regional final, the Wildcats may be looking for their 16th Final Four appearance without a big part of their lineup, center Willie Cauley-Stein, who is doubtful to play because of a sprained ankle. Even if Cauley-Stein is done for the season, it is unlikely to affect his draft stock, writes Josh Newman of SNY.tv. He is currently slotted No. 12 in June’s NBA Draft by Draft Express. “An ankle sprain, it’s nothing. He will be a top-20 pick regardless of him playing another college game. He could be a Lottery pick if he stayed another year at Kentucky,” a former NBA executive told SNY.tv per the article.

Kevin Love Has Interest In Bulls

March 29th, 2014 at 11:07am CST by Cray Allred

A source familiar with Kevin Love‘s thinking tells Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com the All-Star is intrigued by the Bulls as a destination, adding to the forward’s known interests in the Lakers and Knicks. At this point, there has been no indication that the Bulls front office has made any preparations for a Love pursuit, which would have to occur via a trade before the 2014/15 season’s trade deadline, or in free agency before the 2015/16 season, when Love is expected by most to decline his $16.7MM player option.

The Lakers have been considered the favorite to land Love if he were to depart from the Timberwolves either as a free agent or in a pre-emptive trade if Minnesota looks to avoid losing him for nothing. However, Love’s public statements about the Lakers have been less than glowing in recent months. Last night, after scoring a triple double in a beatdown of the Lakers, Love blamed the Lakers speculation on his upbringing in Los Angeles and no more. In an earlier interview with GQ, Love rejected the notion that the Lakers roster is more attractive than the roster he’s surrounded by in Minnesota.

Depending on what the Bulls do this summer, they may not have enough cap flexibility to obtain Love by trade or by signing him if and when he becomes a free agent demanding a max salary. Carlos Boozer‘s contract runs through next season but could be amnestied, Nikola Mirotic could be bought out from his European team and brought to Chicago, and other free agents could be added for next year and beyond, including some improbable scenarios involving Carmelo Anthony. If Minnesota opened a bidding war for Love, the Lakers are set up to have better draft assets to deal over the next couple of years, but don’t have any young pieces as valuable as Chicago’s Taj Gibson or Jimmy Butler.

The speculation around Love’s future has heated up since the All-Star break, as the Wolves have slid further out of playoff contention. The team was built to break into the playoffs for the first time in Love’s six years with the franchise that drafted him, with expectations boosted by free agency acquisitions including Kevin Martin and full, healthy seasons from both Love and Ricky Rubio.

Central Notes: Pacers, Fredette, Dellavedova

March 28th, 2014 at 9:47pm CST by Cray Allred

Danny Granger thinks some of the Pacers’ recent struggles could be due to a team hangover following the trade that sent him to the Sixers, he tells Jeff Caplan of NBA.com. “You mess up the … it’s not messing, you change the chemistry of the team. It can have different effects that are unforeseen. I think that may have had something to do with it,” said Granger. “The fact they added two new players, it’s hard to come in in the middle of the season with a new team regardless of how good you are, that’s very difficult to do.” Here’s more from the Central Division:

In a mailbag answer, Sam Smith of Bulls.com says that the Bulls likely won’t want to keep all of their draft picks this summer, and guesses that GM Gar Forman will see if the picks will help pry away a star level player from another team. The Bulls will almost surely have the Bobcats’ first rounder to go with their own first round pick, and are also expected to try and bring Nikola Mirotic over from Europe.
Despite playing only four minutes per game in five appearances with the Bulls, Jimmer Fredette tells K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune he doesn’t regret signing with Chicago. “It’s a great culture here,” Fredette said. “Everyone plays as hard as they can and for the team and for each other. Hopefully, I can be a big part of what we do here moving into the playoffs.”
With Kyrie Irving out, Cavs rookie point guard Matthew Dellavedova has come through with improved offense to add to his defensive strengths, and he tells Bob Finnan of The News-Herald it’s not come by accident. “We put a lot of time in shooting the ball,” Dellavedova said. “I started well this season and then had a drop-off. It picked up lately. You have to keep refining it and keep taking good shots. I work on my 3-point shot and watch a lot of game tape. I stuck with it. It feels pretty good right now.”

Eastern Notes: Young, Rose, Murry

March 26th, 2014 at 9:30pm CST by Cray Allred

Former Bulls MVP Derrick Rose has begun practicing with the team in non-contract drills, coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters including K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. His progress puts him on track to participate in USA Basketball’s July minicamp, but doesn’t change his status as out for the season. Here’s more from the East:

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer told Andy Greder of Pioneer Press that frontcourt injuries spurred Atlanta to bring rookie Mike Muscala over from Europe sooner than planned, but the coach added that the big man is in their long term plans. “It is because of the injuries, but it’s also because he is somebody that we really think has a future with us,” said Budenholzer. “He is a smart player and he is picking things up quickly.” After selecting Muscala in the second round of the 2013 draft, the Hawks signed him mid-season to a four-year contract that isn’t fully guaranteed beyond 2013/14.
The Sixers‘ Thaddeus Young would have embraced a trade to the Spurs, had rumors along those lines come to fruition at the deadline, he tells Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News. “You know, it’s a great opportunity … I want to play for a winning team, I want to win a championship. At the end day, right now, the trade deadline is over and I’m just trying to develop guys and rebuild the culture,” said Young, who sounded open to the possibility of joining the Spurs in the future. “It can happen. Like I said, I can play with anybody.”
Toure’ Murry is living his dream, telling Jessica Camerato of Basketball Insiders that time spent in Summer League, overseas, and the D-League have all been worth it now that he has a spot at the end of the Knicks bench. “Everybody’s dream is to get to the NBA. It just makes me feel great to say I play in the NBA and (my family and peers are) basically living their dream through me,” Murry said. “It’s kind of like a real story when I look back on it. It just shows you never give up, never get sidetracked because there’s a lot of things that can do that, and just know you can do it if you have a strong mental state and always believe in yourself. Even when you’re short, you’re skinny, always believe in yourself.”

Central Notes: Drummond, Bulls, Bynum

March 22nd, 2014 at 11:08am CST by Cray Allred

Andre Drummond tells Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press that the many Pistons losses this season have taken their toll on the young big man. “That’s how it goes sometimes. Nothing good comes easy, and nothing starts off easy, either. Tough starts will help us build this team and this organization,” said Drummond. Ellis points out that if the Pistons finish low enough to keep their lottery pick, it would be little consolation if continued losing sours Drummond on the organization. Here’s more from around the Central:

Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times thinks speculation on Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau moving to the Knicks, or Carmelo Anthony signing with the Bulls, is a thing of the past, implying that Phil Jackson‘s tenure in New York will put an end to those possibilities.
Cowley adds that Gary Harris, Doug McDermott, K.J. McDaniels, and Zach LaVine could be good options for the Bulls in the draft. Barring a Bobcats late-season meltdown, Chicago will have Charlotte’s first round pick to go with their own in the 2014 draft, both of which are currently projected in the teens.
Carlos Delfino, lost for the year due to injury, won’t be joining the Bucks for the remainder of the year, per Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times (Twitter link). The guard is opting to rehab in his home country of Argentina, and is still under contract with Milwaukee beyond this season.
Pacers backup center Andrew Bynum is sidelined indefinitely while he receives treatment for swelling and soreness to his knee, per a team release. Bynum has only played two games with Indiana since signing there in early February, and it’s no shock that his chronic knee issues are limiting his time.

And-Ones: Bulls, Harris, Jackson, Powell

March 20th, 2014 at 10:54pm CST by Charlie Adams

In his latest piece for ESPNChicago.com, Nick Friedell discusses with Jon Greenberg and Scoop Jackson what the Bulls’ offseason plan should consist of if they can’t land Carmelo Anthony. Friedell think bringing Nikola Mirotic from overseas makes the most sense, while Greenberg believes Lance Stephenson would be a great fit with coach Tom Thibodeau. Here’s more from around the Association:

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban confesses he regrets rescinding a contract offer he made to Devin Harris last summer that would have locked up the former All-Star for three years, reports Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW. Cuban decided to only offer Harris a one-year pact in wake of the news that the point guard would need foot surgery.
Bill Bradley was Phil Jackson‘s teammate on the Knicks’ two championship teams of 1969/70 and 1972/73, and he sees Jackson as a perfect fit as team president, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I think he’s got an unparalleled record,” Bradley said, “a good head on his shoulders, knows what’s important in building a winning culture. That’s a great combination“
Gregg Popovich is known for his tendency to blow off reporters, but the Spurs coach had no shortage of words on how beneficial he thought the hiring of Jackson would be for the Knicks, says Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News. “To have somebody of Phil Jackson’s stature back in the mix is just a huge plus for everybody involved, so I think it’s great,” said Popovich. “When you put together a group and there’s synergy between the general manager, a president, as he’s going to be, and a coach… He just has to make sure that synergy exists and I’m sure that he will. He’s a smart man. There will be a system and a culture, for sure.“
ESPN’s 5-on-5 panel breaks down the NBA prospects they find most intriguing, and Brett Koremenos of Grantland writes that while Stanford forward Dwight Powell is often overlooked, a strong tournament showing by him and his team could boost his standing on scouts’ draft boards around the league.

Eastern Notes: Pistons, Varnado, Sims, Mirotic

March 19th, 2014 at 8:37pm CST by Alex Lee

If new commissioner Adam Silver gets his wish and changes the NBA draft’s age minimum from 19 to 20, he will have two dissenters in the Pistons‘ Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith, both of whom would have been affected had such a rule been in place when they entered the league. “I just feel like if a kid’s ready, he’s ready to – why two years?” Jennings told Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. “Then if I’m a kid that’s talented and you expect me to go to college and eat McDonald’s all the time. I’m not rolling.”

Let’s take a look at what else is going on in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday night:

Mississippi State product Jarvis Varnado, who inked a multiyear deal with the Sixers earlier this month, was adamant he’d stick in the NBA earlier this season despite being on a 10-day contract, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, who talked with Varnado in his time with the Bulls.
Henry Sims has been a bright spot for the Sixers since coming over from Cleveland in the Spencer Hawes deal, and may have a future in Philadelphia, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Nate Duncan of Basketball Insiders breaks down the salary cap implications of Chicago bringing over Nikola Mirotic this offseason from Real Madrid, who the Bulls took with the 23rd pick of the 2011 NBA Draft. The move would involve a buyout of over $3MM as well as enough money to entice Mirotic to want to leave Europe.
Al Jefferson signed with the Bobcats just eight months ago, but he’s already prepared to recruit others to Charlotte, as he tells Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated. “It’s on me to let other free agents know, ‘Why not Charlotte?’,” Jefferson said.

And-Ones: Bucks, Dedmon, Gooden, Pelicans

March 19th, 2014 at 3:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

A source tells Don Walker of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Bucks owner Herb Kohl is receiving considerable nationwide interest from investors who’d like to buy at least a minority share of the team, and many of them are in close proximity to Milwaukee. Kohl is reportedly close to selling a majority stake in the franchise, but Walker hears that no deal is imminent. Sports business experts say the team would be more valuable in another market, Walker writes, but Kohl has been insistent that the team stay in Milwaukee. Here’s more from around the league:

Dewayne Dedmon‘s latest contract with the Magic gives him the chance to make the team’s roster next season, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, so presumably that means the deal covers 2014/15 with a non-guaranteed salary.
The Wizards didn’t bring Drew Gooden aboard until last month, but they’d been monitoring him since December, tweets J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. Gooden followed a pair of 10-day contracts with a deal Tuesday for the rest of the season.
The Pelicans have more than $54MM in commitments for next season, and GM Dell Demps acknowledged that it’s unlikely the team will be a major player on the free agent market, as John Reid of The Times-Picayune observes. Demps also said he doesn’t regret last summer’s Jrue Holiday trade, even though there’s a strong chance it could cost them another lottery pick this year.
The Bulls may have to make a few creative cap maneuvers to entice Nikola Mirotic to sign this summer, depending on the dollars-to-euros exchange rate and Real Madrid’s willingness to negotiate the amount of Mirotic’s buyout. Nate Duncan of Basketball Insiders has the details.
Twelve-year NBA veteran Ricky Davis had been attempting a comeback with the D-League affiliate of the Knicks, but the Erie BayHawks announced that they have cut him loose.

Fallout From Jackson/Knicks Press Conference

March 18th, 2014 at 11:02pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Here’s a roundup of more Phil Jackson/Knicks-related notes worth passing along tonight..

Though it was made clear that Steve Mills will continue to handle the duties of a general manager in New York, sources tell Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News that Jackson will be allowed to choose a “basketball man” to help him run the front office. At that point, Mills will have more of a ceremonial role once Jackson has his preferred brain trust in place.
The above piece shed some light on Ronnie Lester potentially being brought in to assist Jackson. Lester, who served as the No. 2 to Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak when Jackson was with the Lakers, would be a viable executive that New York fans could feel better about, says Lawrence. If not Lester, then that person would have to have strong ties to Jackson in order to receive consideration.
The Zen Master may have alluded to a plan to “work the bushes” in order to improve the roster, but people who have spoken with him recently say that he’ll deliberately wait until Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler, and Andrea Bargnani come off the cap in order to accommodate another star and perhaps other pieces.
The thought of Jackson luring Jim Paxson away from the Bulls front office to be his “basketball man” is an intriguing one, opines Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, who also envisions Steve Kerr, Jim Cleamons, Bill Cartwright, Pete Myers, and Kurt Rambis eventually joining Jackson’s regime (Twitter links).
James Dolan tells Scott Cacciola of the New York Times that he sought Jackson’s approval on several deadline deals the team tried to make this season: “If it was a trade that didn’t fit what he was thinking — and I couldn’t tell you the specifics of what he was thinking, but I knew he had a plan … I believed he was coming on board, and I felt I should consult him.”
The Knicks owner also shared how he plans to let Jackson and Mills operate: “They’re going to come in, and they’re going to tell me what they want to do. They’re going to tell me how much it costs, and I’m going to say yes — assuming it doesn’t bankrupt the company. I don’t think they’ll come in with a bankrupt-the-company scenario, but I’ve told them that I’m willing to spend. We need a championship here.”

Bulls, Rockets Among ‘Melo’s Top Alternatives

March 18th, 2014 at 9:06pm CST by Ryan Raroque

If Carmelo Anthony ultimately decides to leave New York this summer, Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski identifies the Bulls and Rockets as two free agent destinations that have emerged above all other alternatives. Wojnarowski notes that while Chicago may have an easier time clearing enough cap space to sign Carmelo outright, Houston believes that they can shed the necessary contracts to be able to offer a near-max deal. One source tells Wojnarowski that the Knicks star “will give New York every option (to convince him to stay)…But he has options – and he’s going to explore them all.”

Should Anthony and the Knicks eventually decide to part ways, it’ll be very interesting to see how the two sides will get to that point. During his introductory presser today, Knicks president Phil Jackson made it clear that Anthony is in his plans for the team’s future. Coincidentally, Anthony indicated yesterday that he’s intrigued with the direction the Knicks can go now that Jackson is at the helm of the front office:

“The big picture, absolutely, for the big picture this is definitely more attractive…I’m willing to do whatever. As long as it’s gonna put me in a situation to win, I’m willing to do whatever. I’m not sold or stuck on my play. What I’ve been able to do these past 10-11 years has gotten me to where I am right now…If Phil wants to come in and change that this late in my career, if it’s going to help me out to win a championship, I’m with it…I’ve said numerous times what (Phil’s) been able to bring to the game of basketball is unprecedented. So hopefully we can work it out and he can build something here as well” (Peter Botte of the New York Daily News).

A few weeks ago, Bulls center Joakim Noah apparently tried to sell Anthony on the idea of playing for Chicago during a conversation on All-Star Weekend, with the Knicks star reportedly inquiring about what it’s like to play for Tom Thibodeau. The Rockets – with James Harden and Dwight Howard in place – would undoubtedly garner championship expectations immediately if Carmelo were to jump on board in Houston. While there’s still quite some time before Anthony can exercise his early termination clause in July, it’ll be worth keeping an eye out for the pitch that Jackson will make in order to convince New York’s prized forward to stay in place.