Chicago Bulls Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Links: LeBron, Deng, Bulls, Scola

November 26th, 2013 at 8:43pm CST by Chuck Myron

It’s not easy to build a six-and-a-half game lead in less than a month, but that’s what the Pacers have done in the Central Division, where they’re the only team above .500. The Bulls are in second place, and the hole they’re in would have been somewhat of a challenge to overcome even if Derrick Rose were coming back this season. It’s probably impossible now that he’s done for the year, though Chicago at least has a strong chance of making the playoffs in the watered-down Eastern Conference. Here’s more on Indiana and the Central Division also-rans:

Anderson Varejao would welcome former Cavaliers teammate LeBron James if the four-time MVP decides to re-sign with Cleveland this summer, a prospect Varejao believes could become reality, as Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio observes. The Brazilian big man thinks James will likely return to the Cavs at some point, even if it’s not for next season.
Other reports suggest Luol Deng isn’t going anywhere soon, but executives from around the league who spoke to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune expect trade talks involving the Bulls small forward to pick up.
Johnson also notes in his piece that the Bulls chose to sign Mike Dunleavy over Marco Belinelli because they believed Dunleavy was a better fit with Rose. That points to the challenge the team faces opposed to last year, when they went into the season knowing Rose would be out. Despite his latest injury, Bulls GM Gar Forman says he’d be OK with Rose playing in the basketball World Cup this coming summer, according to Johnson.
Pacers coach Frank Vogel is impressed with offseason acquisition Luis Scola, and didn’t expect the 33-year-old would defend as well as he has so far, writes Michael Pointer of the Indianapolis Star.
The Bucks had the most turnover of any NBA team this summer, but they didn’t expect to have the worst record in the Eastern Conference a month into the season, as Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel examines.

Eastern Notes: George, Wade, Shumpert, LBJ

November 26th, 2013 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets will look to snap a five-game losing streak tonight when they take on the Atlantic Division leaders in Toronto. As we look forward to that game and the three others on Tuesday’s slate, let’s check in on a few items from around the Eastern Conference….

Grantland’s Zach Lowe provides a couple interesting details on Paul George‘s extension with the Pacers. Because he signed a max deal, George would be eligible for up to 30% (rather than 25%) of the salary cap if he earns All-NBA honors this season, thanks to the Derrick Rose rule. However, if he does meet the Rose criteria, George’s salary will be just 27% of the cap, according to Lowe. In exchange for that concession, the Pacers forward received a player option on the fifth year of his new deal.
Seeing Kobe Bryant sign an extension that will likely assure he finishes his career as a Laker has strengthened Dwyane Wade‘s own desire to spend the rest of his career with the Heat, as he tells Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Wade will be eligible to opt out of his deal next summer, but isn’t expected to go anywhere.
Iman Shumpert didn’t record a single point, rebound, or assist in more than 23 minutes of action last night, but insisted trade rumors weren’t the reason for his poor outing, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
Sean Deveney of the Sporting News spoke to league executives about the possibility of LeBron James returning to the Cavs, and the consensus was that it may happen eventually, but likely not as soon as next summer.
Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com (Insider link) identifies six potential trade targets for the Bulls as they look to fill their hole at point guard.

Bulls Rumors: Deng, Butler, Roster

November 26th, 2013 at 10:17am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls weren’t playing great ball even before losing Derrick Rose to a season-ending knee injury on Friday, but things have gone from bad to worse since then. After being blown out by the Clippers on Sunday, Chicago suffered another road loss last night to the NBA’s worst team, falling in overtime to the Jazz (now 2-14). Despite the team’s recent struggles, it doesn’t sound like any major changes are on the way. Here’s the latest out of Chicago:

The Bulls are more likely to keep Luol Deng “for the long haul” than to trade him, says Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. It’s not clear if Zillgitt just means Deng figures to remain a Bull for the rest of this season or beyond this season. However, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld suggests in more certain terms that a new contract between the two sides next summer is probable.
Chicago has no interest in trading Jimmy Butler, according to both Zillgitt and Kyler. Both writers suggest that the Bulls still believe they have enough talent to compete in the postseason without Rose, and aren’t interested in breaking up the team.
Coach Tom Thibodeau acknowledged that Gar Forman, John Paxson, and the Bulls’ front office will have to consider every possibility for the roster, but Thibodeau says he loves the team and expects to “find a way” to compete. Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago has the details and quotes.
Sam Smith of Bulls.com questioned Forman extensively about the possibility of rebuilding or retooling the roster, but the Bulls GM insisted that the club still feels like the long-term outlook is positive and won’t make any rash decisions.
Forman to Smith: “We have a young nucleus of veterans basically in their 20s; we have multiple draft picks, including a pick from Charlotte in one of the next three drafts; we have the rights to Nikola Mirotic, who has been the best young payer in Europe the last two years. I know people get tired of hearing it sometimes, but we also have the possibility of flexibility in free agency this summer or next. So we feel we are in a good position, and we will be getting Derrick back.”

Odds & Ends: Rose, Williams, Kobe, Melo, Dirk

November 25th, 2013 at 9:51pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s deja vu for the Bulls as they’ll be without Derrick Rose for a while. The question now is whether they should keep this gang together in hopes of putting it all together late in the season upon Rose’s return, or cut bait and begin repurposing, writes Zach Lowe of Grantland. Breaking the team up could also have the added benefit of lightening this season’s tax bill in the process. Here’s more from around the Association..

The Nets were linked to Derrick Williams before he was shipped to the Kings earlier tonight, but team sources tell Fred Kerber of the New York Post (on Twitter) that they weren’t among the interested clubs.
Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com looks at how Kobe Bryant‘s new deal affects Knicks star Carmelo Anthony. Melo will hit the open market after the 2013/14 season and Los Angeles has been linked to him for quite some time. The question now is, will Anthony still be attracted to L.A. now that they likely would have to fill out the roster with minimum salary retreads.
Meanwhile, Brad Townsend of the Dallas News wonders what an extension for Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki might look like in the wake of Kobe’s new deal.
Heat veteran Rashard Lewis gave serious thought to retiring, but he’s very happy with his choice to continue, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Lewis thought he was finished, but he now finds himself as a significant contributor in Miami.

Amico On Aldridge, Turner, Bulls, Thornton

November 25th, 2013 at 4:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Sam Amico of FOX Sports has tons of great stuff in his latest column, let’s dive in and check out some of the highlights..

LaMarcus Aldridge was all over Hoops Rumors this summer with talk of dissatisfaction with the Blazers and trade demands, but it sounds like we can finally put that to rest. Aldridge, who looks like the best power forward in the league so far this season, appears to be content with his 12-2 club.
There is some relevance to a suggested potential trade involving the 76ers and Cavs, according to league sources. Philly is likely to shop small forward Evan Turner, an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and the Cleveland is exploring the idea of landing a starting-caliber small forward. It could be a good match, depending on the Cavs’ desire to gamble on the uncertainty of Turner’s contract. The possibility also exists the Sixers will hold on to Turner and re-sign him in the summer as he has played well and been a team leader under new coach Brett Brown.
However, Cavs GM Chris Grant is not actively trying to make a deal, even though he likes to make trades and is always willing to listen.
League sources believe Kings swingman Marcus Thornton is available. Thornton is a talented scorer, but a less-than-stellar defender and has fallen out of Michael Malone‘s rotation.
The Derrick Rose-less Bulls could shake things up. Chicago still wants to win and get into the playoffs, sources say, but if things head south quickly, they could gut the roster and aim for a high lottery pick to pair with Rose when he returns. A team source says if the Bulls trade Luol Deng, they would have to get what they consider a steal (a young player and picks) to move him within the Eastern Conference. The asking price from a Western team wouldn’t be as high.
One league source said that as of today, the Bulls won’t even think about what to do with Deng until the trade deadline nears.
Guards Richard Hamilton, Shannon Brown, and Kendall Marshall remain unsigned, but they’re all drawing interest from several teams. League sources expect Brown and Marshall to sign somewhere by the New Year, and Hamilton perhaps not long after that.

Eastern Notes: Amar’e, Raptors, Bulls, Magic

November 25th, 2013 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Knicks owner James Dolan spoke glowingly of Amar’e Stoudemire last week, telling the New York Post that he has no regrets about the signing and that he credits Stoudemire for making the team a desirable landing spot for players like Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler. As Marc Berman of the New York Post details, Stoudemire was appreciative of Dolan’s comments, and indicated that he hopes to get healthy and productive again for the Knicks.

“My mission is to become a great player and hopefully become a future Hall of Famer,’’ Stoudemire said. “My goal is to do it in New York, to finish out my career here. That’s the goal. That’s the mission — trying to get better and better and try to dodge injuries.”

Here’s more from around the East:

GM Masai Ujiri and the new decision-making group in the Raptors‘ front office are trying their best to be patient and evaluate the roster before making any changes, says Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune argues that, with Derrick Rose sidelined for another season, the Bulls ought to blow up the current roster and do what it takes to become a lottery team. However, a team source tells Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio that Chicago has “no interest in playing the draft lottery.” Given how weak the Eastern Conference looks this year, it would likely take several big moves for the Bulls to bottom out, so I’d be surprised if they chose that route.
Expect the Magic to be active in exploring potential trades this season, but they won’t make a move unless it advances their long-term goals, writes Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
In addition to discussing the Sixers‘ surprising start and his success early on in the season, Evan Turner said he isn’t thinking about his uncertain future with the team, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Derrick Rose Out For Season

November 25th, 2013 at 10:14am CST by Luke Adams

Derrick Rose underwent successful surgery to repair the torn medial meniscus in his right knee, the Bulls announced today in a press release. According to the release, Rose will be out for the rest of the season.

Immediately following the injury and diagnosis, Rose’s timeline wasn’t clear, but it appears he and the team will play it safe. Coming off an ACL tear that wiped out his 2012/13 season, the former MVP appeared in just 10 games for the Bulls this season before suffering another knee injury.

Assuming Rose doesn’t return ahead of schedule, the Bulls may look significantly different by the time he gets back on the court. Luol Deng is on an expiring contract, and the club will have one more chance to amnesty Carlos Boozer next July. Letting Deng walk and amnestying Boozer would clear some cap space to sign Nikola Mirotic or to make a run at a free agent.

Central Notes: Pistons, Cavs, Rose, Bulls

November 24th, 2013 at 3:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Pistons big man Josh Harrellson is without a guaranteed contract and he’s making a case for his deal to get locked in with his recent play, writes David Mayo of MLive.com. With the Pistons looking for an extra power forward and Jonas Jerebko, Tony Mitchell ,and Charlie Villanueva not stepping up to the plate, Harrellson became next man up in two games against the Hawks last week. Here’s the latest out of the Central..

Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer looks at the issues plaguing the woeful Cavaliers, including the absence of any real low-post offense thanks to Andrew Bynum‘s struggles. Right now he’s shooting .359 (18-of-49) as his knees continue to trouble him.
Paul Flannery of SBNation.com looks at the meteoric rise of Pacers star Paul George. George agreed to a five-year, $90MM with Indiana this offseason.
If the Bulls decide to shop Luol Deng, the Kings might be a match, tweets Tom Ziller of SBNation. Options for them include Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons‘ expiring deal, Luc Mbah a Moute, Patrick Patterson, Jimmer Fredette.
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com asks where the Bulls go from here without the services of Derrick Rose.
Should the Bulls blow it all up or wait it out? Ziller believes that he has a Plan C for Chicago. Trading Deng would get Chicago out of luxury tax trouble and could leave them enough talent to still compete in a conference where there are questions about the top teams.

Poll: Will Bulls Ever Win Title With Rose On Max Deal?

November 23rd, 2013 at 10:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

It appears Derrick Rose will have two options for surgery on his right knee, and sources tell K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that Rose is likely to choose the one that will keep him out longer. That presents the strong possibility that the point guard could miss the rest of the season, a loss that would likely knock the Bulls out of title contention in 2013/14.

Part of the reason Rose might opt for the surgery that could keep him out this season would be its long-term benefits for his 25-year-old body, since the other procedure could compromise his ability on the court. Still, more than two years removed from the last season in which he played in more than 60% of his team’s games, it’s worth wondering if Rose can ever regain his MVP form.

There are rumors of a rift between coach Tom Thibodeau and Bulls management, while Rose and soon-to-be free agent Luol Deng apparently have their resentments toward the front office as well. Even before Rose’s latest injury, it was been “widely assumed” the Bulls would shake up their roster next summer, Johnson writes. Perhaps those changes will come about sooner if Rose is indeed ruled out for the year, as the Bulls could try to shed salary via trades and slip beneath the luxury tax threshold, though that’s just my speculation.

Still, there’s reason for optimism in Chicago. The Bulls have a first-round pick coming from the woe-begotten Bobcats, and they have the rights to heralded European prospect Nikola Mirotic. Jimmy Butler is coming off a breakout season and could be an emerging star on the wing. Butler nonetheless has a ways to go before he becomes the sort of player that Rose once was.

Title hopes in the NBA fall and rise with superstars, and Rose might not fit into the superstar category anymore. Regardless, he’ll be paid like one through 2017. His maximum-salary deal, a product of the collective bargaining agreement rule that goes by Rose’s own name, still has $77.9MM on it, including this season. As the Knicks are realizing with an injury-ravaged Amar’e Stoudemire, it’s hard to build a championship roster with such a large contract committed to someone who can’t live up to it.

Many picked the Bulls to win it all this year, but less than a month into the regular season, can you see this team winning a title at all while Rose’s current contract is on the books? Let us know, and feel free to elaborate on the issue in the comments.

Will the Bulls ever win a title with Derrick Rose on a max deal?

No 76.48% (582 votes)

Yes 23.52% (179 votes)

Total Votes: 761

Derrick Rose Injury Fallout

November 23rd, 2013 at 9:03pm CST by Chuck Myron

Second-team All-NBA center Marc Gasol seems destined to miss significant time with injury, but the primary concern around the league seems to be for Derrick Rose, whose worst-case scenario appears more dire than Gasol’s. It’s not another torn ACL as the Bulls feared, but the torn medial meniscus in the former MVP’s knee could have seismic consequences for Rose and his team. Here’s the latest:

The specter of another lost season for Rose gives Tom Thibodeau less reason to remain as coach of the Bulls and put up with behind-the-scenes discord in Chicago, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Rose is among the players who support Thibodeau in his alleged feud with GM Gar Forman and others in Bulls management, according to Wojnarowski, who adds that the point guard and Luol Deng also harbor some hard feelings for the front office. Thibodeau is a fan of Deng’s, but the team’s braintrust places a higher priority on keeping Jimmy Butler around long-term, Woj says. For the record, Bulls vice president of basketball ops John Paxson denied any turmoil between the coach and management shortly after Wojnarowski wrote about it last month.
If Rose has the meniscus repaired, he faces about six months of recovery, and while he could opt to remove the meniscus and come back in a matter of days, that could compromise his athleticism for the rest of his career, notes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Whichever choice he makes, Berger figures the Bulls will release a firm timetable rather than let questions linger about when he’ll return, as they did last season.
Rose may never again be an MVP-caliber player, but the 25-year-old still has plenty left, opines Ian Thomsen of SI.com. A long absence for Rose would probably knock the Bulls out of title contention, but it wouldn’t keep them from the playoffs, Thomsen adds.