Bulls Rumors

Bulls Notes: White, Ball, Vucevic

February 23rd, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan both now in Sacramento, Bulls guard Coby White has become the fulcrum of Chicago’s offensive attack, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Poe wonders if he’s ready for that spotlight.

“This is the growth that he’s got to do if he wants to become the kind of player I know he wants to be,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “He’s getting a full taste of what it’s like to be a Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan.”

White being the de facto new top perimeter player in Chicago means he has become the focus of opposing defenses.

“We’re not exactly catering to Coby, but there’s more movement and cutting and getting him to find open spaces,” Donovan said. “When you lose a guy like Zach or DeMar — they were great shot creators on their own. It’s not like our team is built that way anymore, so we’re going to have to move and play and help each other that way.”

There’s more out of the Windy City:

Recently extended Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, playing this season for the first time since 2021/22, has been under minutes restrictions since his debut in October. However, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times observes, the UCLA alum is nearing a return to unrestricted minutes at last. Ball has been an effective shooter and defender off the bench even during his limited run this year. In 32 healthy games, the 27-year-old is averaging 7.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per night.
After having prepared to be dealt away from the Bulls at this year’s trade deadline, center Nikola Vucevic is making the most of his tenure with a rebuilding Chicago club, Cowley writes in another piece. The 34-year-old former All-Star is now stuck on a team likely to miss the playoffs for a third straight season. Although the Bulls received trade offers for Vucevic, they decided not to deal him, reportedly believing they could get a better return this summer. In his five games since the deadline passed (all losses), the 6’10” big man is averaging 15.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, while posting shooting splits of .400/.300/.909. That output is markedly lower than his season averages. “The front office picked a direction, and now at this point of the season, we have what we have,” Vucevic said. “I was a little out of my rhythm, but I feel like I’ve found a few things the last couple of games. I still need to play better than I have. You just got to [stay] a pro no matter what’s going on.”
In case you missed it, the Bulls front office was recently ranked by CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn as the league’s worst.

And-Ones: D. Williams, Cousins, Front Offices, Kuzminskas, More

February 23rd, 2025 at 5:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Former No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams has signed with the Mets de Guaynabo ahead of the 2025 season, the Puerto Rican team announced this week (via Instagram; hat tip to Sportando).

Williams, who was selected right after Kyrie Irving in the 2011 draft, appeared in 428 NBA games across seven seasons from 2011-18 before spending several years in Europe. The veteran forward, who will turn 34 this May, last suited up for Panathinaikos in Greece during the 2022/23 season.

The Mets de Guaynabo also made another notable roster announcement this week, indicating (via Instagram) that they’ve reacquired the rights to four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, who last played for the team in 2023.

According to Joseph Reboyras of Primera Hora (Twitter link), former NBA guard J.J. Barea, who is currently the Mets’ head coach, said a few days ago that Cousins’ return isn’t yet a lock. However, the former NBA center, who is now 34, has shown interest in returning to Puerto Rico for the coming season and was scheduled to meet with Barea this week to discuss the possibility.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

In a massive feature article, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports ranks all 30 NBA front offices, from the Thunder at No. 1 to the Bulls at No. 30. Quinn divided teams into 11 separate tiers, with the Celtics (No. 2) and Spurs (No. 3) joining Oklahoma City in the top group, while the Mavericks (No. 27), Suns (No. 28), and the Kings (No. 29) rounded out the bottom tier..
Former NBA forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas, who appeared in 69 games for New York from 2016-18, has announced his retirement from the Lithuanian national team and won’t compete in EuroBasket 2025 this offseason, as Eurohoops relays. “I feel that now is the right moment to say thank you and step aside,” Kuzminskas said as part of a larger statement.
Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link) takes a look at 15 of the NCAA freshman who have emerged as top prospects for the 2025 NBA draft and poses one key questions for each player, including how high Cooper Flagg‘s offensive ceiling is, whether Kasparas Jakucionis‘ modest athleticism will limit him, and whether Tre Johnson can improve his shot selection.

Bulls Notes: White, Smith, Buzelis, Young

February 21st, 2025 at 10:03am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls are in the unusual position of both collapsing and holding onto a play-in spot, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago dropped its fifth straight game Thursday night in New York, falling to 22-34 overall. However, the weakness of the East leaves the Bulls with a game-and-a-half lead over Philadelphia and Brooklyn in the play-in race, and coach Billy Donovan isn’t interested in tanking the rest of the season.

“I think at some point, you gotta be able to talk about winning,” Donovan said. “The loss of DeMar (DeRozan), Alex (Caruso) and Zach (LaVine), in terms of the scoring and how great those guys are as players, losing those types of guys makes it challenging. But there is a responsibility for the guys that are playing. How can they find a way to do things to impact the outcome of the game? You’ve got to be accountable for those things.”

The absence of stars has caused opposing defenses to focus more on sixth-year guard Coby White, who had been a complementary scorer up until now. After Thursday’s overtime loss, White talked about how he handled late-game situations and the need to adapt to different looks.

“They were mixing up coverages,” White said. “They were blitzing, then not coming back, so I was just trying not to force it and let the game come to me. (Josh) Giddey had it going, (Lonzo Ball) had it going, (Nikola Vucevic) had it going, so take advantage of those moments. If that’s how they’re going to play me, then I have to be more of a playmaker, screening, those types of things. It’s definitely been a difference, but it’s something you’ve got to get adjusted to.”

There’s more on the Bulls:

Backup big man Jalen Smith was ruled out of Thursday’s game after taking a shoulder to the face from Karl-Anthony Towns in the second quarter, per Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Smith dropped to the court after the contact, and Towns tumbled on top of him. Poe notes that the injury enabled Zach Collins to play 15 minutes in his second game with the team, but he produced just two points while missing all four of his shots from the field.
Matas Buzelis is hoping to make a late run at Rookie of the Year honors, Poe adds in a separate story. No clear favorite has emerged in this year’s race, and Buzelis, who was recently moved into the starting lineup, believes he has a chance to win over some voters. “I would like to win that award for sure,” he said. “I also want to win as many games as possible. But you know, if you win the games, then you’ll be in that conversation.”
The two-way contract that Jahmir Young signed this week will cover next season as well, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).

Bulls’ Patrick Williams Out At Least Two Weeks With Knee Injury

February 20th, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Rory Maher

Fifth-year forward Patrick Williams recently received a platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection to treat a right knee injury the Bulls describe as tendinosis. He’ll miss at least two weeks, which is when he’ll be reevaluated, per the team (Twitter link).

Williams was initially ruled out for Thursday’s game at New York with what the Bulls called right quadriceps tendon soreness. He banged knees with a Pistons player on February 12, but was able to go through practice on Tuesday and Wednesday.

According to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link), Williams threw a towel in frustration during a timeout after experiencing the injury last week, but both he and head coach Billy Donovan downplayed the severity of the issue after the game. At the time, Williams said the knee-to-knee contact aggravated the sore tendon, but X-rays came back normal.

It’s been a tough season on an individual level for Williams, who is averaging career-worst rates on both two-pointers (40.0%) and threes (35.1%) for an overall field goal percentage of 37.5%. The 23-year-old, who was selected No. 4 overall in 2020, missed 10 games earlier this season, and will now miss at least eight more over the next couple of weeks.

With Williams out, Matas Buzelis, Kevin Huerter and Julian Phillips are among the candidates to receive more playing time.

Bulls Sign Jahmir Young, Waive Adama Sanogo

February 20th, 2025 at 5:57am CST by Luke Adams

February 20: The Bulls have officially signed Young to a two-way contract and waived Sanogo, the team announced in a press release. Since the moves were completed late Wednesday night, Young will be eligible to appear in up to 16 NBA games for the rest of the season.

February 19: The Bulls are making a change to one of their two-way roster slots, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter links). Shortly after Haynes reported that the team would be waiving big man Adama Sanogo, Scotto followed up to say that guard Jahmir Young would fill that slot.

Sanogo has been on a two-way contract in Chicago for most of the past two seasons after going undrafted out of UConn in 2023. However, he has appeared in just 13 total regular season games for the Bulls and logged a total of 87 career minutes at the NBA level.

Sanogo has played a more meaningful role for the Windy City Bulls in the G League, earning a spot on both the NBAGL All-Rookie Team and the All-NBAGL Third Team last season. In 22 NBAGL games this season, he has averaged 16.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 28.1 minutes per contest.

According to Haynes, Sanogo is expected to miss about four weeks with a knee injury, so the Bulls have decided to fill his two-way slot with a healthy player.

The newcomer, Young, is a 24-year-old point guard who has been playing well in the G League for the Grand Rapids Gold this season after going undrafted out of Maryland last June. He has scored 22.4 PPG on .476/.260/.783 shooting in 30 games for Denver’s NBAGL affiliate, while also contributing 7.3 APG, 4.5 RPG, and 2.0 SPG.

If Young officially signs today, he’ll be eligible to appear in up to 16 NBA games this season for the Bulls, a prorated portion of the full-season 50-game limit. That number would dip to 15 if the deal isn’t formally finalized until Thursday.

Bulls Notes: Ball, Tanking, Roster Keepers, Williams

February 19th, 2025 at 6:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

Loyalty factored into Lonzo Ball‘s decision to accept a two-year, $20MM extension from the Bulls, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The second year is a club option, and if the Bulls exercise it, Ball’s total salary for the next two seasons will be less than the $21.4MM he’s making this year. It’s his way of repaying the team for believing in him while he was sidelined with knee issues for two and a half seasons.

“Just the overall picture,” Ball explained. “The doctor being out here, so not having to deal with the rehab process like I have the last couple years, the relationship I have with the front office, the coaching staff, the young guys here, it all made sense for me to stay. That’s what I wanted ultimately, and we were able to come to an agreement.”

The announcement of the extension was somewhat of a surprise considering that Ball had been heavily involved in trade rumors leading up to the February 6 deadline. He was also headed toward free agency this summer, which could have resulted in a much larger payday, but he prefers the stability of staying in Chicago.

“I’m in trade talks every year so that’s not a new thing to me, but I expressed to my agent (Rich Paul) that I wanted to stay, and they wanted to have me,” Ball said. “They stayed with me for probably the toughest journey in my life so far, so I was just trying to get back, man, and be loyal to who was loyal to me. I was brought up like that my whole life. I’m really big on family and I feel like it’s family here.”

There’s more on the Bulls:

The front office may regret not fully embracing a tanking strategy at the deadline, Cowley states in a separate story. Chicago sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento, but held onto Ball and veteran center Nikola Vucevic, sending mixed signals about which direction the franchise is headed. Cowley advocates emulating the 9-45 Wizards, as well as the Rockets and Pistons, who were able to quickly rebuild after tanking in recent seasons. Beyond having a better shot at Cooper Flagg, the top prize in this year’s draft, Cowley points out that there will be three potential franchise players in the 2026 class.
In another Sun-Times piece, Cowley tries to determine which players from the current roster should return next season. His list includes Ball, restricted free agent Josh Giddey, rookie Matas Buzelis, Jalen Smith and either Coby White or Ayo Dosunmu.
Patrick Williams will miss Thursday’s game at New York with soreness in his right quadriceps tendon, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). Williams banged knees with another player in the final game before the All-Star break, but the injury doesn’t appear serious as he was able practice without restrictions on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Eastern Notes: Ingram, Lonzo, Moore, E. Thompson

February 18th, 2025 at 11:23am CST by Luke Adams

He hasn’t appeared in a game for his new team yet, but Brandon Ingram has already made franchise history for the Raptors, contends Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.

As Lewenberg explains, Ingram is the first All-Star player to “chart a course to Toronto in the prime of his career.” Conversely, Vince Carter, Chris Bosh, and DeMar DeRozan were drafted and developed by the Raptors; Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard didn’t view Toronto as a preferred destination when they were traded there; and Hakeem Olajuwon was in his twilight years when he chose to sign with Toronto.

Although it’s unclear whether Toronto was the No. 1 landing spot on Ingram’s wish list, the Raptors were believed to be one of the teams – along with the Hawks – the 27-year-old targeted as an ideal fit, Lewenberg writes. That was backed up by the fact that Ingram quickly signed a three-year, $120MM extension with the Raptors just days after the trade was completed.

That three-year deal will pay Ingram a salary of $38,095,238 in 2025/26 and exactly $40MM in ’26/27, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. The star forward will hold a $41,904,762 player option for the ’27/28 season.

“First thing that I heard [from the Raptors] is they want to make me an All-Star again and I’m going to be a big part of what they do moving forward,” Ingram told reporters last week. “I want to come here and learn. I want to come here and be a sponge, shift the culture, make it a winning culture and come in here and just listen. Do whatever coach (Darko Rajakovic) needs me to do and go out and try to be an example every single day.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Lonzo Ball‘s new two-year, $20MM extension with the Bulls has a flat year-over-year structure, Hoops Rumors has learned. Ball’s $10MM salary in 2025/26 is fully guaranteed, then Chicago holds a $10MM team option for ’26/27.
Wendell Moore‘s new two-way contract with the Hornets is just a rest-of-season deal, Hoops Rumors has learned. Charlotte’s other two-way players, KJ Simpson and Damion Baugh, are under contract through next season on two-year, two-way contracts. Moore also won’t be eligible for a qualifying offer this summer — because he previously had his 2025/26 rookie scale team option declined, the third-year shooting guard will automatically become an unrestricted free agent.
Ethan Thompson, who has played primarily in the G League since going undrafted in 2021, referred to his new two-way contract with the Magic as a “dream come true,” adding that playing for the organization – including Orlando’s G League affiliate, the Osceola Magic – has “felt like home,” according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). “It was a surreal moment,” Thompson said of signing his first NBA two-way contract. “My mom instantly cried. My father is proud; my brother is proud as well. It’s a great thing to be able to share that with them.”

Bulls Sign Lonzo Ball To Two-Year Extension

February 15th, 2025 at 6:30am CST by Luke Adams

February 15: The Bulls officially announced Ball’s extension in a press release on Friday night.

“The complexity of challenges that Zo faced more than three years ago was truly unprecedented,” executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said in a statement. “It wasn’t just his injury but also the complicated rehabilitation plan that followed, which lacked any template for an NBA player.

“Along with an outstanding team of doctors, trainers and medical staff, Zo embraced adversity and exemplified resilience. His diligence to do what was necessary and his commitment to himself and this team truly speaks to his character. He elevates those around him with his high basketball IQ, relentless defense and hustle, and his unselfish play-making. We are thrilled to have him back and for him to be a part of our future.”

February 5: The Bulls and point guard Lonzo Ball have agreed to terms on a two-year, $20MM contract extension, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network first reported (via Twitter) that the two sides were finalizing a new deal.

The second year of the extension will be a club option, team sources tell Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Ball reportedly drew legitimate interest on the trade market, with the Grizzlies, Pistons, and Timberwolves said to be among the teams to register interest. However, Johnson reported earlier in the day (via Twitter) that while Chicago had been offered draft capital, potential trade partners wanted to send out multiyear salary, which didn’t appeal to the Bulls.

Fischer and Marc Stein had reported on Tuesday that Chicago wasn’t eager to trade Ball and would be more interested in retaining the guard beyond his current contract than buying him out.

While the 27-year-old will technically remain trade-eligible because his new deal will fall within the NBA’s extend-and-trade limits, it’s extremely unlikely that the team would make this move if it didn’t intend to hang onto him through Thursday’s deadline.

Ball, who missed two-and-a-half NBA seasons while undergoing a series of surgeries to address a troublesome knee injury, made his comeback in the fall and has enjoyed a successful return.

His numbers – 7.2 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.4 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game – are career lows across the board and his shooting percentages – 36.2% from the floor, 34.0% on three-pointers – are well below his usual rates. However, Ball has been a positive contributor beyond the box score. The Bulls have outscored opponents by 4.2 points per 100 possessions when Ball is on the court and have been outscored by 6.1 points per 100 possessions when he’s not.

Ball is “beloved” by coaches and and teammates and considered a mentor in Chicago, Johnson adds (via Twitter).

Even after trading Zach LaVine to Sacramento this week, Chicago has a crowded backcourt, with Josh Giddey, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Tre Jones, and Jevon Carter all in the mix alongside Ball. But a few of those players are considered possible trade candidates, and Ball is now the only one of them whose contract potentially extends beyond next season.

Ball is currently earning $21.4MM in the final season of the four-year, $80MM contract he signed with the Bulls in 2021.

Central Notes: Duren, Thompson, Lillard, Middleton, Buzelis

February 14th, 2025 at 10:11pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Rising Pistons stars Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson appear to have elevated their long-term ceilings this season, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Duren and Thompson are elite athletes, Langlois observes, but both players have also looked pretty raw at times as scorers. They look to be turning things around this month, however.

Thompson has averaged 14.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.1 steals across seven contests in February. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is also exploring Thompson’s abilities to serve as a supplemental play-maker and get to the basket. He’s been averaging 4.7 free throw attempts per game this month.

“He’s growing into the role that this team needs him to be in,” Bickerstaff said of Thompson. “Offensively, we need him to be a threat. He’s an elite play-maker. Some of the passes he threw tonight … he’s a special passer, but now you can his confidence growing as he’s finishing at the rim.”

Duren, meanwhile, is also developing as a ball-handler. He has dished out 23 dimes against just seven turnovers in his last four contests.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Bucks point guard Damian Lillard, an Oakland native, is returning to the Bay Area for his ninth All-Star appearance this weekend at San Francisco’s Chase Center, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. Lillard observed that his hometown feels somewhat out-of-sorts as it is drained of its pro sports presence. “I feel like my childhood, a lot of the positivity was that all of the guys who are from the Bay Area we took pride in having our teams there,” Lillard said. “It gave us something to belong to us. But now with all of them leaving, it’s like a ghost town. So, I hate to see that for the city.” The Warriors have departed Oakland for San Francisco, the NFL’s Raiders left for Las Vegas, and the MLB’s Athletics are following suit.
Former three-time All-Star Bucks forward Khris Middleton, a critical part of the club’s title run in 2021, was moved at the trade deadline to Washington. He published a social media post on Friday thanking fans in Milwaukee for the 12 years he spent with the team (Instagram link). “As I begin this new chapter, I’m excited for the opportunities ahead,” Middleton wrote in part. “But Milwaukee will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Athletic Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis is looking to establish himself nationally in the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. ‘‘I’ve got a few dunks people have never seen before,’’ Buzelis said. ‘‘It should be fun.’’ According to Cowley, the 6’10” forward had been finessing his dunk portfolio over the last month with Zach LaVine, himself a two-time Slam Dunk champ, prior to the blockbuster deadline trade that sent LaVine to Sacramento.

Pelicans’ Missi Hyperextends Knee, Replaced By Bulls’ Buzelis For Rising Stars

February 14th, 2025 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

After exiting Thursday’s overtime victory over Sacramento due to a knee injury, Pelicans center Yves Missi has been diagnosed with a right knee hyperextension, the team announced today (via Twitter).

An MRI showed no structural damage in the knee, according to the Pelicans, who say that the rookie big man will help reevaluated at some point next week, with more details to come at that time.

The 21st overall pick in the 2024 draft, Missi has been a bright spot in a season to forget in New Orleans. The 20-year-old has emerged as the starting center for a Pelicans team that lacked depth in the middle entering the season, averaging 27.1 minutes per night and starting in 46 of his 52 total appearances.

Missi has averaged 8.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per contest so far in 2024/25 as he makes a bid for All-Rookie recognition.

Missi had been selected to participate in the Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend, so the NBA announced on Friday (via Twitter) that Bulls forward Matas Buzelis has been named his replacement. Buzelis was already headed to San Francisco to participate in Saturday’s dunk contest, making him a logical choice to take part in Friday’s mini-tournament as well.

While Buzelis’ full-season averages of 6.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game are modest, he has earned an increased rotation role as of late, scoring double-digit points in each of his past eight games and putting up 14.1 PPG on .597/.424/.765 shooting during that stretch.

Buzelis will compete on Friday for the Rising Stars team drafted by former NBA star Mitch Richmond, joining Julian Strawther as the second injury replacement on the roster. The seven-player squad also features the Thompson twins (Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson), Wizards teammates Carlton Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly, and Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara.

The rosters for the four-team event can be viewed here.

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