DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan, Luka Doncic Named Players Of The Week

Bulls wing DeMar DeRozan and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week, the league announced on Monday (via Twitter).

DeRozan, the Eastern Conference’s winner, averaged 29.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists on .551/.412/.923 shooting across four games last week (39.4 MPG). Chicago went 3-1 in those contests.

A six-time All-Star, DeRozan is one of the most noteworthy players who can hit free agency this summer. He’s earning $28.6MM in the final year of his contract and is eligible for a veteran extension until June 30.

Doncic earned his third Player of the Week award for the West in 2023/24. He’s also the reigning Player of the Month for the Western Conference. He helped guide Dallas to a 2-1 record last week, averaging 37.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 10.7 assists and 1.3 steals on .513/.385/.900 shooting (39.7 MPG).

Doncic has recorded a 30-point triple-double in each of the past six games. He’s having an incredible season, posting career-best averages in multiple categories, including leading the NBA in points per game at 34.7.

According to the NBA, Jarrett Allen, Dejounte Murray, Pascal Siakam and DeRozan’s teammate Coby White were the other nominees in the East, while Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson and Anfernee Simons were nominated in the West (Twitter link).

Central Notes: DeRozan, Caruso, Pistons, K. Brown

The league leader in minutes played per game is a 34-year-old. The Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan is averaging 37.8 MPG, followed by 20-somethings Luka Doncic, Tyrese Maxey and Miles Bridges. It’s a source of pride for DeRozan that he’s receiving such a heavy workload at this stage of his career.

“I love it,” the Bulls forward told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I love the game. As a kid when you’re young, you play until your Momma scream at you and those streetlights come on. Same thing here. You love it. You try to relish in these opportunities.”

We have more from the Central Division:

  • Bulls guard Alex Caruso believes this season has probably been his best from an individual standpoint, though it depends on how he finishes, he told Johnson. “We’re only 75 percent of the way through. We have to finish strong for this to be a completed sentence,” he said. “But to this point, I think it’s up there. I think offensively it’s probably my best. I think the numbers show that. I think I’m close to 10 points a game. And I’m pretty sure I’m close to 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Defensively, it’s been different for me. I’ve been guarding big wings or posts a lot more rather than lead guards. In turn, I have more blocks than I ever have and about the same for steals. That’s been a unique challenge defensively.”
  • Due to a steady diet of roster moves, Pistons head coach Monty Williams has been constantly tinkering with the rotation. James Edwards III of The Athletic suggests that Williams should cut his rotation down to eight players, staggering the starters’ minutes to make it work. In that scenario, recent acquisitions Simone Fontecchio and Quentin Grimes, along with rookie Marcus Sasser, would be the only reserves getting steady minutes.
  • Kendall Brown‘s rookie season with the Pacers was cut short by shin surgery. Brown, a second-round pick, has shown enough this season in the G League to get his two-way deal promoted on Monday to a three-year standard contract. “It’s been a long two years,” Brown said, per Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “… The reward feels so much better when the path has been hard. My path has been different than a lot of other players in my class. I was just staying the course, just staying focused. Good things don’t come easy a lot of times. This is a good feeling to finally get that done.”

Bucks Notes: Giannis, Beverley, Portis, Gallinari, Galloway

Prior to Friday’s victory in Chicago, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers was asked why star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t generated a ton of Most Valuable Player buzz this season despite putting up some of the best numbers of his career. As Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes, Rivers suggested that voter fatigue may be a factor, given that Antetokounmpo has already won a pair of MVP awards.

“I don’t even want to get into it, but there’s been guys that you get tired of voting for,” Rivers said. Michael (Jordan) may be the poster child of that. And Giannis seems to be in that category; where you’re so good, everything you do is taken for granted. When you just look at his numbers, they’re incredible, and yet, you never hear his name. It’s unbelievable, but that’s a sign of respect more than disrespect in some ways.”

Not long after his coach made those comments, Antetokounmpo submitted one of his best all-around performances of the season, racking up 46 points (on 16-of-22 shooting), 16 rebounds, and six assists. He’s now averaging 30.8 PPG and 11.3 RPG, with a career-best 61.9% field goal percentage. His 6.3 assists per contest would also be career high, and Giannis appreciates that he’s getting some recognition for his play-making skills this season.

“I’ve become a more willing passer this year because my teammates are pretty freaking good, but I think I always could pass,” he said on Friday. “Coming into the league, that was my thing that separated me, but we didn’t have a lot of TV games, and a lot of people didn’t pay attention to Milwaukee. So, people see me do a pass now, it’s like, ‘Oh, he can pass!’ I’ve been passing. I’m the all-time assist leader in Milwaukee. ‘Oh, he can pass!’ Of course, I can pass.”

Here’s more on the Bucks:

  • The Bulls took exception to chippy play from Patrick Beverley, Bobby Portis, and the Bucks on Friday, with DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic both growing frustrated by non-calls and earning flagrant fouls of their own by retaliating, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Rivers praised his team after the game for playing physically and aggressively without crossing any lines. “We have instigators, for sure,” Rivers said, per Nehm. “But it’s only good if you can do that and you don’t get caught up into it. And I thought tonight was right on the edge, and then we backed off.”
  • Danilo Gallinari has made a limited impact in his first five games as a Buck, scoring 10 total points on 3-of-12 shooting in nearly 48 minutes. However, Antetokounmpo likes what he has seen from his new frontcourt mate, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “It is easy to play with Gallo. He is so smart,” Giannis said. “He has been around a long time. He knows how to play the game. … We know that he is capable of doing a lot of things for us offensively. Defensively, such a big body helps his defense with his length.”
  • Jaylin Galloway, the 21-year-old wing who is joining the Bucks on a two-way contract, just completed the first season of a three-year deal with the Sydney Kings. According to Olgun Uluc of ESPN (Twitter links), if Galloway wants to return to Australia’s National Basketball League after his two-year, two-way contract with the Bucks expires (or earlier, if he’s cut), that contract will essentially pick up where it left off, with Sydney holding his NBL rights for two more seasons.

Bulls Notes: Dosunmu, Caruso, Terry, Phillips, DeRozan

After starting the season 5-14, the Bulls have been playing solid basketball over the past few months despite dealing with some major injuries. They’ve gone 22-16 over their past 38 games and currently hold a 27-30 record, good for the No. 9 seed in the East.

Coby White has — understandably — received plenty of recognition for helping the Bulls right the ship, but his backcourt mate Ayo Dosunmu has had an impressive season as well, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

As Johnson writes, Dosunmu has always been able to create an edge while driving, but defenders sagged off him in 2022/23, when his three-point percentage dipped to 31.2% after he shot 37.2% as a rookie. However, he’s in the midst of the most productive scoring stretch of his career because opposing defenses now have to respect his outside shot — he’s up to 41.7% from deep this season.

Over his first two seasons, Dosunmu scored 20-plus points five times. He’s matched that total since January 13 alone, Johnson notes. During that 17-game span, he has scored in double figures 16 times, averaging 15.8 PPG, 3.8 APG, 2.9 RPG and 1.1 SPG on .565/.513/.792 shooting in 33.3 MPG.

Dosunmu re-signed with Chicago on a three-year, $21MM deal as a restricted free agent last summer, which is looking like a bargain considering his improved offense and solid defense, Johnson adds.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

  • Head coach Billy Donovan has been relying on Alex Caruso to defend power forwards with Patrick Williams (season-ending foot surgery) and Torrey Craig (knee sprain) sidelined, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. While the All-Defensive First Team guard/forward is used to defending the opposing teams’ best players, he says it’ll be a team effort to make up for the size disadvantage. “I can makeshift for the majority of games,” Caruso said. “We’re going to have to do a better job covering up for each other. Maybe throw some more wrinkles into the game plan of coverages and giving different looks, a little more gimmicky stuff to buy us minutes here and there.”
  • In addition to Caruso, the Bulls have been getting rotation minutes at the small-ball four spot from Dalen Terry and Julian Phillips, a pair of young players eager to make their mark in the NBA, Cowley writes for The Sun-Times. “We know we’re short-handed right now, but the way the vets on this team talk to me, talk to Julian, they preach don’t be afraid of the challenge,” Terry said. “This is how you’re going to make your name in the league if you want to be here for a long time.” He had some rough patches in Sunday’s win over New Orleans, but Terry was also a team-high plus-17 in his 15 minutes, Cowley notes.
  • Chicago’s victory over the Pelicans was the latest evidence of DeMar DeRozan stepping up when the team needed him most, Cowley states in another story. The Bulls were down 12 points in the third quarter, but DeRozan responded by scoring 10 of his game-high 24 points in the fourth, including a three-pointer that sealed the victory with 30 seconds remaining. “It might not always be pretty for us, but they’re going to fight,” Donovan said. “I don’t think they’re in the business of: ‘OK, Patrick’s done, Torrey is down, we’re playing against a really big team, we have no chance. We’ll just go through the motions.’ I don’t think they have that mentality. I think DeMar thrives on that. I think he thrives on chaos. I think he thrives on uncertainty.”

Central Notes: McConnell, Middleton, Gallinari, Bulls

T.J. McConnell was considered a possible trade candidate back in the fall when he began the season out of the Pacers‘ rotation, but the veteran point guard made himself indispensable in Indiana as a result of his play with the second unit, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton referred to McConnell as “the best backup point guard in the NBA” and suggested that his performance on defense sets an example for other players on the roster. Head coach Rick Carlisle, who said back in October that he was “almost in tears” telling McConnell that he wouldn’t be part of the rotation to open the season, lauded the veteran for the way he has responded.

“(McConnell’s) adaptability is the story of his career,” Carlisle said. “Undrafted, everybody’s betting against him. I remember the story that the first game he suited up here, Nate McMillan said, ‘Hey, you’re probably going to be in the rotation.’ Something happened the first game of the year and then he didn’t lose the job for the next three or four years. He’s special that way.”

“I just really was focused on whether if I’m in the lineup or I’m not, just remaining professional,” McConnell said. “One of those things where you’re not trying to do woe-is-me, it’s one of those things just to remain a great teammate, and whether I’m in the rotation or not, just be there for the guys and be a pro and be a good teammate. That’s really all I was focused on. When my number’s called, just be a professional at that point and go out and do your job. That’s really how I looked at it.”

McConnell is under contract for one more season beyond this one, with his $9.3MM salary for 2024/25 currently partially guaranteed for $5MM.

Here’s more from around the Central:

  • Bucks forward Khris Middleton isn’t ready to return from the left ankle sprain that sidelined him for the last five games before the All-Star break, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Head coach Doc Rivers said that Middleton won’t be available on Friday or Sunday, even though he’s improving. “He’s getting better. He feels great. He just doesn’t feel 100 percent,” Rivers said. “A playoff game, he’d clearly play, but it’s too early. There’s no reason to worry about it or panic about it.”
  • Within the same Athletic story, Nehm explores Danilo Gallinari‘s decision to sign with the Bucks, noting that the veteran forward believes he’ll fit in well with Milwaukee’s frontcourt players. Gallinari added that he’s capable of playing more than he has this season in Washington and Detroit (14.8 minutes per game in 32 appearances), but that he’s not necessarily expecting that. “I don’t care about playing every night, not playing one night, play the other night, I’m here to help,” he said. “… I’m not looking for guaranteed minutes or this kind of stuff. I’m just here to help.”
  • A resounding loss to Boston on Thursday served as a reminder for the Bulls of the difference between being competitive and being a contending team, says K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. According to Johnson, in order to exit the organization’s “current cycle of mediocrity,” the Bulls‘ front office will have to show the same sort of creativity and aggressiveness this summer that it showed during the 2021 offseason, when the team landed DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso in free agency without using cap room.
  • Observing that DeRozan and Coby White lead the NBA in total minutes played this season, Annie Costabile of The Chicago Sun-Times wonders whether the two Bulls starters will be able to maintain their current rates of production while continuing to handle such a heavy workload.

Bulls Notes: DeRozan, Drummond, Buyout Market, Donovan

Signs continue to point toward Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan agreeing to a contract extension with the franchise in the offseason, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson (Twitter video link). This comes on the heels of both sides expressing interest in a long-term pairing earlier this week.

Johnson says if the Bulls knew DeRozan was going to walk in the offseason, they would have tried acquiring something of value from him at the deadline. Instead, Chicago stood pat, while DeRozan likened the pairing to a marriage in comments to reporters on Thursday.

While Johnson points out that DeRozan has made similar comments in the past, it’s especially potent this time given the fact they came at the deadline. The Bulls can’t afford to let him leave for nothing and Johnson doesn’t expect them to. Chicago faced a similar situation last season with Nikola Vucevic and they ultimately extended him.

Of course, this doesn’t automatically mean DeRozan is going to re-up with the Bulls. He remains on track to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason and while he’s 34 years old, he still has averaged 25.3 points per game and has two All-Star appearances since arriving in Chicago. He’s likely to have several suitors. Still, the team that makes the most sense for now to offer a multiyear, big-money extension is the Bulls.

We have more notes on the Bulls:

  • Despite drawing trade interest, Andre Drummond remained a Bull through the deadline. In recent games, head coach Billy Donovan has leaned more into dual big-man lineups, playing Drummond and Vucevic alongside one another. Drummond is enjoying that pairing, Johnson writes. “We’re trying something different and adjusting to what we want to do, not what the other team is doing,” Drummond said. “We’re a force together in the paint. We make teams have to deal with us at both ends of the court. I really like that lineup and I’m looking forward to more of it.” Drummond is averaging 9.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per night since Jan. 1 and drew a start next to Vucevic against the Timberwolves on Feb. 6.
  • The Bulls were heavily involved in last season’s buyout market, expressing interest in Russell Westbrook before eventually signing Patrick Beverley, who helped the team finish 14-9 and win a play-in game. Johnson writes that the Bulls are once again open to exploring that avenue to add talent after not making any trade acquisitions. Thaddeus Young, Danilo Gallinari, Evan Fournier and Danuel House are among the possibilities Johnson points out. Joe Harris is also available.
  • Donovan expressed that he was thankful the trade deadline was in the rear view mirror, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “‘For me, I wouldn’t necessarily use the word ‘relief,’” Donovan said. “I’ve always taken the approach, ‘This is our team.’ Now, if it changes, then you have to adjust. I think when you start speculating, you lose sight of the group that you have in front of you because those decisions are not decisions you necessarily have control over. For me, it wasn’t like the trade deadline passed, and I was like, ‘Oh, wow, what a relief this was.’” Chicago is currently 25-28 and ninth in the Eastern Conference.

Bulls Notes: Deadline Talks, DeRozan, Caruso, LaVine

The Bulls sat out the trade deadline for the third straight season, NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson observes. The Bulls spent months working on a potential Zach LaVine trade but after his season-ending injury, they began to weigh other options. The team fielded offers for Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond and had “cursory conversations” regarding DeRozan, maintaining they stayed active despite not making a move.

We didn’t see anything that was going to make us better. We would take a step back, which we don’t want. We want to stay competitive,” general manager Artūras Karnišovas said. “We have an obligation to this organization and this fan base and this city to stay competitive and compete for the playoffs. That’s what we’re doing.

The Warriors engaged the Bulls on talks with Caruso but in any potential deal, Chicago seemed to covet Jonathan Kuminga. When that offer was rebuffed, the Bulls told teams they didn’t want to trade Caruso, especially for a package of other young pieces like Moses Moody, according to Johnson. They would have had to be floored by an offer to move Caruso.

Drummond drew interest too, but the Bulls expressed to other teams they wished to remain competitive and potential landing spots like the Sixers and Mavericks sent their second-round draft capital elsewhere.

While there was some internal discussion about selling off pieces and reshaping the roster, upper management pushed those decisions to the offseason, Johnson writes. In the summer, it’s likely the Bulls will discuss LaVine trades again while they face decisions on the contract statuses of DeRozan and Patrick Williams. The Bulls have one open roster spot and are under the luxury tax, so they could be in the market for buyout players. We addressed Chicago’s potential interest in Joe Harris earlier Thursday.

We have more notes on the Bulls:

  • There was no significant offer out there for DeMar DeRozan, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, appearing on The Rally (Twitter link). There were a few interested teams but uncertainty regarding whether DeRozan would re-sign when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the offseason was an inhibiting factor in getting a deal done. According to Charania, the Bulls want to keep DeRozan “long term.”
  • Charania echoed Johnson and said the Bulls had a “very high price” on Caruso, which other teams weren’t willing to meet. Charania says Chicago feels like keeping this core together is its best path forward.
  • DeRozan expressed a desire to remain with the Bulls on Thursday, according to Johnson. “It’s kind of like with your spouse. It’s a relationship. It’s like, ‘What do we need to do to work on this, baby?’” DeRozan said, smiling. “‘Let’s figure this thing out. You want me. I want you.’ The love is there.” Karnišovas expressed a similar sentiment, Johnson tweets. “I love DeMar,” Karnišovas said. “He’s huge for this team, this city, this organization.
  • LaVine underwent right foot surgery on Thursday, according to Johnson. He was previously ruled out for the rest of the season. “We’re going to miss him,” Karnišovas said. “But we’ll see him soon and wish him well his recovery.” The original recovery timeline was four-to-six months, but according to Johnson, he could be back to basketball activities in closer to three months. He would still miss the rest of the season but could begin his typical offseason work.
  • The bigger question regarding LaVine is his future with the organization, Johnson writes. As mentioned, the team held trade talks regarding him last offseason and before the deadline. However, Johnson’s source close to LaVine emphasizes he never specifically asked to be traded. “I don’t have any concerns,” Karnišovas said on whether he worried if failing to find a trade would impact the relationship between the two sides. “I think Zach wants to win. Bottom line, we’re a better team with Zach on the team. It’s as simple as that.

Trade Rumors: Sixers, Pistons, Bulls, Bridges, Mavs, Kuzma, Brown, Knicks, More

Appearing on SportsCenter late on Wednesday night (Twitter video link), Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said the Sixers and Pistons have had recent trade discussions about players like Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic, but that those talks “largely broke down” on Wednesday.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Sixers and Pistons won’t reengage on Thursday, but Philadelphia is exploring several avenues in search of size and shooting. The 76ers have also talked to the Bulls about multiple players, including DeMar DeRozan, Wojnarowski stated on the latest episode of the Woj Pod.

The challenge in trading with the Bulls, Woj explains, is that they want to remain competitive this season, so they’re not looking to sell off starters or key rotation players for draft assets. Given that position, it may be difficult for a contender to make more than a minor deal with Chicago, but K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) believes Philadelphia is the potential trade partner worth keeping the closest eye on for the Bulls.

Besides DeRozan, Andre Drummond is another Bulls player who has reportedly drawn interest from the Sixers. Chicago may take its Drummond talks down to the wire, according to Marc Stein, who says in his latest Substack story that the club could command multiple second-round picks for the veteran center.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

  • Wojnarowski also indicated during his SportsCenter appearances that forward Miles Bridges is “very, very likely” to remain in Charlotte beyond the trade deadline, with the Hornets hoping to re-sign him this offseason. Stein (Substack link) has also heard that Bridges may very well stay put, despite interest from the Suns and a handful of other clubs. The 25-year-old has the ability to veto a trade and would lose his Bird rights if he approves a move to a new team.
  • According to Wojnarowski (via the Woj Pod), the Mavericks‘ efforts to pry Kyle Kuzma away from the Wizards haven’t been successful, so Dallas is believed to be pivoting to P.J. Washington and will likely keep talking to the Hornets on Thursday. Stein suggests that Kuzma’s preference has been to stay in D.C. rather than seek a change of scenery, which has been a factor in Washington’s apparent reluctance to move him.
  • The Knicks have been willing to attach a first-round pick to Evan Fournier‘s expiring contract in a trade offer for Raptors wing Bruce Brown, but they want to include one of their 2024 first-rounders (their own or Dallas’), reports Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Toronto, which already controls at least two first-rounders and a high second-rounder in a 2024 draft considered to be weak, has sought a future pick, but New York wants to preserve those selections for a potential deal for a star, Grange explains.
  • Some teams have kicked the tires on Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, Grange reports, though he looks like a long shot to be moved. Although Dennis Schröder is a more likely trade candidate, Grange hears from a league source that the return for the veteran point guard would probably just be second-round picks at best.

Bulls Rumors: DeRozan, Drummond, Caruso, Williams

With Zach LaVine out for the rest of the season after opting for foot surgery, the Bulls‘ most important decision at the trade deadline will involve DeMar DeRozan, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic.

Mayberry believes the organization should think twice about committing big money to the 34-year-old forward, who will be a free agent this summer. DeRozan and the team haven’t been able to reach a deal in extension talks, and Mayberry questions whether it’s wise to keep the core of the team together amid another mediocre season.

Thursday’s deadline provides an immediate opportunity to part with DeRozan, Mayberry notes, adding that the Bulls should be able to obtain draft assets or young talent from a contender in need of a veteran scorer.

There’s also the possibility of an offseason sign-and-trade, but Mayberry points out that waiting until summer presents the risk of losing DeRozan in free agency with nothing in return. Holding DeRozan’s Bird rights, the Bulls will have the advantage of being able to offer him more money than rival teams, but Mayberry states that DeRozan won’t have any other reason to stay in Chicago if he wants to be part of a winner.

There’s more on the Bulls:

  • Veteran center Andre Drummond is a target of several teams, including the Celtics, Mavericks, Lakers and Suns, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. He adds that the Rockets considered making an offer for Drummond before acquiring Steven Adams last week. Scotto points out that Drummond carries significant value for teams in need of rebounding as he’s collecting 18.9 boards per 36 minutes this season.
  • The Bulls are asking for two first-round picks in exchange for Alex Caruso, Scotto adds. In addition to being a defensive standout, Caruso is viewed as a bargain because of his $9.89MM salary for next season. Scotto also hears that teams are keeping an eye on the potential availability of Patrick Williams, who wasn’t able to reach a rookie scale extension agreement before the start of the season.
  • K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago examines the trading record of president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and speculates how it might influence the team’s direction at this year’s deadline.

Central Notes: Pistons, Sasser, DeRozan, Haliburton

Saturday’s announcement that Bulls guard Zach LaVine will have season-ending foot surgery reduces the chances that the Pistons will make a major trade before Thursday’s deadline, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Detroit had seemingly emerged as the frontrunner to acquire LaVine, but a source told Sankofa that the front office was split on the move because of the guard’s injury history and expensive contract. The Pistons weren’t willing to give up any significant assets in a potential deal, Sankofa adds.

With a LaVine trade presumably off the table, Sankofa expects Detroit to wait for the offseason to pursue a major deal. He considers the team likely to be active at the deadline, but with smaller moves that will put the franchise in better position for next season and won’t compromise its cap room for this summer.

Killian Hayes, the seventh pick in the 2020 draft, is likely near the end of his time with the Pistons, Sankofa adds. He has been a healthy scratch in the past two games and is headed toward free agency after not reaching a rookie-scale extension last fall. Sankofa also anticipates a move involving James Wiseman, who has fallen out of the rotation since Mike Muscala and Danilo Gallinari were acquired from Washington last month.

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • Marcus Sasser has brought some efficiency to the Pistons‘ offense and has a chance to be the first rookie ever in the 50-40-90 club, notes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Detroit appears to have found a long-term rotation piece in Sasser after trading into the first round to grab him with the 25th pick in last year’s draft. “The more and more I play … I’m starting to feel comfortable,” he said. “I’m learning when to take my shots, learn to look for my teammates and create.”
  • DeMar DeRozan refused to speculate on whether LaVine’s injury will make the Bulls more likely to trade him before the deadline, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. DeRozan will be a free agent this summer if he and the team can’t agree on an extension. “I really live my life day-by-day,” he told reporters. “If I get caught up in having future thoughts on things, I’m going to drive myself crazy. And I’d rather not be that way. I take it day-by-day and be prepared for whatever happens. That’s my approach for life.”
  • Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is trying to find the most efficient way to use his restricted minutes since returning from a hamstring injury, per James Boyd of The Athletic. Haliburton sat out the first quarter Friday against Sacramento so he could be available later on, but he had one of his worst games of the season as Indiana dropped its third straight. “I think anybody who’s dealt with a hamstring before understands that it’s not just nothing,” he said. “Even when you’re fully good a little bit after, you still feel it a little bit. Nothing structurally (is wrong). I think there is some pain, but I can play through that.”