Bulls Notes: Tanking, Okoro, Miller, Essengue
The Bulls aren’t winning very often, but they still aren’t tanking and that isn’t likely to change, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes in a subscriber-only story. Thursday’s loss to the Lakers left Chicago at 27-39, which is the league’s ninth-worst record and only a half-game away from Milwaukee in the lottery race. Coach Billy Donovan said he hasn’t received any directive from executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas to stop playing his best lineups and he doesn’t expect to.
“If we get to a place where we are mathematically out of anything as it relates to postseason and there are guys that are dealing with some ailments or have challenges health-wise, could they say, ‘Hey, let’s get these guys right first’? I don’t know,” Donovan said. “Everything I got from them up to this point in time is to continue to put our best foot forward.”
As Cowley notes, it’s been hard to get a read on the new roster since the trade deadline upheaval because of injuries. Donovan and the front office would like to get a better look at Anfernee Simons and Jaden Ivey before they become free agents this summer, but Simons is sidelined with a wrist fracture and Ivey is dealing with lingering soreness in his left knee. The team announced today that Ivey will practice with its G League affiliate, so he could be nearing a return.
“The Anfernee thing has made it tough to evaluate him, but he does have a large body of work, and so does Collin (Sexton),” Donovan said. “Rob (Dillingham) would be a guy that you can really, really take a look at. The Jaden situation has been unfortunate because he played four games and now he’s out, he’s trying to rehab, but everything I’ve gotten from (the front office) is go out there and help these guys be as competitive and successful as they can be, and put the focus on winning, and I think that’s the same thing as ownership.”
There’s more on the Bulls:
- Isaac Okoro sat out Thursday’s game after being a late scratch Tuesday at Golden State with a knee issue, Cowley adds. “He’s had it before,” Donovan said. “It’s probably going to take a little bit of time to make it calm down. Generally, he starts to feel better each day that goes by. I don’t think it’s a long-term thing or anything like that. He’s just got some inflammation there that they need to calm down.”
- Leonard Miller, who was acquired from Minnesota at the deadline, made his third start Thursday since joining the Bulls and continues to put up impressive numbers. He finished with 15 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes after posting 17 points and 11 rebounds in 38 minutes on Tuesday. Chicago holds a $2.4MM team option on Miller for next season, and Cowley suggests in a separate story that it might be a good idea to keep him in his current role when Patrick Williams recovers from an ankle injury. “I’m always ready to go out there and compete at a high level,” Miller said. “I think I demonstrated that and that’s what I’m going to continue to demonstrate. Me playing at a high level and having a good game, I’m kind of not surprised because I have that belief in myself, I’m confident, and I feel like the sky is the limit with me.”
- Noa Essengue has been cleared for non-contact basketball activities and is considering playing in Summer League, per K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). Essengue, the 12th pick in last year’s draft, only appeared in two games before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. “It’s been a tough year,” he said. “But that’s a goal in life, to always stay positive. It doesn’t matter what happens, whether you’re playing good or bad, you have an injury or are healthy, you stay positive and keep working. That’s what I’ve done.”
Bulls Notes: Sexton, Ivey, Olbrich, Injuries
The Bulls are giving Collin Sexton a spotlight that he might not have expected when he was traded to the team last month, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes in a subscriber-only piece. The veteran guard played 38 minutes on Thursday at Phoenix and responded with 30 points as Chicago posted a surprising road win.
‘‘Definitely very appreciative,’’ Sexton said. ‘‘At the end of the day, I always take one day at a time, one second at a time, one minute at a time. At the end of the day, I always tell myself [to] be where my feet are at and be grounded and focus on the now. Don’t focus too far in the future. I appreciate the team, as well as the organization, giving me the opportunity and trusting me down the stretch with the ball but also to make plays for others. I appreciate that.’’
Holding a nearly $19MM expiring contract on a team with an abundance of guards, Sexton may not be in the Bulls’ plans beyond the rest of this season. And while it’s probably in Chicago’s best long-term interest to lose as much as possible over the next five weeks, Sexton is focused on doing all he can to win games and build a strong relationship with coach Billy Donovan.
‘‘I appreciate Coach,’’ Sexton said. ‘‘He’s been going through a lot [the death of his father and mother-in-law in the last month], and I’ve been praying for him, my family has been praying for him. And for him to come out each and every day with a smile on his face and trying to encourage us … he’s had a lot going on.’’
There’s more on the Bulls:
- Jaden Ivey didn’t travel with the team on its 10-day road trip and is undergoing treatment on his left knee that may determine if he plays again this season, Cowley states in a separate story. “That’s going to be really, really critical,” Donovan said. “He’s made strides and he’s gotten better, but the medical guys want to see some improvement in that strengthening. Two weeks passed a few days ago, now he’s got this third week, and he’s gotten stronger, but to make another jump there are certain things the medical guys are going to want to see and have him cross some thresholds.” Ivey has only appeared in four games since being acquired from Detroit at the deadline, and Cowley notes that the Bulls’ decision-makers would like to see him in action a little more before he becomes a restricted free agent this summer.
- Australian big man Lachlan Olbrich approached his first NBA season without any expectations, Cowley adds. After signing a two-way contract last summer, he has seen limited playing time in 21 games. “I didn’t know what to expect coming into it, obviously, but I feel like I built a really strong foundation,” Olbrich said. “I’ve been talking a lot about foundation and hopefully in the next couple seasons I can really build on it. That’s really been the focus. I’m not worried about the minutes or the games played, anything like that. It’s just been a massive learning experience for me in my first year, which has been good for me.”
- The Bulls were missing five rotation players on Thursday, but Donovan expects Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Patrick Williams to all be available for Sunday’s game at Sacramento, according to Cowley. Jalen Smith (calf strain) and Anfernee Simons (left hand injury) both remain sidelined with no set timetable to return.
Ivey Gets DNP-CD With Bulls’ Crowded Backcourt Healthy
With Josh Giddey and Tre Jones back in action on Thursday following injury absences, Jaden Ivey was the odd man out in a crowded Bulls backcourt. Ivey, who started three of four games and averaged 28.8 minutes per night for Chicago prior to the All-Star break, didn’t play at all in a home loss to Toronto and said after the game that he thought it was the first DNP-CD of his career, per Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic.
Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr., acting as head coach with Billy Donovan away from the team following the death of his father, explained that it was “strictly a basketball decision” necessitated by having a fully healthy backcourt, as well as a desire to have Giddey and Jones play regular roles in their first game back.
“I talked to several guys (Thursday) morning, and then I addressed the team about it, and it’s just a byproduct of where we are in our composition,” Unseld told reporters.
Giddey and Jones, who were on minutes restrictions, played 21 and 22 minutes respectively, while recent trade acquisition Anfernee Simons logged 31. Collin Sexton and Rob Dillingham, the team’s other newly added guards, played 15 and 10 minutes off the bench.
As Lorenzi writes, the usage of the guards seemed to be at odds with the Bulls’ actions earlier this month at a busy trade deadline. With its seven deadline deals, Chicago appeared prepared to pivot toward its younger players, but Simons and Sexton – veterans on expiring contracts – are ahead of Ivey, a restricted-free-agent-to-be, and second-year guard Dillingham on the depth chart for now.
Asked after the game about his DNP-CD, Ivey offered little clarity, according to Lorenzi, who says the former Piston repeatedly referenced his faith and declared that he doesn’t “really trust the NBA setting.”
“When moves are made behind the scenes, trades and stuff,” Ivey replied when asked what he meant. “I don’t trust that part of (it). I mean, you can’t trust it, because it’s not in your hands. So it’s not in my hands to make moves, or trade myself.”
Ivey later said he was told the decision to sit him on Thursday was the result of “a series of things,” including ongoing knee soreness that he referred to as something he’s been dealing with “for years.” The fourth-year guard underwent surgery on his right knee in October that delayed his season debut, but he hasn’t been listed on the injury report recently and said that soreness isn’t something that will “keep me from doing my job.”
Still, there have been some questions this season about whether Ivey is at 100% after returning from a broken left leg that ended his 2024/25 season, as well as that right knee surgery. He played a reduced role in Detroit (16.8 MPG) prior to the trade and didn’t look like his old explosive self. Asked if there are still health-related steps to take before he regains his former athleticism, Ivey offered an eyebrow-raising response, Lorenzi notes.
“I’m sure people can call it out — I’m not the same player I used to be,” he said. “(The knee soreness is) why. I’m not the J.I. I used to be. The old J.I. is dead. I’m alive in Christ no matter what the basketball setting is.”
As Lorenzi observes, it’s possible the Bulls will adjust their rotation going forward and Ivey’s DNP-CD ends up being a one-off that’s quickly forgotten. But based on Thursday’s usage, it doesn’t appear at this point that developing Ivey and Dillingham is a top priority for the team.
Collin Sexton Fined $35K For Inappropriate Gesture
In one of the most unusual fines in NBA history, Bulls guard Collin Sexton was docked $35K for making an inappropriate gesture on the playing court, the league office tweets.
The incident occurred with 1:31 remaining in the third quarter of the Bulls’ 123-115 loss to Brooklyn on Monday. Sexton missed a free throw, then made the second attempt. As the ball was being inbounded by the Nets, Sexton stared at the rim and made a middle finger gesture toward it.
Sexton was appearing in just his second game with Chicago after being traded by Charlotte last week. He finished the night with 21 points and five rebounds in 32 minutes.
The fine is only a small portion of Sexton’s $18,975,000 salary. He’s a free agent at the end of the season.
Bulls Notes: Sexton, Buzelis, Dillingham, Simons
The Bulls overhauled their roster by making seven trades ahead of last week’s deadline, but the new-look team is focused more on competing than rebuilding, Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune writes in a subscriber-only story. Seven new players were on the court Saturday against Denver, and even though they had barely practiced together as a group, the Bulls held a seven-point lead going into the fourth quarter before the game slipped away.
“We definitely can be very special,” said Collin Sexton, who was acquired from Charlotte on Thursday. “I feel like for us to have one walk-through and to go out there pretty much jelling and making the right reads and doing this together. … It was super fun. At the end of the day, I know something good is coming.”
The Bulls had lost five of their last six games heading into the deadline, and management had no interest in being a perennial play-in team any longer, according to Sullivan. The purge was framed as “a stage” rather than a full rebuild, with more significant moves expected this summer.
The long-range plan is to build around young talent like second-year forward Matas Buzelis, who is viewed as a franchise cornerstone. Coach Billy Donovan said Buzelis got a “taste of this (league) as a business” at the deadline and was “still processing” all the moves that took place.
“It’s tough, of course, but at the end of the day you’ve just got to accept what happens,” Buzelis said. “That’s just what it is. I’m happy to see these guys here. I think we’ve got something special and we can make it work, but it’s tough, losing all my brothers. It is what it is, and you’ve got to accept it. … Those guys are always going to be part of my circle. They impacted me as a player. I’m never going to forget the relationships I’ve built with them over the years. They were great vets to me.”
There’s more from Chicago:
- Donovan’s up-tempo offense is a better fit for Rob Dillingham than he had in Minnesota, observes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscription required). The No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft, Dillingham wasn’t able to crack the Wolves’ rotation, but he played a season-high 22 minutes on Saturday, finishing with nine points and setting up teammates for two impressive alley-oop dunks. ‘‘At times, we’ve struggled to get downhill,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘He’s the one guy, when the ball is in his hand, that can really break people down, play off the dribble and put some pressure on the basket.’’
- With a $27.7MM expiring contract, Anfernee Simons understands that the next few weeks will help to determine his NBA future, Cowley adds in a separate story. Simons plans to take the same approach he did when he was traded to Boston last summer. “I think even before [the trade], it was always going to be a job interview with this being the last year of my contract,” he said. “I’ve just got to make the most out of these last couple of months here, start building chemistry with the guys and see where that goes.”
- Sexton talks about serving as a veteran leader for the young roster in an interview with K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (YouTube video link).
Hornets Acquire Coby White From Bulls
11:21 pm: The trade has been finalized, the Hornets announced (via Twitter).
2:01 pm: The Hornets and Bulls have agreed to a trade that will send guards Coby White and Mike Conley to Charlotte, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
In exchange, Chicago will acquire guard Collin Sexton, forward Ousmane Dieng, and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. Dieng is technically still a member of the Thunder, but is reportedly being traded to Charlotte in a deal involving center Mason Plumlee. Oklahoma City is sending the Hornets a second-round pick along with Dieng in that side deal, tweets Charania.
White, who will turn 26 later this month, is a talented scorer who has averaged 19.5 points per game since becoming a full-time starter at the beginning of the 2023/24 season. He has also averaged 4.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds per night over the course of 182 outings during that stretch, with a .448/.369/.859 shooting line.
Although White entered this winter as one of the Bulls’ prime trade candidates, his value has been negatively impacted by calf issues that have limited to 29 games this season, as well as his contract situation.
The veteran guard is on an expiring $12.9MM expiring deal, meaning his maximum extension with Chicago would have been worth $87MM over four years — he reportedly conveyed to the team prior to the season that he wouldn’t be signing an extension and would take his chances on earning a more lucrative payday in unrestricted free agency.
With teams viewing White as a possible rental, the Bulls were unable to extract a first-round pick for him on the trade market, but they did secure three second-rounders, which will be either the Nuggets’ or Hornets’ 2029 pick (whichever is least favorable), the Nuggets’ 2031 pick, and the Knicks’ 2031 pick, according to Zach Lowe of The Ringer (Twitter link).
The Hornets will presumably look to re-sign White, a North Carolina native who played his college ball at UNC, but Conley likely won’t spend long on Charlotte’s roster. He’s viewed as a buyout candidate, and since he’ll be traded twice this week, he would be eligible to return to the Timberwolves without running afoul of the NBA’s rule preventing a waived player to return to the team that traded him away. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line highlighted this potential outcome for Conley earlier today.
The Bulls, meanwhile, could have more moves up their sleeves in the next 24 hours, since they’ll still have a logjam in their backcourt. Sexton will join a group that features Josh Giddey, Ayo Dosunmu, Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, and Tre Jones.
Siegel’s Latest: MPJ, Warriors, Murphy, Giannis, Wolves, Magic
The Warriors had internal discussions about the possibility of pursuing Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. but received indications that the asking price would be higher than they’re comfortable with, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. The Lakers also aren’t expected to pursue Porter, Siegel writes, since they’re not looking to take on that sort of a big-money contract at this time (Porter is owed $40.8MM in 2026/27).
The Nets have conveyed to potential trade partners that they’re comfortable keeping Porter beyond this season, per Siegel, so if their asking price isn’t met, there’s a good chance he’ll remain in Brooklyn through the trade deadline.
While a Porter deal doesn’t seem likely, Siegel says the Warriors remain on the lookout for wings and have been linked to veterans like DeMar DeRozan of the Kings and old friend Andrew Wiggins, who was sent to the Heat in last season’s Jimmy Butler trade. It remains to be seen whether Miami will look to move Wiggins, but there’s still “a lot of mutual love” between the former No. 1 overall pick and the Warriors, who won a title together in 2022, Siegel notes.
Of course, the Warriors’ interest in Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III has been an open secret for months, and they’ve made him multiple calls about him this season, sources tell ClutchPoints.
Rivals believe New Orleans’ asking price for Murphy would be multiple first-round picks and a young player or two, says Siegel, but it’s unclear if the Pelicans would move him even if that price is met — they’ve reportedly told teams they don’t intend to. The Raptors are another team that has inquired on Murphy, Siegel reports.
Here are a few more highlights from Siegel’s latest league-wide rumor roundup:
- Although Giannis Antetokounmpo has said on the record that he has no intention of ever asking the Bucks to trade him, many people around the NBA still believe it’s only a matter of time until the two sides split, Siegel writes. There’s a sense it could happen in the offseason, which is one reason why several clubs want to hang onto their top trade assets. “It really seems like he’s made up his mind already,” an Eastern Conference executive told ClutchPoints. “But this is Giannis we are talking about, and he’s very careful with the words he picks when talking to the media because he doesn’t want to be painted as the villain in Milwaukee. And if we are being honest, he shouldn’t be, no matter if he requests a trade or not. He may not have directly requested a trade, but everyone knows what’s going on there. It’s basically just who will break the silence and actually say it is time to move on. Giannis doesn’t want to be that guy, and that’s understandable.”
- The Timberwolves are widely expected to address their backcourt in a deadline deal, with Magic guard Tyus Jones, Kings guard Malik Monk, and Hornets guard Collin Sexton among the players they’ve been connected to, per Siegel. Charlotte has conveyed that it would want at least one asset of value (ie. a draft pick or young player) in a Sexton deal, Siegel adds.
- There’s a belief that the Magic are open to moving Jones, forward Jonathan Isaac, and/or center Goga Bitadze, according to Siegel, who suggests Orlando could acquire second-round capital and 2026/27 cap relief in a deal involving Bitadze. The Magic are operating about $5.6MM above the luxury tax line, so they could look to duck the tax altogether by trading one or more of those players, whose salaries range from $7MM (for Jones) to $15MM (for Isaac).
Clippers Rumors: Sanders, Miller, Paul, Brown, Zubac, Collins, More
One of the Clippers‘ primary goals at the trade deadline will be to create the roster and cap flexibility necessary to promote Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller from their two-way contracts to the standard roster, according to Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.
The Clippers are currently operating about $1.15MM below their first-apron hard cap, with 14 players on full-season standard contracts (Patrick Baldwin Jr. is on a 10-day deal). They’ll need to move off of at least one of those 14 players in order to create roster space for both Sanders and Miller, who are nearing their active-game limits.
Point guard Chris Paul and forward Kobe Brown are the top trade candidates to watch, Azarly writes. While waiving either player would open up a roster spot, it would leave that player’s full salary on the Clippers’ books. Moving off of Paul’s or Brown’s contract in a trade would be necessary to create enough breathing room below the hard cap to sign both Sanders and Miller to new deals sooner rather than later.
For what it’s worth, the Clippers have already used their full mid-level exception and don’t have a bi-annual exception this season after using it in 2024/25. That means that if they want to offer Sanders or Miller a salary worth more than the minimum, they would need to use their $2.68MM disabled player exception, which can only be used for a one-year contract. A minimum-salary offer would be capped at two years.
Here’s more on the Clippers:
- Azarly adds the Hornets to the list of teams that have inquired on Ivica Zubac but says the Clippers haven’t shown any real interest in moving their starting center. Sources tell ClutchPoints that one team put an unprotected first-round pick and a pick swap in an offer for Zubac, but didn’t get anywhere in negotiations.
- Although the Clippers had some talks earlier in the season about big man John Collins, they’re less interested in moving him at this point, Azarly writes. Collins has played well during the team’s recent hot streak, averaging 15.6 points in 28.1 minutes per game on .675/.635/.792 shooting in his past 14 outings.
- Azarly says the Clippers aren’t “actively shopping” veteran guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, though I’d be surprised if the team isn’t very much open to the idea of trading him. Bogdanovic has been limited to 16 games and hasn’t played since December 26 due to health issues, and is averaging career lows in several categories, including points per game (8.0) and field goal percentage (37.6%).
- Hornets guard Collin Sexton, Celtics guard Anfernee Simons, and Bulls guard Coby White have each been linked to the Clippers in recent days, per Azarly, who notes that the club could use another ball-handler and play-maker to help out James Harden and Kawhi Leonard on offense.
LaMelo Ball, Lauri Markkanen Reportedly Not Expected To Be Traded
A pair of former All-Stars are not expected to be traded ahead of the February 5 deadline, league sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. According to Siegel, LaMelo Ball of the Hornets and Lauri Markkanen of the Jazz are considered likely to stay put with their respective teams through the remainder of the regular season.
Siegel says Charlotte will have discussions about Ball’s future with the organization in the offseason, and points out that there are several promising guards in the 2026 draft who could potentially be his long-term replacement if the Hornets choose to go that route.
Ball, 24, is on a maximum-salary contract that runs through 2028/29. He’s averaging 19.9 points, 7.8 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals on .413/.374/.878 shooting through 29 games this season (27.8 minutes per contest).
According to Siegel, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel are the only untouchable Hornets, with the front office open to listening to offers on anyone else on the roster. Siegel hears veteran guard Collin Sexton, who is on an expiring $19MM contract, has drawn interest from several teams.
As for Markkanen, the Jazz view him as part of their core and they want to be more competitive in 2026/27, Siegel writes. While injured center Walker Kessler has generated “plenty” of trade interest, he’s also viewed as an important part of the team and is not expected to be moved in the next few weeks, Siegel confirms.
Through 32 games, Markkanen is averaging 27.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals on .483/.365/.892 shooting. He’s also on a lucrative long-term deal that runs through ’28/29.
Hornets Notes: Knueppel, LaMelo, Miller, Kalkbrenner, Williams
Hornets wing Kon Knueppel has been one of the top rookies in 2025/26, but he’s far from content. The 20-year-old tells Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer he’s always looking for ways to level up his game on both ends of the court.
“I think an area to grow is definitely being more disruptive defensively,” Knueppel said. “I tend to be where I’m supposed to be, tend to keep my guy in front of me. But can I maybe get a few more deflections? And I think that comes with a little bit more anticipation, being more aware of that. What play is going to happen before it happens and then those will come.
Knueppel, the fourth overall pick of last year’s draft, played 1,189 minutes over 39 games in his lone season at Duke. He’s currently at 1,186 minutes through 36 NBA games, and says his body is holding up well so far.
“I feel good,” Knueppel told Boone. “There’s a lot of nicks and bruises and things, but I luckily haven’t had anything major. Had the little chip fracture in the pinky early in the season, stuff like that. But yeah, the body’s holding up. Been really proactive with the recovery stuff and the training staff are doing a great job.”
Here’s more from Charlotte:
- The Hornets had a good chance to win their third straight game on Wednesday vs. Toronto, leading by as many as 13 points, but wound up losing by one after an Immanuel Quickley game-winning three. LaMelo Ball was limited to just five minutes in the fourth quarter, and head coach Charles Lee explained why that was the case after the game, according to Boone. “I liked how that group (with Collin Sexton and Sion James in the backcourt) was playing,” Lee said. “Just trying to be a little bit mindful of where we are in a back-to-back and our allocation of minutes to put us all in the best position to be healthy. So, I thought that group did enough to kind of keep us in it, keep it close. And it’s helped us kind of extend some leads at times too, with their defensive aggressiveness and Collin’s ability to knock down the three. I thought he scored it at a pretty good clip tonight, too, and was able to get to the paint, which was something that we were lacking at times. So, just a tough decision that I have to make.”
- As Boone writes in the same story, Lee also provided injury updates on Brandon Miller (left knee contusion), Ryan Kalkbrenner (left elbow sprain) and Grant Williams following Wednesday’s game. Lee suggested the team was just being cautious with Miller’s knee on the front end of a back-to-back — the third-year wing is probable to suit up on Thursday vs. Indiana. Kalkbrenner, meanwhile, will miss his ninth straight game against the Pacers. “Yeah, Ryan is going to be OK,” Lee said. “He’s been making really good progress. … We’ll continue to evaluate him after every team activity he does and in on-court sessions, but I do think he’s trending in a good direction.”
- As for Williams, the veteran forward is 13-plus months removed from a torn ACL in his right knee and appears to be in the final stages of his rehab. “Grant’s obviously been out for an extended period of time with his injury now, has been able to be more involved in team activities and five-on-five play, and so far he’s responded really well,” Lee said, per Boone. “But when you’ve missed that much time from basketball, we want to make sure that we’re reintegrating him into game play at the appropriate time.”