Cristiano Felicio Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Bulls, Middleton, Beasley

March 7th, 2017 at 7:04pm CST by Austin Kent

Although some Bulls fans may have clamored for a youth movement in Chicago, the team saw first-hand that their young core may not be ready for primetime just yet, Nick Friedell of ESPN writes. Briefly in Monday’s loss to the Pistons, the Bulls trotted out a lineup of Denzel Valentine, Jerian Grant, Paul Zipser, Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio but the offense quickly stalle, resulting in the prompt reinstatement of star forward Jimmy Butler.

Friedell explains that the vaunted trio of Portis, Valentine and recently acquired Cameron Payne may not be reliable enough offensively, citing their struggles against Detroit as an example of what life would be like for Bulls fans without Butler or Dwyane Wade there to steer the ship. Should Wade leave via free agency this summer and Butler get traded, there could be more nights just like Monday in the future.

Payne, brought over from the Thunder in the Taj Gibson trade, hasn’t been particularly effective in a Bulls uniform, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes in his own piece, highlighting the supposed “pure” point guard’s abundance of field goal attempts. Head coach Fred Hoiberg echoed the sentiment. “He took a couple shots that he maybe could’ve got one more bounce to the rim or kicked out for a shot,” Hoiberg said. “This is really the first meaningful big minutes that he’s getting in this league. And it’s all valuable experience for him. And he’s not afraid of the moment. He’s going to give you everything he has.”

There’s more out of the Central Division tonight:

After battling back from a ruptured hamstring that required surgery, Khris Middleton has wasted no time getting into a rhythm beyond the arc for the Bucks, Alex Boeder of Bucks.com writes. All of Middleton’s shooting numbers since he returned nine games ago are outpacing his career averages.
The Pacers have put an emphasis on putting smaller lineups on the floor of late with mixed results, Nate Taylor of the Indianapolis Star writes. Since the implementation of the changes the team has shot better from the field but struggled on defense.
Injured Bucks forward Michael Beasley will be out at least two more weeks, Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. Beasley, sidelined with a hyperextended knee, will be re-evaluated at that time.
The Cavaliers are in danger, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, more so now that Andrew Bogut has broken his leg and will miss the remainder of the 2016/17 season. Injuries, coupled with upcoming road games, general fatigue and lingering defensive woes could spell trouble for the squad, he writes.

Central Notes: George, Jackson, Ferrell

February 16th, 2017 at 1:41pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Pacers have lost five straight games and Paul George believes it could be a result of the way the roster in constructed, Nate Taylor of USA Today passes along. “Maybe it’s changing schemes up in how we guard these spread teams,” George said. “This is a new league, a new NBA. I think we might have to go a different route and work on that as oppose to trying to make changes during games where we’re kind of not really sure how to guard something.”

George added that the team may need to make some changes going forward. “I think we just build for where the league is headed and just work on that because it’s not going to get easier,” he said “We’re going to keep facing teams that give us this challenge of spreading around the perimeter. That’s really where we’re losing.”

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Coach/executive Stan Van Gundy remains confident in Reggie Jackson, Aaron McMann of MLive writes. “It’s an adjustment period for all of us, and I don’t have any doubts he’ll come back to playing the way he was before,” Van Gundy said. The Pistons reportedly have “quietly explored” the trade market for the point guard.
The Pistons attempted to sign Yogi Ferrell before the season when the point guard was an undrafted free agent, McMann relays in a separate piece. “He’s a guy on draft night that didn’t get drafted, and we tried to get in the race for some money to have him guaranteed,” Van Gundy said. “But Brooklyn had gobbled him up. He ended up getting cut there and has really latched on and played very, very well for Dallas.”
Jabari Parker underwent successful surgery on his left knee and the Bucks are expected to be without the former No. 2 overall pick for 12 months, Chris Mannix of The Vertical tweets.
Cristiano Felicio‘s development is a major plus for the Bulls’ front office, Mark Schanowski of Comcast Sportsnet writes. Felicio will be a restricted free agent in the offseason and Schanowski believes the team will have tough competition for his services.

Central Notes: Bulls, Jackson, Bucks

February 7th, 2017 at 5:58pm CST by Austin Kent

The Bulls are in a tough spot trying to make trades before the deadline while remaining in a position to be competitive, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune in a weekly mailbag post. Johnson confirms previous reports that Nikola Mirotic and Rajon Rondo have been made available but suggests that Taj Gibson‘s status would be a better judge of the front office’s mindset heading forward.

Gibson, a 31-year-old eight-year veteran, has averaged 11.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game for the Bulls, emerging as a stable source of leadership in the starting lineup. Shopping him, Johnson suggests, would be considered aggressive. The scribe also speculates that the forward could be offered in exchange for a first-round pick, but Johnson doesn’t see that happening.

Also of note out of the Tribune’s Bulls mailbag is the implication that 24-year-old Cristiano Felicio may be better suited as a reserve player than as a starter for the foreseeable future. Johnson applauds the big man’s athleticism and notes his room for offensive improvement but goes on to suggest that current starting center Robin Lopez‘s contract, which stretches through 2018-19, renders the idea a non-issue.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Asked if he was bothered by the fact that the Bulls‘ front office hasn’t explicitly stated that their small forward is off the market, Jimmy Butler claimed to be unphased. “Nope, I don’t care,” he told the media on Monday.
In response to Stan Van Gundy saying that “everybody is available,” Aaron McMann of MLive ranked Pistons players based on how likely they are to be traded before the February 23 deadline. Heading the list is Aron Baynes, while Reggie Bullock and Reggie Jackson round out the top three. Jackson, it’s worth mentioning, would presumably bring in the biggest haul, despite the fact that his numbers have declined from last year.
It became clear that the Bucks are willing to shake up their roster when they moved Miles Plumlee for Roy Hibbert and Spencer Hawes. Now Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times believes that another trade – one for backcourt support – could be in order as the team struggles in the new year. Before Saturday’s victory over the Suns, the Bucks had lost 10 of their previous 11.
He may not be called upon specifically, but Lavoy Allen is a smart basketball player capable of filling a role, writes Mark Montieth of Pacers.com. The 28-year-old vet, whose recorded 12 DNP-CDs already this season, broke out over the weekend with an 18-point, 11-rebound performance. “He’s been doing what we know he’s capable of doing,” Pacers head coach Nate McMillan said. “Solid defender, he rebounds the ball, plays the pick and roll. […] He just plays in the flow of the game. We didn’t run plays for him, he was just making reads.”

Bulls Notes: Felicio, Lopez, Hoiberg, Valentine

January 15th, 2017 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Cristiano Felicio has taken over as Chicago’s center at the end of games, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Felicio played the entire fourth quarter in Saturday’s win over New Orleans and has established chemistry with the Bulls’ guards on pick-and-roll and lob plays. “The other thing he gives us is a big-time defensive presence,” said coach Fred Hoiberg. “We can get out and trap ball screens with him because of his ability to move. There are not a lot of big bodies that move as well as he does.” The Brazilian big man is putting up slightly better numbers during his second season in the NBA, averaging 4.4 points and 5.0 rebounds through 33 games.

There’s more news out of Chicago:

Starting center Robin Lopez has accepted the change without complaining, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “I’m just trying to play my part a little bit,” Lopez said. “I think that’s kind of the good thing about our team. When we’re playing really well, we’ve got a lot of different options.’’ Lopez, who was acquired from the Knicks in an offseason deal, is under contract through 2018/19.
The Bulls have been disappointingly average through the first half of the season, Johnson writes in a separate piece. Young players like Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic haven’t become the building blocks that management expected, and the team’s last two first-rounders, Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine, aren’t part of the rotation. Johnson expects Hoiberg to be brought back next season, but his future after that could be uncertain.
It’s too early for the Bulls to write off Valentine as a failure, argues Cole Zwicker of Fan Sided. Injuries and illnesses have helped to derail his rookie season, but Zwicker contends that Valentine still has the skills to develop into a productive NBA player.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 11/27/16

November 27th, 2016 at 7:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

Here are Sunday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

Forwards Anthony Bennett and Chris McCullough were recalled by the Nets after being assigned to Long Island earlier today for the D-League team’s game against Grand Rapids, the team announced in an email. Bennett had 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while McCullough put up 15 points and nine rebounds.
The Raptors have recalled Jakob Poeltl, Bruno Caboclo and Fred VanVleet from Raptors 905, according to The Toronto Sun. All three had been sent down to participate in Satuday’s game against Maine.
The Spurs assigned rookie guards Dejounte Murray, Bryn Forbes and Nicolas Laprovittola to Austin, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio News-Express. They are expected to be recalled in time for San Antonio’s game on Tuesday.
The Pelicans have recalled rookie forward Cheick Diallo from Austin, the team announced in an email. He has played six games in the D-League and just one for New Orleans.
The Mavericks recalled rookie center A.J. Hammons from the Texas Legends, according to an email from the team. He was assigned Saturday for a game against Salt Lake in which he scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds.
The Bulls have recalled forward/center Cristiano Felicio and guards Jerian Grant and R.J. Hunter from their Windy City affiliate, the team announced in an email.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 11/26/16

November 26th, 2016 at 10:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are Saturday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

10:22pm:

The Hornets have recalled Aaron Harrison from their D-League affiliate, the team announced on its website. A second-year guard, Harrison has appeared in two games for Charlotte this season.
The Mavericks have sent rookie center A.J. Hammons to the Texas Legends, the team announced through email. Hammons has played seven games for the Mavericks, averaging 1.3 points and 1.1 rebounds in 3.4 minutes.

2:42pm:

The Suns assigned Derrick Jones Jr. to Northern Arizona, their D-League affiliate, according to the team’s website. This is his second D-League assignment, as Jones has averaged 15.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in two games with the NAZ Suns. The undrafted 6’7” small forward made his NBA debut on November 19th, playing three minutes against the Sixers.
The Bulls assigned big man Cristiano Felício, and guards Jerian Grant and R.J. Hunter to their D-League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, the D-League team tweets. After defeating the Sixers on Friday, the NBA Bulls have a gap in their schedule, as they don’t play again until Wednesday. The assignments will allow those three reserves to get playing time and stay sharp. All are expected to see action in Windy City’s game against Delaware on Saturday. Felicio has appeared in 11 games with Chicago, while Grant has played in 10 games — including two starts. Hunter has seen action in just two games.
The Bucks assigned guard Rashad Vaughn to the Westchester Knicks under the flexible assignment rule, according to a team press release. Vaughn was previously assigned to Westchester from November 19-23, appearing in two games and averaging 11.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 15.9 minutes. Vaughn has appeared in nine games for the Bucks, averaging 6.0 points and 1.2 rebounds in 14.5 minutes.

Bulls Waive Three Players; Roster Stands At 15

October 21st, 2016 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have waived three players from their roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve parted ways with camp invitees J.J. Avila, D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, and Thomas Walkup. All three players will become free agents if and when they clear waivers.

Avila, Smith-Rivera, and Walkup each signed one-year contracts with the Bulls this summer, and were always viewed as long shots to earn regular-season roster spots. Walkup received a guarantee of $69,500 on his minimum-salary contract, while Avila and Smith-Rivera received no guaranteed money. Assuming they aren’t snatched up by another club, all three players are candidates to join Chicago’s new D-League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls.

The Bulls are now down to 15 players, meaning their roster is set for the regular season. Still, if the team wants to dip below the maximum, it has some flexibility to make additional cuts. Currently, 13 Chicago players have fully guaranteed salaries for 2016/17, while Spencer Dinwiddie and Cristiano Felicio are on non-guaranteed contracts.

For a breakdown of the Bulls’ current 2016/17 salary cap situation, check out our salary cap snapshot for the team.

Bulls Notes: Felicio, Hoiberg, Wade, Dinwiddie

September 25th, 2016 at 7:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Chicago’s offseason moves should give Cristiano Felicio an opportunity for more playing time, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The 6’10” Brazilian center appeared in just 31 games with the Bulls during his rookie season and spent much of the year with Canton in the D-League. However, he stood out as part of Chicago’s summer league squad that won a championship in Las Vegas. The Bulls lost both Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol in free agency over the summer. Robin Lopez, who was acquired from the Knicks in the Derrick Rose trade, is the only true center on Chicago’s roster, which could mean a lot more playing time for Felicio. “I learned so much because the Bulls last year, they had a lot of big guys and they were always talking to me and giving me tips,” he said. “It was my first year and I didn’t know what to expect through the season and they were always talking to me, telling me what to do and what not to do in the NBA. It for sure helped me a lot in my first year.”

There’s more news out of Chicago:

Coach Fred Hoiberg once again seems to have a roster that doesn’t fit his preferred style of play, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Hoiberg promised a pace-and-space system when he became head coach, but he hasn’t been given the outside shooters to make that work. This summer’s top two additions, Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo, are both more slashers than shooters. The only change in Hoiberg’s staff was the addition of Dr. Wendy Borlabi as a “high performance coach” who is focused on the mental aspects of the game.
Bulls management has talked about limiting Wade’s minutes during the regular season so he can be more effective in the playoffs, Johnson writes in the same story. The Heat did the same thing last year, as Wade averaged a career-low 30.5 minutes and stayed healthy enough to play in 74 games. “In Miami, Coach Spo [Erik Spoelstra] wanted me to play 30 minutes a game in the regular season, and when he told me that the year before, I wasn’t on board,” Wade said. “But [in 2015-16], he wound up doing it and it was successful for me. Every year is different. I work very hard, man. I just need to take care of my body, especially as I get older. I always have the mentality that I’ll do whatever for my team that I need to do. But I’m not trying to play 40 minutes.”
Spencer Dinwiddie probably comes into camp as the favorite to back up Rondo at point guard, according to Sam Smith of NBA.com. Dinwiddie, whom the Bulls traded for, waived and re-signed over the summer, will get competition from rookie Denzel Valentine and Jerian Grant.

Bulls Notes: Felicio, Gasol, Forman, Hoiberg

April 10th, 2016 at 10:55am CST by Arthur Hill

The recent performance of Cristiano Felicio offers more proof that the Bulls should have traded Pau Gasol before February’s deadline, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. The Brazilian rookie center had 16 points and five rebounds in 23 minutes in Saturday’s win over Cleveland, and coach Fred Hoiberg chose to use Felicio over Gasol late in the game. Friedell gives executives Gar Forman and John Paxson credit for finding Felicio, but contends it was foolish to keep Gasol as part of the future when he will turn 36 this summer and can become a free agent. Gasol has already expressed an intention to opt out, which means the Bulls may get nothing in return when they could have picked up assets and created playing time for Felicio and rookie Bobby Portis.

There’s more news out of Chicago:

Forman worked hard to land Felicio, according to Sam Smith of Bulls.com. The Bulls GM had been watching him for several years as he moved to the United States and made a failed attempt to become eligible to play at Oregon. After Felicio returned to Brazil, Forman traveled there to scout him in several tournaments and signed him to the Bulls’ summer league team.
There’s plenty of blame to go around for a failed season, contends K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Chicago is almost certain to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2007/08, and Johnson says the responsibility goes from the front office to the coaching staff to a mismatched roster. Forman has carried the most influence behind the scenes, according to Johnson, as he was the leading proponent of hiring Hoiberg and of passing on a chance to deal Gasol to the Kings. Johnson notes that the front office is now less enamored with Gasol, as re-signing center Joakim Noah has become a higher offseason priority. Forman also angered the locker room by trading popular veteran point guard Kirk Hinrich to Atlanta to cut the Bulls’ luxury tax payment by more than $2.5MM.
Despite complaints about Hoiberg, the coaching staff is expected to remain mostly intact for next season, Johnson writes in the same story. Management believes the problem this year was that the core of the team was kept together too long. One possible change is assistant Randy Brown could return to a front-office position. Brown is liked by players, Johnson relays, and some view him as Forman’s direct link to the coaching staff.

Eastern Notes: Heat, Anthony, Hinkie, Felicio

February 20th, 2016 at 11:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat are at a disadvantage when it comes to signing waived players, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Miami has two open roster spots, but its payroll is just $213K below the luxury tax threshold, meaning the team would go back above the line if it adds a player before March 6th to 8th and keeps him for the remainder of the season. Miami can fill its roster and avoid the tax, but only if it signs one player during the second week of March and another at the end of the season. Players must be waived by March 1st to be eligible for the playoffs, but can join their new team any time before the regular season is complete.

The tax situation is why the Heat made no effort to sign David Lee or Steve Novak when they were waived, Jackson explains. They would have interest in Joe Johnson if he gets bought out by the Nets, but the Cavaliers are believed to be the front-runner if that happens.

There’s more news from the Eastern Conference:

There’s a lot of excitement in New York about the Knicks‘ planned signing of Jimmer Fredette, but Carmelo Anthony doesn’t share it, according to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. “I haven’t seen Jimmy play in a long time,” Anthony said when asked about Fredette. “I’ve been hearing about what he’s doing down there in the D-League but I haven’t seen him play in action for a long time. I thought you were telling me we were about to sign someone.”
Despite the addition of Jerry Colangelo to the Sixers‘ front office, GM Sam Hinkie isn’t worried about his job, according to Rich Hofmann of PhillyVoice. “Our owners have been very clear with me that they’d like me to be the leader of this organization for a long time,” Hinkie said in an interview on CSN (Twitter link).
Cristiano Felicio, who stayed on the Bulls‘ roster despite coming into camp with a non-guaranteed contract, continues to surprise, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Injuries have given the Brazilian big man an opportunity to play, and he responded Friday with eight points, three rebounds and three assists in 14 minutes. “Big Cris plays like that all the time in practice,” Taj Gibson said. “He just has to get better with (communicating). He’s real aggressive and strong. He has great hands around the basket.”