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Bulls Notes: White, Ball, Beverley, Green, Vucevic, Schedule

March 14th, 2023 at 7:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Coby White didn’t get an extension last offseason, meaning he’ll be a free agent this summer. The Bulls can make him a restricted free agent by extending him a qualifying offer of $7.74MM.

The fourth-year guard wants to build up his value and show his versatility this season, he told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times.

“I just wanted to take steps this year and prove that I could do things that people thought I couldn’t do,’’ White said. “But with all that said, you just never know in this league, this business. You never know what’s really going on. So I just have to keep the mindset of keep it steady, keep it consistent, and hopefully everything will take care of itself.’’

White has been in the rotation much of the year, averaging a career-low 8.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 22.3 minutes per game.

We have more on the Bulls:

With Lonzo Ball possibly undergoing another procedure on his knee, the team’s brass will ponder whether to bring in another starter-level point guard this summer, Cowley writes in the same piece. “I do think the front office, ownership, will sit down after [Ball’s] decision is made, look at a timetable of how long this rehab and recovery will be, and then make decisions from there on what are the expectations of him coming back, what will the length of the rehab look like, how much more time he’ll miss?’’ coach Billy Donovan said. “I think that will be a conversation we would all have at the end of the year.’’
Zach LaVine says that Patrick Beverley has been a huge boost since joining the team as a free agent, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets. “Energy. Heart. Toughness. Vocal. He gets us going,” LaVine said. “You can see how much he cares about winning and his teammates. We definitely needed someone like that. It shows with the impact he has on the game.”
Javonte Green was able to run and cut during practice for a second straight day, according to Donovan, Johnson tweets. An update on Green’s status is expected next week. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Jan. 11.
Nikola Vucevic‘s stats haven’t changed much from last season, other than his shooting percentage (51.2% compared to 47.3%). However, he feels like he’s having a better year than his first full season with the franchise, according to Johnson. “Last season, I felt I was up and down a little bit while trying to figure out my role,” said Vucevic, a free agent after this season. “So it was very important for me to come back and have a strong season and play well. I think I’ve been able to do that.”
The Bulls will have to adjust defensively to different styles in order to nail down a play-in tournament berth, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic writes. They begin a three-game homestand against the Kings on Wednesday. “We better be able to,” LaVine said. “You can’t take the same plan into each game, especially defensively. Going up against Sacramento coming up now, you can’t treat them like they’re Houston. … So it’s another thing for us to lock into. And after that game, you’ve got to switch it up and get ready for the next team.”

Lonzo Ball May Need Third Surgery On Knee

March 9th, 2023 at 8:07am CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls guard Lonzo Ball may have to undergo a third surgical procedure on his injured knee, writes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Another operation would likely mean six more months of recovery and rehab time, Wojnarowski adds.

Sources tell Woj that Ball’s Klutch Sports representatives are working with the team to consult with specialists before a decision is made. Another procedure would sideline the 25-year-old guard until the fall and would affect his ability to prepare for next season.

Ball has already been through two operations since suffering a torn meniscus in the knee on January 14, 2022. Although he was originally projected to miss just a few weeks, complications keep pushing back the timeline and Ball has already been ruled out for the rest of this season.

Ball’s original surgery was 14 months ago, and he underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure in September to clear up lingering issues with his knee. Wojnarowski’s sources say that Ball has made incremental progress since then, but he still can’t run, cut or jump without feeling pain in the knee.

Ball came to Chicago in a sign-and-trade deal with the Pelicans in the summer of 2021. He helped lead the Bulls to a 27-13 record before the injury, averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 35 games. In his absence, Chicago dropped to the sixth seed last season and is currently 11th in the East at 30-36.

Ball still has one season left on his contract at $20.5MM, along with a $21.4MM player option for 2024/25.

There’s little chance that Chicago will petition the NBA to have Ball’s injury declared career-ending, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. The Bulls would still owe Ball the remainder of his contract, and Marks points out that even if his salary is removed from the cap, the team wouldn’t have room this summer.

Bulls Notes: Vucevic, Beverley, White, Ball, Williams

March 3rd, 2023 at 10:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Bulls center Nikola Vucevic and guard Patrick Beverley exchanged words over a blown defensive assignment during Wednesday’s win over Detroit, prompting DeMar DeRozan to step in and smooth things out.

Following the argument, a source told Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that Vucevic “hasn’t been thrilled with some of the recent finger-pointing” among Bulls players (not just Beverley). However, when he spoke about the exchange on Friday, Vucevic said it was “way blown out of proportion,” telling reporters that it was “honestly no big deal at all,” as K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago relays.

“It was just arguing in the moment,” Vucevic said. “It wasn’t that big a deal. We talked about it. It happens every game. People always make a big deal out of when players argue on the court. That’s part of the game. We’re competitors. We’re trying to make the right play. Sometimes you don’t agree on the same thing in the moment. Talk it out and it’s over with. We never talked about it after.”

Asked whether he feels singled out for defensive lapses, Vucevic expressed some self awareness about his shortcomings on that end of the court, acknowledging that defense is “not the strongest” part of his game. However, he added that he believes he does some things well defensively.

“I always try to do my best at that end,” the big man said. “It’s something I’ve very aware of. I know what my limitations are on the floor and I try to stick to my strengths.”

Here’s more on the Bulls, who lost additional ground in the play-in race on Friday when they fell at home to Kevin Durant and the Suns:

In a column for NBC Sports Chicago, Johnson makes the case for why the Bulls should sign Coby White to a new contract when he reaches restricted free agency this summer. White has shown growth this season as a defender and ball-handler, according to Johnson, who adds that the fourth-year guard has never questioned or complained about his inconsistent role. Johnson wonders if a three- or four-year deal in the range of $12-14MM per year would make sense for both sides.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said this week that he has been given no indication that Lonzo Ball‘s knee issues are career-threatening, but understands why that question has come up. “The point is well taken. It has been over a year, and he’s still not running,” Donovan said, per Cowley. “… I just feel really bad for him, and the problem is we’ve had a hard time getting it resolved. And there have been a lot of medical people involved. Doctors trying to figure out what is going on, what is causing the pain? Basically getting him to a place where he can run and do certain things athletically.”
Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic takes a closer look at the off-court development occurring this season for former lottery pick Patrick Williams, who is becoming more confident and “finding his voice” in the Bulls’ locker room. “I just think it comes with me growing as a person and as a player,” Williams said. “Being more comfortable in who I am and being more comfortable in what I can be, that’s a huge part of it. Just feeling like I know what I can be and realizing my potential.”
In case you missed it, the Bulls filled the open spot on their 15-man roster on Friday by promoting Carlik Jones from his two-way contract.

Haynes’ Latest: Suns, Rose, Curry, Lonzo, Kleber, More

February 24th, 2023 at 10:40pm CST by Rory Maher

Sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that the Knicks will not be picking up Derrick Rose‘s $15.6MM team option for 2023/24. While that news is hardly surprising considering the 34-year-old former MVP is out of New York’s rotation, Haynes has also heard that the Suns would be interested in Rose if he reaches a buyout agreement.

There have been mixed reports regarding Rose potentially going for a buyout with the Knicks. While it still seems “unlikely,” sources tell Haynes not to rule it out entirely.

Haynes’ report came before the Suns filled their last remaining standard roster spot with Ish Wainright, who was promoted from a two-way deal. It’s unclear who the team would consider waiving if Rose became available, as there aren’t any obvious candidates.

Here’s more from Haynes:

Warriors star Stephen Curry is set to be reevaluated on Wednesday in his recovery from a left knee injury. Curry was optimistic about the injury but said it was frustrating with so few games remaining and the team in a precarious position. “I can’t give a target date because this isn’t an injury I’ve dealt with before. So, I just have to be careful and patient,” Curry told Haynes. “It’s a frustrating process because unlike the other injuries I’ve been through, this is one where games are running out and we need to climb up the standings fast to make these playoffs. That’s the hard part, but I’m going to do what’s right and try to help my team make this push when I return.”
Injured Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is planning to receive a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection to help combat the left knee soreness he’s been dealing with following two knee surgeries last year, sources tell Haynes. Chicago recently ruled Ball out for the season; he last played in January 2022.
The Mavericks are optimistic about Maxi Kleber returning from his torn hamstring within the next five games, per Haynes, though Kleber already said he’d be out Sunday versus the Lakers. One of the team’s best defenders, the versatile Kleber last played on December 12, having missed the past 34 games with the injury.
Serge Ibaka and Will Barton, a couple of veteran free agents, are “waiting for the right opportunities to present themselves,” Haynes writes. Ibaka was released by Indiana after being traded by Milwaukee, while Barton reached a buyout agreement with Washington.

Bulls’ Lonzo Ball Ruled Out For Rest Of Season

February 21st, 2023 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

9:54am: The Bulls have made it official, announcing in a press release that Ball won’t return this season.

“Despite making significant increases in strength and function over the past several months, Bulls guard Lonzo Ball continues to experience performance limiting discomfort during participation in high level basketball-related activities,” head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said in a statement. “Considering the required time period to achieve the necessary level of fitness to return-to-play and the current stage of the NBA season, Ball will not return this season. The focus for Ball will continue to be on the resolution of his discomfort and a full return for the 2023/24 season.”

9:40am: The Bulls are expected to shut down point guard Lonzo Ball for the rest of the 2022/23 season, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago first reported that the Bulls were “widely expected” to announce sometime after the All-Star break that Ball would miss the remainder of the season.

Ball underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee last January, but complications related to that procedure prevented him from returning for the rest of the 2021/22 season. He underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure this past September in the hopes of cleaning up the lingering issues in the knee. However, according to Charania, the former No. 2 overall pick is still experiencing pain and discomfort.

It has been a brutal process for both Ball and the Bulls, who were playing terrific basketball before their starting point guard went down last season. At the time of Ball’s injury last January, Chicago had a 27-13 record; across parts of the two seasons since then, they’re just 45-56.

While Ball’s averages last season (13.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 5.1 APG) didn’t jump off the page, he was a strong contributor on defense and did a good job managing an offense that includes three talented scorers (Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic). He also helped spread the floor around those scorers by making 42.3% of his three-pointers.

The Bulls have rotated through multiple point guards this season, with Ayo Dosunmu and Alex Caruso both getting starts and Goran Dragic and Coby White also seeing some time at the position. Chicago just reached an agreement to sign another veteran point guard, Patrick Beverley, to help fill the void created by Ball’s absence.

Given how long Ball has been sidelined, at this point we’re just hoping to eventually see the talented 25-year-old back on the floor and looking like his old self. Ideally, that will happen next season, but we’ll have to wait for more details on his prognosis, including whether he’ll have to undergo any additional procedures.

Ball still has two years left on his contract with the Bulls beyond this season. He’s owed a guaranteed $20.5MM salary next season, with a $21.4MM player option for 2024/25.

Central Notes: Bickerstaff, LeVert, Bulls, Bucks

February 20th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers are exceeding expectations in their first season after the Donovan Mitchell trade, writes Kelsey Russo of The Athletic. Although many expected the deal to make Cleveland an instant contender in the East, that’s not how the organization views itself, Russo adds.

With Mitchell added to a young core consisting of Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, the Cavs believe they are in the early stages of what they will eventually become. That’s a point coach J.B. Bickerstaff made to his players after a lackluster 8-8 showing in January.

“We’ve been saying this all year, we’re not a finished product,” Bickerstaff said. “We’re not a group of guys that have been together like the Bucks or whoever, the Celtics, whoever it may be. Like they know each other in and out. We’re a group that’s still learning each other. We’re a group of individuals that are still trying to find their way in instances.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Caris LeVert was mentioned in numerous trade rumors as the Cavaliers tried to round out their starting lineup ahead of the deadline, but he tells Spencer Davies of Basketball News that he’s happy to still be in Cleveland. “It’s cool to, I guess, have a home for the rest of the season, not have to pack up and go somewhere else,” LeVert said. “I’ve done that the past two seasons. It’s very stressful to do that and hectic, so it’s cool to be with this group and finish the season out and see how far we can go.”
The Bulls must determine whether to pursue another free agent point guard after Russell Westbrook‘s decision to join the Clippers, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Westbrook reportedly talked to Chicago, Washington and Miami before opting to remain in L.A. The Bulls are expected to announce soon that Lonzo Ball will miss the rest of the season, according to Johnson, who adds that the team could have benefited from Westbrook’s familiarity in Oklahoma City with head coach Billy Donovan and assistants Maurice Cheeks and Josh Longstaff. Sources tell Johnson that Chicago has been in touch with John Wall and Patrick Beverley, although the interest in adding either player isn’t clear. If the Bulls sign another guard, Johnson believes it might mark the end of Goran Dragic‘s time in Chicago.
The Bucks plan to submit bids to host the All-Star Game in either 2025 or 2026, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Bulls Notes: Lonzo, Trade Deadline, Vucevic, Caruso

February 2nd, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

During a recent appearance on Bulls television commentator Stacey King’s podcast Gimme The Hot Sauce, Lonzo Ball‘s father LaVar shed some light on the Chicago point guard’s lingering knee injury, now in its 13th month after two surgeries, writes Ryan Taylor of NBC Sports Chicago.

“Lonzo is gonna be fine,” LaVar Ball said. “He’s only 25 years old. He’s gonna get his stuff together and (he’s) gonna be ready to play and do his thing again. He had some debris in the nerve; that’s why he couldn’t get nothing done. But, all that’s done now. So now it’s about getting your strength back and then getting your endurance.”

At 24-27 this season, Chicago could sure use Ball’s three-point shooting and perimeter defense sooner rather than later.

There’s more out of the Windy City:

Chicago needs to make some roster changes by the upcoming February 9 trade deadline, opines Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The Bulls seem to be struggling to communicate in a lot of late-game situations and are having trouble protecting the ball, Mayberry notes.
Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is doing his best to ignore the trade chatter surrounding him this season, writes Mark Potash of The Chicago Sun-Times. “I don’t pay attention to that,” Vucevic said. “I’ve been in the league for a long time now [13 seasons]. I’ve been involved in two trades. It’s part of it, obviously. It’s not easy when you get the call and are told you’re traded — everything changes for you. But there’s nothing you can do about it. If you think about it, you’re just going to make it harder on yourself.” The 32-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign a veteran extension with the Bulls before then.
Veteran Bulls reserve guard Alex Caruso weighed in on the trade rumors surrounding him in the days before the deadline, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I fully expect to be here,” Caruso said. “The coaches still seem to like me. The front office seems to like me. The players like me. As long as things are the way they are, obviously I want to win some basketball games. That’s what I came here to do, what I want to do and what makes me happiest in sports.”

Lonzo Ball Still “Nowhere Close” To Playing

January 28th, 2023 at 6:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls coach Billy Donovan offered a pessimistic update on Lonzo Ball in Saturday’s pregame meeting with reporters and speculated that a decision on the injured guard could be coming fairly soon, tweets Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune.

Ball hasn’t played since January of 2022 due to a torn meniscus and complications from two knee surgeries. The team hasn’t talked about a cut-off date to declare Ball out for the entire season, but Donovan said that topic will be addressed if he doesn’t show significant improvement in the next few weeks.

“Once you get out of the All-Star break, I think that, with the amount of time that’s left — you’re at the end of February, you basically have all of March and a couple of weeks, if not even two weeks in April,” Donovan said. “So if you start to get to that point, I think there will probably end up being some conversations: ‘OK, what if he’s still not close to playing? What’s the plan going forward?'”

Ball acknowledged recently that sitting out the rest of the season is a possibility. He has two years remaining on the four-year contract he inked in 2021 as part of a sign-and-trade with New Orleans and will make $20.5MM next season and $21.4MM in 2024/25.

He got off to a strong start in his first season with the Bulls, averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 35 games and helping the team contend for the best record in the East. Chicago collapsed without him, falling to the sixth seed and suffering a first-round playoff elimination, and is just 22-26 so far this season.

Ball created some excitement among Bulls fans earlier this month when he posted videos on Instagram that showed him dunking and running on a treadmill. Although that was encouraging, he still experiences pain in his knee and hasn’t received medical clearance for full-speed running or cutting.

“He’s made some progress, but I’d be the first one to tell you that he’s nowhere near playing. He’s just not,” Donovan added. “Because he’s not running on a consistent basis right now. So I think, when he can get to that place where he can do that consistently and be able to come back the next day and do it again, do it again and do it again, I think you’ll feel a little bit more optimistic.”

Bulls Notes: DeRozan, Vucevic, Ball, Karnisovas

January 16th, 2023 at 5:33pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Bulls All-Star forward DeMar DeRozan intends to return to action from a right quad strain on Thursday, reports K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

Chicago has gone 1-2 without the 6’6″ swingman, the team’s leading scorer and best player.

“You get a different perspective when you are sitting back and watching from afar,” DeRozan said of his absence. “We were just having too many lapses here and there, whether defensively or offensively, that put us in a hole and made it so tough for us to get back in a lot of games. And we’re still right there.”

If by “right there” he means barely in the play-in tournament bracket, then he’s right. At 20-24, the Bulls currently occupy the tenth seed in the East, though they are tied with the No. 11 Raptors.

There’s more out of the Windy City:

Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, a trade candidate given he’s on an expiring deal, tied his career high with 43 points in a 132-118 home win over the Warriors Sunday, writes Alex Shapiro of NBC Sports Chicago. Vucevic also contributed 13 points, four assists and four steals in a well-rounded effort. “He’s so dynamic because he can shoot the three, play the pocket, he can make the floater, the hook shot,” second-year guard Ayo Dosunmu raved. “He’s got all of that in his bag. He’s also unselfish, so sometimes he gets in the pick and roll, if he doesn’t have it he hits the weakside person.”
Starting Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball, who has missed just over a full calendar year following complications from two knee surgeries, conceded that he may not return to the floor for Chicago this season, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I mean, naturally, yeah, everything is on a time schedule,” Ball said when asked if missing the entire season is a possibility. “I would love to play. I would never count that out. It’s a long year, I feel like we’re hitting our stride right now. So hopefully I can keep getting better, the team will keep getting better and we can meet up.”
Chicago team president Arturas Karnisovas addressed fans during a recent appearance on NBC Sports Chicago’s Bulls Talk podcast. “I enjoy the fan base and how much they love the team and how involved they are,” Karnišovas said (h/t to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports for the transcription). “It’s not fun when we lose. I’m a very competitive person. That’s what you need to know. I don’t take losses lightly. I get emotional just like you. We’re trying to turn this around.”

Bulls Notes: Ball, Jones, Trade Assets, Donovan

January 14th, 2023 at 5:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lonzo Ball isn’t close to returning, but he offered some hope to Bulls fans Friday by posting Instagram videos of himself dunking and running on a treadmill, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the torn meniscus that ended last season for Ball while the Bulls were 21-14 and fighting for the best record in the East. He was originally projected to miss six-to-eight weeks, but complications prevented him from returning at all. Those continued into the offseason and required an arthroscopic debridement in September that Ball is still working his way back from.

Coach Billy Donovan said the Instagram workouts are a sign of progress, but he cautioned that Ball still has a long way to go. He still feels discomfort in the knee, even though it has lessened, and hasn’t been medically cleared for cutting or full-speed running on the court every day.

“There’s going to be a pretty significant ramp-up period for him before he gets back on the floor,” Donovan explained. “Once they say, ‘Hey, he’s free to cut and sprint and take on contact,’ that’s just the first step of however long it’s going to take that process to get to a place where the medical guys and he feels comfortable that he’s built up enough endurance, strength and stamina that he can withstand coming back the next day and doing it again and doing it again.”

There’s more on the Bulls:

Derrick Jones Jr. has seen his playing time decrease this season, but he figures to get more minutes while Javonte Green is sidelined following knee surgery, Johnson adds in a separate story. Jones welcomes the opportunity, but doesn’t like the circumstances that caused it. “I’m happy I’m in the rotation now. But I’m also sad that my guy is out. That’s my brother and I’ve always said from day one that I want to see him be great,” Jones said. “We have a great relationship. That’s my ‘dawg.’ I want him back now.”
In another piece, Johnson identifies DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine as Chicago’s most valuable trade assets ahead of the February 9 deadline. Alex Caruso, Nikola Vucevic and Coby White also make the list, along with a first-round pick from Portland that’s lottery-protected through 2028.
In the wake of Friday’s loss to Oklahoma City, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic laments the team’s lack of an identity and wonders whether Donovan has already accomplished as much as he can with the current roster.