It's a rainy day in Chicago, but the mail never stops. Thanks for all your questions.
Please discuss the idiocy and inadvisability of supposed mature veteran Patrick Beverly trolling LeBron James to his face, on his home court, in his home stadium, and the predictable revenge-thrashing the Bulls took on their home court a few days later. --- David L.
Which could’ve happened anyway? The Lakers weren’t whole on Sunday. James came off the bench. D’Angelo Russell didn’t play. The Bulls played very well on Sunday and not as well at home.
As for Beverley, this is who he is. It’s not like he’s going to change in his 11th year in the league. He’s an emotional player who thrives on agitation. James doesn’t need a so-called revenge situation to play at an elite level. He’s been playing at that level for 20 years.
I know it’s too early since Bulls are in the play-in, but please tell me you have heard rumblings that DeMar DeRozan will be seriously looked at as a trade option in the offseason. He’s had great games, don’t get me wrong, but you are not winning in this league when your 1A is a midrange shooter in a 3-point shooting league. This can also open up more opportunities for Pat Williams next year. What are you hearing from management and their thought process on guys like DeRozan? --- Emir M
First of all, management is extremely tight-lipped regarding plans. But reading the tea leaves is why I wrote this on the night of the Feb. 9 trade deadline following Artūras Karnišovas’ news conference.
From that piece linked above, here’s what Karnišovas said when asked how he’s confident he can improve the team without potentially much cap space or a first-round pick.
NBA
“We’ve done deals that in the summertime that a lot of people said we couldn’t do. I think there are ways to improve it. It’s just the timing is going to depend on when you make those moves,” Karnišovas said. “This is just a collection of information, these next 28 games, of where we are.”
Even with the possibility the Bulls now will have a first-round pick because of Portland acquiring a lottery-protected pick from the Knicks and possibly negotiating their protections on the pick they owe the Bulls, I read Karnišovas’ comments as change potentially coming. And this was before the news developed that Lonzo Ball also could miss most, if not all, of next season.
If Karnišovas truly was using these final games following the trade deadline to evaluate his team, it’s logical to think he sees at least a ceiling on this Big Three. DeRozan would’ve had more value at the February trade deadline, but I never heard any traction on even potential deals so it’s hard to know what his return market might’ve been. Stay tuned.
What will the front office do if the Bulls don’t make the playoffs this year? --- Mike T.
Whether they make them or not, the roster will look different next season. Nobody is getting fired, if that’s what you’re asking.
With your recent article about the Bulls potentially receiving a late first-round pick in this year’s draft, are there any players that you’d see the fit well with the Bulls? --- Alejandro D.
Yeah, Victor Wembanyama. Everybody’s got jokes . . .
I don’t watch much college basketball and don’t start researching college players until closer to the draft. But anybody who follows the Bulls knows they need a legitimate starting point guard unless the Bulls now see Coby White as that fit, shooting and rim protection. So those are the need categories the Bulls should be targeting if they do end up having a pick.
Do you get the sense that Bulls management will prioritize the team’s weaknesses in the offseason (3-point shooting and rebounding)? Last year we saw that we needed 3-point shooting and rebounding, but they didn’t do much to fill that void. AK acted as if he wasn’t too concerned about it in the press conference at the trade deadline. And in the postgame after the Clippers loss, Billy Donovan basically avoided the question on if he wants them to shoot more 3-pointers by talking about how to defend the other team’s shooting. --- Winter W.
You noticed that too, huh? Donovan is a master at giving a solid answer in a way that doesn’t rock the boat---and I say that with true admiration, not sarcasm. We know he knows they don’t have enough 3-point shooting. He has said it in other ways at other times, lines like, “We’re a team that doesn’t take a lot of 3-pointers . . .”
I think rim protection is a higher priority than rebounding. The Bulls actually have been a solid rebounding team for most of this season, mostly because their guards rebound well, although there has been slippage of late.
Either way, yes, the Bulls need to address these areas more aggressively. While Goran Dragic and Andre Drummond started the season in strong fashion and Drummond continues to have moments, the main additions from last offseason didn’t solve the issues.
Withallo here from Brazil. Do you believe that Chicago can win the two games needed to reach the playoffs? If that happens, I have more confidence in this team in a series of seven games than last season. I love Zach LaVine, my favorite player. I hope he fulfills his contract with us. --- Withallo M.
I do not see the Bulls exiting the play-in picture to make the actual playoffs. But two weeks ago, I didn’t see the Bulls as a play-in team. This team is difficult to predict because they’ve had moments of such excellence followed by head-scratching losses. I just have witnessed too many of the latter to have full confidence they can win two do-or-die games---assuming they finish ninth or 10th.
That said, I understand where you’re coming from about this season’s team possibly entering the playoffs versus last season’s team. Last season’s team faded so badly down the stretch that most of the losses entering the playoffs were non-competitive. So was the five-game series against the Bucks. Those two home losses? Wow.
Now, the playoffs are all about matchups. The Bulls matchup best against the Celtics. I don’t see them winning that series should they earn it, but I do see it as competitive.
As for LaVine, that’s a two-way street. The organization has to remain committed to him, and LaVine has to remain committed to the organization. His agency has no problem putting pressure on an organization if it wants to. That said, there’s no public signs of a divorce just yet.
If the Bulls make the playoffs, I think the best matchup option that could still happen is the Celtics. The most logical path of getting there would be to get the eighth seed and then hope the Nets slide to seventh, as I think they have a better shot of beating them on the road than Miami. How realistic do you think it is for the Bulls to grab the eighth seed? --- Cory B.
While I agree with your Celtics observation, I think getting to eight will be difficult. They can maybe pass the Hawks. But they're essentially three down to the Raptors with six to play as of this typing since the Raptors own the tiebreaker. The Raptors do have a tough schedule. So this is why they play the games. We shall see.
And to be clear, I don't think the Bulls would beat the Celtics in a series. I just think they can make it competitive.
It feels like Ayo Dosunmu has been underperforming for the amount of time he usually plays. It feels like he's been playing not that well compared to last year, almost as if he downgraded in skill. Do you think the Bulls should do something? --- Weston M.
What’s weird is that his statistics are almost identical to last season’s, when most viewed him as one of the steals of the draft. But I’ve said on our Bulls Talk Podcast the same sentiment---that his season doesn’t feel like it has the same impact. The eye test says that as well. It’s not like he’s having a poor season. He’s a rotational player, for sure.
As for whether the Bulls should do something, they face decisions on three guards in free agency---Dosunmu, White and Beverley. Two are restricted. I’d be surprised if all three are back.
Big off-season for the Bulls this year. It has long been speculated that the front office will have to choose between Coby and Ayo. Ayo certainly had the better 2021-22 season, but Coby’s improvement has made him more integral this year. Is it possible they keep both? And if so, does AK part ways with Vooch or DeMar‘s contract to clear space? --- Ryan M.
It’s absolutely possible they keep both, but the Bulls also historically have tried to avoid the luxury tax. That’s projected to be $162 million. You have $111.5 million committed to LaVine, DeRozan, Ball, Caruso, Williams and Terry. Andre Drummond and Derrick Jones Jr. have player options that could take that total $118 million and eight roster spots. So you can see where it will get tight, especially if the Bulls want to re-sign Vucevic and White. Remember: Vucevic’s future isn’t solely up to the Bulls. He can be an unrestricted free agent should he choose. It’s a front office job to have a handle on various scenarios, so I’m sure their future cap and tax projections include numbers they’re willing to re-sign Vucevic, White and Dosunmu at and contingency plans for all if they’re elsewhere.
Who do you think are the top-three players the Bulls should keep for next season? Who do you think are the top-three most expendable on the team? P.S. My initials are KC so you should probably pick mine --- Keegan C.
Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Coby White are my top-three players to keep, with an honorable mention to Patrick Williams. And that’s not to say they’re the three-best players or even the three-most important. It’s to say the latter two are free agents, and I think they’re worth keeping. In Vucevic’s case, not only is he having a very solid season, but, in my opinion, you can’t give up what you gave for him and let him walk for nothing. As for LaVine and Williams, both of whom are under contract, you need to start envisioning the next iteration of this team since this one appears to have a ceiling, particularly with the crucial piece of Lonzo Ball missing. I’d rather build around LaVine than DeRozan moving forward. This is less a knock on DeRozan, who is likely a Hall of Fame player, and more a nod to LaVine fitting the modern NBA better with his athleticism and 3-point shooting ability. I don’t think Williams has hit anywhere near his ceiling.
Not counting two-way players, Marko Simonovic, Javonte Green and Carlik Jones are the most expendable. Green is a solid rotational player and I respect his game. But he’s a free agent, and Derrick Jones Jr., who can fill a similar role, has a player option.
What’s Donovan’s issue with not playing Marko? We can’t use a 7-foot player that can possibly stretch the floor? Is he that bad? --- Tarun R.
You say bad. I say not NBA-ready.