Bambi Choy: Looking through the list of current available players, I would love to see DeRozan, LaVine, Vuc and Melo playing together. Many would say we already got enough scorers. Not enough for the playoffs! Look what happened vs. the Bucks last year. We need pure shooters and Melo can still offer that.
Sam: There’s been some reports he’ll look internationally like Dwight Howard, if not also the WWE. Though it’s probably time to get the clock started to the Hall of Fame. Yes, I agree the Bulls certainly need shooting, and if they did have Anthony it would be off the bench and not starting (or likely finishing) with the three main Bulls players, who are not the best defenders. Though at least with Anthony none would be considered the poorest. There’s the luxury tax issue, which the team has indicated it wouldn’t broach unless for a final piece, and Carmelo at this point is not that. If the Bulls were to add shooting, it should be someone younger and more athletic, to use an old expression. Carmelo had his chance. The Bulls were all in for him in 2014, and who knows with Rose returning at that time he could have made the difference. Instead, he went for the last dollar and the chance to effectively end Phil Jackson’s executive career before it barely began with his sudden realization that he’d joined a team ready to rebuild.
Anthony Reed: I normally don’t do trade rumors, but if you were ATL, would you try to move Trae Young to his hometown of OKC for Gilgeous-Alexander?
Sam: Now that is an intriguing one because of Young’s home town connection, high school and college in Oklahoma; Norman, even. An exciting player for a community that doesn’t have much to be excited about with that team. At least to distract the home fans while they finish whatever they are trying to do there. The contracts are similar, though Gilgeous-Alexander is really good. If perhaps not as exciting with the local attachment that Young has. It seems apparent that something is going on with Young in Atlanta with now him rumored to be having some issues with a second coach. Maybe that makes OKC wary. Maybe OKC liked SGA more. OKC figures to be right in the Wembanyana race in an apparent attempt to start five seven footers weighing under 200 pounds each. Perhaps an ancillary issue is the likely No. 2 pick, Henderson, who is a point guard. With his size Gilgeous-Alexander could play off the ball unlike the defensively challenged Young. OKC is tall, skinny and athletic and has tall and skinny Chet Holgrem for a rookie year next season. So they’ll be loaded with young talent, and Young is a heck of a passer. It’s something you’d think OKC would seriously consider. Still need to sell some tickets.
Alejandro Yegros: This team out West was the Bad Luck Bulls. Zach looks as good as he has in about a year... looks great... just in time for DeMar to look old for the first time. They never click together.
Sam: Well, they did for a quarter Wednesday. But there has been that dichotomy. I mentioned toward the end of the Western trip that as much as I rail against it, maybe DeRozan needs his playing time cut back some. He’s a true trooper in wanting to play all the time and never taking off. I’ve been disappointed more in Steph Curry. I know they’ve been in a lot of post season games, but when you are the man in the NBA you have an obligation to the league and the game. It’s something Michael Jordan always understood, and until starting to break down some LeBron. Curry should not be skipping so many games since he’s the premier attraction in the NBA. He’s one of the few players left you are paying to see. But back to the Bulls. DeMar and Zach did a nice tag team combination in the fourth quarter of the win over the Wizards, but it’s true we’d seen some decline from DeRozan. I noticed he was front rimming a lot of shots the first three quarters after the trip, which usually suggests tired legs. I know the Bulls are sort of at a crisis stage, but you also can’t wear him out. I guess the positive is we heard that so much last season about Tatum and Brown, a .500 team into January that went to the Finals as their guys performed the Vulcan mind meld with their games. Can Zach and DeMar?
Andrew Brown: I keep hearing of a possible DeRozen, Vooch for Westbrick and 2 firsts. Zach Lowe is one of those sources who generally has good intel. Man this makes me mad. Why all of a sudden do 2 all stars get you only 2 first rounders. Happy to trade elsewhere but man why does every team look to bail Lebron out? I can see Westbrick coming in and doing a Washington number on us with huge stat padding and getting us into the playoffs with the final position. Not where we want to be.
Sam: No, it’s not teams trying to help LeBron; it’s generally ESPN’s media. He’s their SportsCenter go to guy, and it’s a tough sell with the Lakers barely a playoff team. No, there’s nothing to that one. And if there were, he doesn’t like being called Westbrick. So cut it out! As I’ve and many others here in Chicago have said, we don’t believe Karnisovas wants to trade this season, and wants to wait out Lonzo. I’m not sure I would do that, but he doesn’t seem to have my number for consultation. It comes up because DeRozan has talked openly about his desire to play back home in LA and being surprised the Lakers didn’t sign him in 2021. His contract expires after next season, so the Bulls have to be thinking. But not about what the Lakers have, which are draft picks that are five and seven years away. I don’t think even Donovan’s contract is that long. Don’t worry at least about LA. LeBron’s on his own this time.
Jeffrey Pierce: What’s the story with Cam Reddish? He’s taller than 6’6” so we can use him. He seems talented. Can he save our season?
Sam: Not Reddish, but there are other possibilities. As for Reddish, he’s one of those seeming draft busts worth a look. Sometimes guys just can’t find a spot with the team they’re on, like Chauncey Billups becoming a near MVP after moving on from three teams after being the No. 3 overall pick. Reddish was the guy Atlanta picked after they got an extra pick from Dallas to move down in the draft so Dallas could take Doncic. Ooops. The Knicks gave up a first for him and now he’s not playing there. He was supposed to be this big time wing shooter but hasn’t shot well. But also never gets too many chances. Once he gets let go probably worth a look after the season. So for now? No, that Lakers thing is bogus, and now there's the Knicks supposedly sniffing around Zach LaVine. As if you’d want anyone on that roster.
But one that gets mentioned that seems to make some sense is with Phoenix. The Suns are coming off blowout losses to Dallas and Boston, and it’s very nervous there about their contending window closing as Chris Paul ages more quickly with more injuries. He’s back, but they need a big time scorer with Devin Booker despite what they did to the Bulls. I referred last week to a possibility mentioned of DeRozan and Vucevic for Deandre Ayton plus, and it makes some sense. Of course, Ayton with the right to veto any trade would have to approve. The speculation now in Phoenix is they’re waiting for the Nets to crater—or another Kyrie meltdown—for Kevin Durant to get on the market, and then unload the roster for him. Durant in his various unhappy times has mentioned Phoenix as a desired destination, though it seems questionable if what the Suns have makes much sense to the Nets. But I could see a Bulls/Suns equation. This is a star crossed Suns franchise that came into existence two years after the Bulls in 1968 and never has won a title. They lost the draft coin flip for Kareem, and then Milwaukee won a title, and the Suns had close calls in the Finals in 1976, 1993 and 2021. With Paul having maybe a year or two left, this is their last run. There’s an obvious disconnect with Ayton, whom they picked No. 1 overall and then made go out and get an offer sheet. So with short contacts DeRozan as a reliable scorer to support Booker and Vucevic and a true point guard in Paul could just give the Suns two more shots at it. It would be an immediate step back for the Bulls without DeRozan, but if the Bulls don’t believe they are a title contender this season, then why not get in position for next? It’s hardly the blow-it-up many hysterically advocate. And this isn’t, as I often note, the last NBA season ever. Next season you get a presumably healthy Ball to run with an under 30 veteran scorer in LaVine, Patrick Williams, Alex Caruso and Ayton. You’d recoup at least one first rounder from the Suns and then maybe flip Jae Crowder from the deal to match salaries for another pick or maybe resign defensive wing Crowder after this season. It’s a younger, more dynamic Bulls lineup. Ayton is not eligible to be dealt until January if he chooses, and in January he may decide Phoenix is a nice place to stay, so it’s all speculation and rumor. But with so many teams in contention this year and so many windows seeming about to shut, this could be a wide open winter trading season.
Randall Sanders: Bulls had a tough start to the season in terms of schedule and beat some pretty good teams. They have also lost to a couple of teams they should have beaten. Maybe with this stretch of games, the Bulls can get back to .500 and work from there.
Sam: That seems to be the plan for now. It’s really been a difficult team to figure with some of those wins and losses, but you see it all over the league. Parity to parody? It seems like it’s going to be a year for surprises, so maybe good for us the viewers.
Jake Henry: Is it fair to say AK messed up draft pick number one? Williams is really struggling and looks like a long term 8th or 9th man. Halliburton was there for the picking and every expert said we needed a point guard. He is going to be an all star this year
Sam: All’s fair in love and second guessing? Yes, Haliburton was the guy, but as I’ve noted the Bulls were committed to point guard in free agency (Lonzo Ball), needed a power forward, and it really was an awful draft. And the Kings did eventually trade him because they had a point guard in Fox. It’s always OK to second guess because that’s sports. Executives fall into great players and win awards. So when they miss they deserve the raspberry. They’re well compensated; they can take it. But if you really look back it was one of the poorest drafts ever. The No. 2 pick is back in the G-league, the No. 3 pick is hurt all the time. Williams is going back to the bench when Javonte Green returns, and pretty much the next seven picks are bench guys until Haliburton. So it was horrible scouting also as they all missed on Tyrese Maxey and Desmond Bane. Williams was a long term long shot given his age and inexperience, so the Bulls then privately talked about maturation in five years. No, they didn’t tell us. So maybe they get two more.
Ed Sikora: I realize it is still too early to judge Williams and whether picking him at #4 was best for the team. However, knowing what you know now, would he still be the Bulls #4 pick? Precious Achiuwa was still on the board that night! Obviously not worthy of the #4 pick but the name alone would've been great for use in the title of a few of your stories.
Sam: Who’s already been traded once and for now is hurt. But that’s also the point I’ve expressed. The draft is kind of a corrupt, insider process. Most GMs seem more concerned about being second guessed on the ESPN TV broadcast than by their community. So no one’s going for Achiuwa at No. 4 when everyone has him on their “boards” at 20. I always marvel at how people from so many different backgrounds can basically come to the identical consensus about so many different players. How can that be? It’s certainly precious.
Kevin Burns: Kudos on Bulls’ tight win over the Wizards with the big three displaying some balanced scoring. But, it was a lot of same old same old on O, iso ball with poor movement and passing. It worked! But, I don’t think it’s winning basketball and certainly, not entertaining basketball. Particularly, looking at DeRozan who dominates the ball way too much and I think then in response, Zach feels he has to make a play just to keep up with it. It tends to take the air out of the room for the other three, particularly in crunch time. It’s good to see Zach hitting his stride lately, and Vuc is reliable as Lou Gehrig. But as much as I appreciate all what DeMar has to offer – his craftiness, his professionalism and character, it wouldn’t break my heart to see the Bulls move him for a younger and more understated player who may be a better playmaker and defender, if not scorer, along with some draft capital. He caught magic in a bottle during last year’s run, but now he may be pressing to replicate that.
Sam: DeRozan never would say so, but at 35 when his Bulls contract expires after next season, you wonder what he’s thinking. He’s such a good team guy he’d be the last to pull off a Durant or Anthony Davis. But the fit with LaVine just isn’t that great without a point guard like Ball who can dictate offense. Maybe if Ball can return and all that. But your point is valid because if the Bulls want to get in position for next season and we hope a healthy Ball again, DeRozan is by far the most valuable “asset” on the team because of a short contract and large production, the kind of player who could be that final piece for a lot of teams. And no, not the Lakers.
Parker Lerdal: Does Joe Mazzulla deserve Coach of the Year for this season for best record of the Celtics while Ime Udoka was suspended?
Sam: Hey, I may have gotten that one right even if I didn’t know who he was. In my usually erratic preseason predictions I had Mazzulla as coach of the year; though just sort of as a joke I didn’t use his name and said the Boston coach because I didn’t know who he was. Talk about funny! It’s been a remarkably seamless transition from a coach everyone was celebrating last season, which suggests they have some good players. But some coaches can make things worse, and he hasn’t. I didn’t know much about him. I’ve seen him now a few times and he’s curiously taciturn. He offers brief answers with a stare that seems like it’s going through you, though not with hostility. But I love the guy because he had the best line of the season when some English prince and princess was at a Celtics game and media was agog and had to gush about how he felt about being in the presence of royals. It only would have been better if he asked about George Brett. ”I'm only familiar with one royal family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph? I don't know too much about that [British] one, thank you,” he said. Great stuff. Obviously, he’s a religious guy, so that might not have been my answer. Mine might have been something to do with, “Are you nuts? This country’s entire history is based on hatred and enmity toward the English king and queen; so much of our constitution is based on principles to act contrary to the so called royals. How can these people be celebrities in our country? Though I do have great affection for Donald Royal and Royal Ivey.”
Tom Golden: Billy doesn't like using two bigs - why? He hasn’t even tried it. No point in saving them.
Sam: There was foul trouble for Drummond against Washington, and I assume it was matchups to close the trip with Golden State and Sacramento small. I’m not a huge fan of playing Vucevic and Drummond together, but I think it’s worth a look. Yes, Donovan seems more comfortable with matching down and matching to the opposition, but I like for a change the Don Nelson approach of doing something unconventional and seeing if they can match that, or at least catch them off guard and steal a few minutes and points during the game. Vucevic has shown he can make threes from that short corner, so I agree why not throw some giant lineups out there and see how teams respond. Remember also that they’ve scouted you for what you’ve done before, so try something different. Especially now that your power forward position seems to be in flux.
Mark Schweihs: Bulls management wanted to change to a winning culture by escaping lottery land. The previous management wanted to escape the mediocre landscape. Acquiring Vooch, DeRozan, Ball and Caruso have helped make Chicago a "destination" franchise in pretty short order. But point guard is an essential position in the NBA and Bulls are relying on Dragic. I like Lonzo Ball but he is not contributing. Bulls trade Lonzo Ball to the Jazz for Mike Conley. Conley is signed for next season and he will return shortly from injury. He would contribute immediately to a winning culture. Ball would be perfect for Utah who are angling for a tanking season.
Sam: I've always been a Conley fan, and he plays more than Lonzo, but not that much. I actually made several pitches in my little space here for Conley when the Bulls signed Satoransky and Thad Young. I believed they needed a point guard more, but it probably wouldn’t have mattered then even if he was the right guy. But now he’s had way too many injuries, I don’t believe he’s good enough to be that guy to change the culture, as it were, Dragic does a lot of what he does and from the same side, and I want to see the Full Lonzo next season given his age and two more years on his deal.
Devon Dreger: I'm not sure if this has been talked about already, but Dalen really hasn't gotten much playing time. We have seen him do very well on both the defensive and offensive side, and at times we almost won games because of him being out there for the last minutes. This has been something I've been wondering about for a while, and it's been confusing me for the last couple of months.
Sam: I’m not quite sure what games you are referring to. It seems clear to me he’s not ready to play in the NBA, but the mind that matters is Billy Donovan’s, and he’s made that point much stronger than I have by even in the most concerning times basically never playing Terry. I don’t see Terry getting any significant playing time this season, which is OK, really. He needs to develop a shot, which is the greatest Bulls need these days, and a better handle with the ball. I’ve hoped he’ll play more in the G-league against more serious competition since the veterans rarely, if ever, practice anymore once it gets deep into the season. The Bulls have been playing him more with Windy City, which is good. I’m looking forward to the player he is…next season. Though he sure is enthusiastic on the bench. Does seem like a happy kid and grateful to be in the NBA, so you hope he does succeed.
Terry Michael: What do you make of the new trophy for best regular season record?
Sam: Could this be what Kawhi’s been waiting for?
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