Category: Chicago Bulls Blog

The Chicago Bulls announced today the signing of free agents Jarell Eddie and Jaylen Johnson to round out their 2017-18 training camp roster.

Eddie (6-7, 218) saw action in five games for the Phoenix Suns last season, along with 45 appearances in the NBA G League for the Austin Spurs and Windy City Bulls. Eddie totaled 4.8 ppg and 1.4 rpg in 12.4 mpg for the Suns during a 10-day contract. In his G League action, he averaged 14.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg and 1.5 apg in 28.3 mpg total, including 17.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 2.0 apg in 20 games for the Windy City Bulls. The Tampa, Florida, native played in 26 games for the Washington Wizards in 2015-16, scoring 2.4 ppg in 5.7 mpg.

Johnson (6-9, 230) played three seasons at Louisville (2014-17). He saw action in 88 games (48 starts) in his three-year tenure with the Cardinals, improving his averages in every statistical category after each season. In his final season in 2016-17, Johnson started 26 games and played 20.5 mpg, posting 8.0 ppg and 5.8 rpg while shooting .589 from the floor.

The Bulls aren’t what they were. Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo are gone. The team won’t be a contender in 2017-18. So why would Dwyane Wade, as his NBA career winds down, want to stick around? And why would the Bulls, clearly now in a rebuilding period, still need him? As has been expected, the two sides will part ways. Here’s the Chicago Tribune reporting:

Three months after trading Jimmy Butler and waiving Rajon Rondo, the Bulls reached agreement on a buyout with Dwyane Wade on Sunday night, the eve of training camp. A source said Wade gave up roughly $8 million to $9 million of the $23.8 million he stood to make after picking up his player option on June 20, two days before the Butler deal.

The move clears the way for Wade to sign with a contender like the Cavaliers, Thunder or Spurs or possibly return to his beloved Heat. More importantly, it allows the Bulls to start fresh with their full rebuild and eliminate a potential distraction since Wade preferred to play for his fourth championship at this stage of his career.

“I just felt it was time for me, turning 36, that I want to be competing for a championship,” Wade told the Tribune in a phone interview. “I said when I got here, it was always a dream for me to play here. And getting that opportunity was special. And I can’t even say it wasn’t what everyone expected because we went to the playoffs. And trying to restore this franchise to respectability was our goal. The organization decided to go in a different direction, which I respect.”

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The Chicago Bulls signed center Diamond Stone today.

Stone (6-11, 255) was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the 40th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and landed with the L.A. Clippers after a draft-night trade. In 2016-17, Stone averaged 1.4 points in 3.4 minutes through seven games for the Clippers. Through 13 games in the NBA G League with both the Santa Cruz Warriors (four games) and Salt Lake City Stars (nine games), Stone posted 16.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game. He also shot .491 from the field and .826 from the free throw line.

The 2015 McDonalds All-American played one season collegiately at Maryland in 2015-16, where he averaged 12.5 points and 5.4 rebounds in 23.1 minutes per game while shooting .568 from the field. Stone was named AP Big Ten Newcomer of the Year and earned All-Big Ten Third Team honors. During his high school career, Stone won a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship and led his high school team, Dominican (Milwaukee, Wis.), to four straight state championships.

According to CSN Chicago, “Stone’s deal is partially guaranteed, meaning the Bulls could send him to the Windy City Bulls for more seasoning in the G League. Stone is 20 years old.”

Bulls guard Cameron Payne underwent surgery on his right foot (5th metatarsal) on Wednesday, September 6. Dr. Johnny Lin of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush performed the surgery.

Payne will remain in a splint for the next 7-10 days followed by a boot for 6-8 weeks.

He is expected to make a full return in 3-4 months.

The Chicago Bulls announced today that Shawn Respert has been named the team’s Director of Player Development and Arnold Lee has been promoted to the team as Assistant Athletic Trainer. On the coaching side, Windy City Bulls Head Coach Nate Loenser has returned to the Bulls to join Head Coach Fred Hoiberg’s coaching staff, while Assistant Coach Charlie Henry heads to Hoffman Estates as the Head Coach of Chicago’s G League affiliate.

Respert, an NBA veteran of four seasons, comes to the Bulls having served in multiple developmental roles as an assistant coach in the NBA. Most recently, he was a regional scout and assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies. While with the Grizzlies, he was a member of David Joerger’s staff for three seasons (2013-16). Prior to that, Respert spent three seasons in Minnesota as an assistant coach with an emphasis on player development. He also spent four seasons with the Houston Rockets as an assistant coach (2008-11). Before entering the coaching ranks, he spent two seasons as director of basketball operations for the NBA D-League (2006-08). The Detroit native worked in a similar capacity at Rice University where he was the Owls’ director of basketball operations for two seasons (2004-06). A former college Player of the Year at Michigan State (1990-95), the Portland Trail Blazers selected him with the eighth pick in the 1995 NBA Draft. Following a draft-night trade to the Milwaukee Bucks, he played for the Bucks (1995-97), the Toronto Raptors (1997-98), Dallas Mavericks (1998) and Phoenix Suns (1999). After his career in the NBA, he went on to play four more seasons in the European Basketball League.

“Shawn is a great addition to our staff. His knowledge of the game and track record in player development are a great fit for our team,” said Chicago Bulls Head Coach Fred Hoiberg. “He is respected in the NBA, and I know he is excited to begin working with our players.”

“I am excited to join an organization that has such a storied tradition like the Bulls. I am also thankful to have the chance to work with Fred Hoiberg and the rest of his staff,” said Respert. “Knowing the organization’s commitment to player development, I am here to support the players and coaches, as well as management, in our pursuit of developing and improving our team.”

Loenser reunites with the Bulls after serving as the head coach of Chicago’s G League affiliate in its inaugural season last year. While with the Windy City Bulls, he guided the team to a record of 23-27 (.460), while playing a role in helping to develop Chicago’s young players such as Denzel Valentine, Bobby Portis, Cristiano Felίcio, Jerian Grant and Paul Zipser. In 2015-16, Loenser served as Chicago’s video coordinator. During that time, he developed Bulls players and worked with Hoiberg and his staff to organize and present all scouting breakdowns for opponents, and edits of practice and game video. He also updated and maintained the Bulls’ offensive and defensive playbooks.

Lee has been promoted to the Bulls after spending last season as the head athletic trainer for the Windy City Bulls. In 2016, he served as a preseason intern with the Chicago Bears. Prior to that, he worked three years as the head athletic trainer at Kennedy King College in Chicago (2013-16). Lee graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a B.S. in Kinesiology, and he holds a Masters in Athletic Training from California Baptist University.

The Chicago Bulls have signed guard Ryan Arcidiacono (pronounced “ar-chee-dee-ACK-uh-no”) to a two-way contract.

Arcidiacono (6-3, 195) appeared in five games for the Bulls’ Summer League squad this year and averaged 5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.80 steals and 24.0 minutes per contest.

Arcidiacono played four seasons at Villanova and was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in the Wildcats’ championship run in 2016. He was named First-Team All-Big East and Big East Co-Player of the Year in 2015. He averaged 11.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.7 apg and 1.17 spg for his college career and shot .397 from the field, .358 from long range and .800 from the foul line. Arcidiacono went undrafted in 2016 and appeared in three preseason games for the San Antonio Spurs and eight games for the Austin Spurs of the NBA Development League.

Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to have two Two-Way players on their roster at any given time, in addition to their 15-man regular season roster. A Two-Way player for the Bulls will provide services to the team’s G League affiliate – the Windy City Bulls – but can spend up to 45 days with Chicago, not including any time prior to the start of Windy City’s training camp and at the conclusion of their season.

The Chicago Bulls announced Friday that the team has claimed guard David Nwaba (NWAH-buh) off waivers.

Nwaba (6-4, 209) was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers on July 12. He appeared in 20 games (two starts) for the Lakers last season and averaged 6.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 19.9 minutes. Nwaba signed a 10-day contract with the Lakers on Feb. 28 after averaging 14.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks in 39 games with the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League. Nwaba signed a second 10-day contract on March 11 and signed with the Lakers for the remainder of the season on March 21. He was named to the D-League All-Defensive Team and the D-League All-Rookie Team.

The Los Angeles native played three seasons at Cal Poly, where he posted career averages of 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 26.0 minutes.