Chicago Bulls Blog – Page 17 – NBA Blog

Thunder, Bulls trade Taj Gibson, Doug McDermott, Cameron Payne, Anthony Morrow, Joffrey Lauvergne

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has acquired guards Cameron Payne and Anthony Morrow (MORE-roe), and center/forward Joffrey Lauvergne (LA-vern) from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for forwards Taj Gibson, Doug McDermott and a 2018 second-round draft pick.

In his second year in the NBA, Payne (6-3, 185) is averaging 5.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 20 games played after missing 35 due to a right foot fracture and two to a D-League assignment with the Oklahoma City Blue. He has scored in double figures twice this season. In 77 career contests (one start), Payne holds averages of 5.1 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 13.2 minutes played. He has career shooting averages of .385 from the field, .319 from long range and .821 from the foul line.

In his ninth NBA season, Morrow (6-5, 210) has appeared in 40 games (seven starts) and is posting averages of 5.8 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 15.7 minutes per game. He is shooting .387 from the field, .294 from three and .885 from the line for the year. He has eight games with double-digit scoring, and a season high of 21 points vs. Detroit on Nov. 26. In 555 career contests (142 starts), Morrow is averaging 9.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 22.0 minutes. For his career, Morrow is shooting .447 overall, .417 from distance (5th among active players) and .878 from the stripe. In 2008-09, his three-point percentage of .467 ranked first in the league, and he has had five total seasons where his three-point percentage has ranked in the top 10.

In his third season in the NBA, Lauvergne (6-11, 220) is averaging 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists across 50 games this year while shooting .455 from the field, .346 from three and .638 from the charity stripe. He’s scored in double figures eight times with a season high of 17 points on Feb. 13 at Washington, which tied Russell Westbrook for the Thunder high in that game. In 133 career appearances (16 starts), Lauvergne is posting averages of 6.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists in 15.4 minutes played. He is shooting .480 from the field, .293 from distance and .755 from the line for his career. Lauvergne will be the fourth international player on the Bulls roster.

Gibson was selected by the Bulls with the 26th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. He is averaging 11.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.91 blocks in 27.3 minutes per game this season and is shooting .521 from the field, .167 from three and .714 from the line.

In 562 career contests (229 starts) with Chicago, Gibson held averages of 9.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.24 blocks and shot .495 from the field and .694 from the stripe. Gibson ranks in the top-10 of several Bulls franchise leader categories, including games played (10th), offensive rebounds (sixth), defensive rebounds (ninth) and blocks (fifth). Gibson also appeared in 56 playoff games (seven starts) for the Bulls and averaged 8.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.16 blocks while shooting .499 overall and .691 at the free-throw line.

In his third season, McDermott is averaging 10.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist and 24.5 minutes in 44 games. McDermott is shooting .445 from the field, .376 from long range and .881 at the line. For his career, McDermott is posting averages of 8.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists and 20.2 minutes across 161 games (eight starts). He is shooting .445 overall, .399 from three and .849 from the foul line. In three career playoff games for Chicago, McDermott averaged 1.7 points in 3.3 minutes of action.

Coming off bench, Rajon Rondo finally plays again for Bulls

Rajon Rondo has spent a number of recent Bulls games sitting and watching Bulls games. It’s good work if you can find it. He finally got minutes off the bench Tuesday night. But in general, here’s CSN Chicago reporting on the situation prior to tonight’s game:

If the Rajon Rondo benching was clear to some, it wasn’t to everybody even as Rondo prepares for a one-game exodus from the pine.

Namely Rondo himself, and one wonders where the saga is headed next as the Bulls near the midseason mark with no resolution to a situation involving their first free-agent signing.

“I don’t know,” said Rondo as the Bulls’ litany of absences have prompted them to turn back to his direction as they’ll play the Wizards Tuesday night at the Verizon Center.

“I know a little bit of what’s going on, but it’s out of my control really, as far as what they have going on. So I’m going to have to play better.”

Jimmy Butler scores 52 points against Hornets

The embodiment of the Eastern Conference was on full display at the United Center, as the Bulls and Charlotte Hornets are a little closer to finding out who they are but the difference between good and mediocre is slim.

So slim Dwyane Wade’s absence didn’t tilt the pendulum even more to the Hornets’ direction as they came in with confidence from a win last week, but the tables were turned in a big way.

An unexpected energy boost helped them early and their remaining star closed the night as Jimmy Butler pulled off yet another miracle at the United Center, scoring 27 of his season-high 52 points in the second half to help the Bulls to a 118-111 win over the Hornets Monday night.

Jumper after jumper, most in the face of defensive stopper Nic Batum, Butler did virtually everything in the fourth—and even reached the 50-point plateau for the second time in his career thanks to Hornets coach Steve Clifford picking up a technical late with Butler hitting the free throw.

— CSN Chicago

Quick Take: Butler shot 15-24 FG and 21-22 FT for 52 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, one block and three steals. In general, though, the Bulls are struggling these days. They’re 17-18, but the biggest issue right now is point guard Rajon Rondo, who had been a starter but lately spends entire games sitting on the bench. He played 11 minutes Friday, zero minutes Saturday and zero minutes last night. What will happen with him is unclear.

Bulls bench Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo stood for plenty of moments during the Bulls’ 116-96 beating at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks, the first full game of his benching after sitting the entire second half Friday night against the Pacers.

The Bulls guard stood at his locker moments later, candidly and honestly answering questions from the media about his future — one that seems to be in doubt some 30 games into his first season as a Bull.

“Absolutely,” said Rondo when asked if he accomplished enough in the NBA for the Bulls to accommodate him on a trade or some transaction to allow him to seek another team should the benching continue.

“Gar (Forman, Bulls GM) and I will have a talk. We’ll talk tonight and go from there. I don’t know if it’s right now, maybe the next 30, 18, 45 minutes. Tonight, before ’17 (the clock strikes midnight).”

By then, one wonders if the Bulls and Rondo will be working on a buyout to free him from the remainder of his contract — one that includes a $3 million buyout that has to be exercised before next July.

“No, I’m not surprised. Not surprised,” Rondo said. “It’s been a tough season. Certain buttons are being pushed and the Bulls are trying to figure things out.”\

— CSN Chicago

Quick Take: This is now a common theme with Rondo. If he can’t succeed alongside the likes of Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler, it’s hard to guess who he’d fit in with at this point.

Bulls waive RJ Hunter

The Chicago Bulls requested waivers on guard R.J. Hunter today.

During his time with the Bulls, Hunter (6-5, 185) appeared in three games and grabbed one rebound in nine total minutes. He signed with the Bulls on Oct. 27, 2016.

The Bulls roster now stands at 14.

Big Jimmy Butler game wasted in loss to Hawks

Here’s the Bulls.com blog with a look at Wednesday’s Bulls-Hawks game:

Welcoming back to your box of chocolates Chicago Bulls. That’s right, you just never know what you are going to get.

Sure, you’ll generally get good performances from Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade, Butler with 39 points Wednesday and Wade 25 in the Bulls 115-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

But a Bulls team that was leading the league in number of rebounds and rebounding margin was outrebounded 49-30, outscored 20-9 on second chance points. A Bulls team that was 25th in the league in steals plundered Atlanta for 15 steals, six by Butler and five by Wade. A Bulls team second poorest in the NBA in forcing turnovers harassed Atlanta into 24 turnovers for a whopping 38 points. But a Bulls team allowing opponents some of the best shooting games of the season also couldn’t stop the Hawks, Atlanta with an early 17-point lead, 50.6 percent overall shooting and pulling away down the stretch after the Bulls got within 103-101 with 4:55 remaining in the game.

Derrick Rose happy for Chicago Cubs World Series win

Derrick Rose isn’t a Bull anymore, but Chicago will always be a part of him. Here’s the Bulls.com blog reporting:

No, the parade Friday wasn’t for Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah returning to Chicago.

But as much as Rose and Noah hoped, wished and envisioned it would be them someday making Chicago feel proud, Rose, nevertheless, said he was thrilled for Chicago.

“Just coming back here, it felt good, to tell you the truth,” Rose told reporters after Knicks practice in the United Center. “Especially the Cubs winning. I felt the energy of the city. The city is on some type of high right now. It’s great for the city with everything that we’ve been going through, the killings, everything. We need some positive light shined here.”

Rose, the Englewood native and Simeon High School star, has been part of the Chicago fabric for almost 20 years, as a prep basketball phenomenon and then as the No. 1 draft pick of the Bulls and the NBA’s youngest ever Most Valuable Player. Though Rose did so unobtrusively, he was one of the more community oriented Chicago athletes. He often joined Father Michael Phleger in the youth social activism in the troubled South Side and made the largest ever charitable gift of a Chicago athlete, a $1 million donation to the non profit After School Matters for teenage out of school programs.

Bulls exercise contract options on Bobby Portis, Jerian Grant and Doug McDermott

The Chicago Bulls have exercised their fourth-year option on forward Doug McDermott, and the third-year options on guard Jerian Grant and forward Bobby Portis.

By exercising these options, they will be under contract with the Bulls for the 2017-18 season.

McDermott (6-8, 223) played in 81 games (four starts) in 2015-16 after appearing in only 36 games during his rookie season. He recorded 37 double-digit scoring games last season, including a career-high 30 points on Feb. 19, 2016, versus Toronto – after only posting four games with 10+ points in 2014-15. McDermott’s 3-point percentage of .425 in 2015-16 ranked fifth in the NBA. The Creighton product owns career averages of 7.5 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting .445 from the field, .410 from three and .828 from the free-throw line. McDermott was selected 11th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft and came to the Bulls in a draft-night deal with the Denver Nuggets on June 26, 2014.

Grant (6-4, 198) was selected 19th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, with the pick originally owned by the Washington Wizards and subsequently traded to New York via Atlanta. In his rookie year, Grant played in 76 games (six starts) and posted 5.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists (eighth among rookies) in 16.6 minutes per game. His .780 free-throw percentage ranked sixth among rookies. In his final year at Notre Dame in 2014-15, Grant earned NCAA First Team All-America honors from The Associated Press.

Portis (6-11, 250) appeared in 62 games (four starts) in 2015-16. In his rookie year, he became the first Bull to record 20 points and 10 rebounds in one of his first five career games since 1999. Portis also became the 25th player in Bulls history to log a double-digit scoring effort in their NBA debut (Nov. 3 at Charlotte), and his field goal percentage of .714 is the highest of any Bull in his first game. He owns careers averages of 7.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 17.8 minutes per game while shooting .427 from the field, .308 from behind the arc and .727 from the line. The Arkansas product was named SEC Player of the Year in his second and final season as a Razorback.

Bulls sign R.J. Hunter

The Chicago Bulls have signed guard R.J. Hunter.

Hunter (6-5, 185) was selected in the first round (28th overall) by the Boston Celtics in the 2015 NBA Draft. In his rookie season, the 23-year-old appeared in 36 games and averaged 2.7 ppg, 0.4 apg, 1.0 rpg and shot .302 from the field, .367 from downtown and .857 from the line.

During his tenure at Georgia State University, Hunter averaged 18.4 ppg, 2.4 apg, 4.8 rpg and shot .354 from the field, .423 from downtown and .853 from the free throw line. Hunter became the Panthers’ all-time leading scorer (1,819 points) in three seasons at Georgia State, and he was also named Sun Belt Player of the Year in both the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

His full name is Ronald Jordan Hunter.

Bulls waive Spencer Dinwiddie

The Chicago Bulls waived guard Spencer Dinwiddie today.

Dinwiddie (6-6, 200) appeared in five preseason games and averaged 6.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 14.9 minutes. He was originally acquired in a trade with the Detroit Pistons on June 17, 2016, was waived on July 7, and signed a contract with the Bulls on July 28.

Dinwiddie was also a member of the Bulls’ 2016 NBA Summer League squad, and he averaged 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 24.6 minutes through seven games during the team’s successful tournament run in Las Vegas.

Chicago’s roster now stands at 14,