Bulls remain committed to winning as injuries slow roster evaluation
bulls-committed-to-winning-despite-injuries
Despite sitting near the bottom of the standings, the Chicago Bulls have no plans to shut down veterans or deliberately chase lottery odds, head coach Billy Donovan said after Thursday’s 141-126 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The defeat dropped Chicago to 27-39, the NBA’s ninth-worst mark and just a half-game behind Milwaukee in the race for lottery positioning.
Front office gives no tanking directive
Donovan told reporters he has received “nothing” from executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas that would suggest the club should prioritize draft positioning over victories. “Everything I’ve gotten from them up to this point is to continue to put our best foot forward,” Donovan said. He added that a shift could come only if Chicago is mathematically eliminated from postseason contention and key players are managing health issues.
Injuries complicate evaluations
The Bulls hoped to use the season’s final stretch to assess recently acquired guards Anfernee Simons and Jaden Ivey before both enter free agency this summer. Simons, however, is sidelined by a fractured wrist, while Ivey has missed time with lingering soreness in his left knee. The team announced Thursday that Ivey will practice with Windy City, its G League affiliate, indicating a return could be near.
“The Anfernee thing has made it tough to evaluate him, but he does have a large body of work, and so does Collin (Sexton),” Donovan said. “The Jaden situation has been unfortunate because he played four games and now he’s out.”
Okoro, Miller making headlines
Forward Isaac Okoro missed Thursday’s contest after being a late scratch Tuesday in Golden State with right-knee inflammation. Donovan described the issue as recurrent and not expected to be long-term, saying the swelling “just needs to calm down.”
Rookie forward Leonard Miller, acquired from Minnesota at the trade deadline, made his third start Thursday and delivered 15 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes. On Tuesday he posted 17 points and 11 boards in 38 minutes. Chicago holds a $2.4 million team option on the 20-year-old for next season. “I’m always ready to compete at a high level,” Miller said. “I’m confident, and I feel like the sky is the limit with me.”
Essengue targets Summer League
Center Noa Essengue, the 12th pick in last year’s draft, has been cleared for non-contact work after season-ending shoulder surgery and is considering playing in July’s Summer League, according to the team. Essengue appeared in only two games as a rookie. “It’s been a tough year,” he said. “But you stay positive and keep working.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
