This weekend, my friends and I are planning to do an end-of-summer bar crawl. An all-you-can-drink mimosa brunch is planned (I know, it’s always a dangerous way to start.), the rest of the day will be dictated by a lot of nothing. There is no clear goal other than having a good time, which is precisely why The Chicago Bulls are not invited!
Arturas Karnisovas and his teammates need to approach this season in exactly the opposite way that I will approach my weekend activities. In other words, don’t go with the flow or play by the seat of your pants. Set a goal for yourself going into this season, and that goal needs to be stated as clearly as possible at Media Day in a few weeks. Unfortunately, it’s not clear whether that will be the case or not. And Adam Amin practically said as much on a recent episode of Stacey King’s “Gimme the Hot Sauce” Podcast.
“We don’t really know what the goal is. If it was just guys in their first or second year with Josh Giddey as their point guard, you’d say they’re probably going to lose 50 games. They’re probably going to be in the running for a top-10 pick. Maybe they get lucky and the lottery goes their way…
But if that doesn’t necessarily translate into the clear goal for this particular season, then I’m curious what that’s going to look like. I think they might surprise some people if the goal is to win a lot of games, right?
Even Amin and King seem to agree that surprising people is a scary idea. Sure, maybe the Bulls could use Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic to get over 30 wins and more again this season, but what’s the point? Then again, the Bulls simply can’t go where the wind takes them because of the top-10 protection on their first-round pick. Trading a lottery pick to the San Antonio Spurs the summer after starting a youth movement would be a disaster.
To be clear, I don’t expect Karnisovas or Marc Eversley to publicly say they’re falling apart. But if the words “playoffs” or “play-in tournament” are uttered before October 23rd, this organization will only continue to be the laughing stock of the East. If they avoid using those words, it should indicate that the intention is to preserve the pick and focus on player development.
via Chicago Bulls YouTube (Full Access: Training Camp)
Also, yes, I acknowledge that at least one pick is headed to San Antonio eventually. If the Bulls do the right thing and keep it this year, the Spurs will get the organization’s first-round pick in 2026 with top-8 protection (that would also be deferred to 2027 before eventually turning into a second-round pick in 2028). But that’s okay. This 2025 draft is considered to have a pretty enticing lottery, which is obviously pointed out by Cooper Flagg. Considering where the Bulls’ roster is, this is a draft class they should be rushing to.
In her conversation with Adam Amin, Stacey King asked what might happen if Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic start to step up and play well in the new system. While I think full buy-in won’t be an issue, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about it as well. Given the Bulls’ lack of enthusiasm for rebuilding in the past, I’m certainly concerned that they’ll slip back into mediocrity at the first opportunity. However, if LaVine or Vucevic start to play well, the Bulls can’t look at that as a possible saving grace. They need to take advantage of it in the trade market and capitalize on the youth movement. It all comes down to setting a clear goal at the beginning of the season and sticking to it!
I’m going to miss seeing DeMar DeRozan cook…
ESPN has released its Latest WNBA Rookie Rankingsand I think Angel Reese will be pleased. The Chicago Sky forward currently sits ahead of superstar Caitlin Clark. Does that mean she’s destined to win the ROY award? No, but it shows just how impressive Reese’s first year as a pro has been. While she may not be a perfect player, there’s no denying that she’s immediately exceeded expectations.
Speaking of recruits, Kamilla Cardoso is starting to find her feet…
Kamilla Cardoso said she felt limited by the shoulder injury for three weeks after she was cleared to play.
It was her first serious injury, so she was afraid of getting hurt again.
In the 14 games he has played since feeling fit, Cardoso has averaged 8.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. pic.twitter.com/ecWDlY1up5— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) August 29, 2024
This looks like a sneaky signing for the defending champions, especially at this point in the offseason.
Free agent G Lonnie Walker IV has signed a one-year contract with the Boston Celtics, his agent George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group told ESPN. Walker IV averaged 9.7 points and shot 38 percent from three-point range in 58 games for Brooklyn last season. pic.twitter.com/uAvrtsIQkD— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 29, 2024
So who else is still looking for a new home? Spotrac’s Keith Smith ranked the top remaining free agents at each position. Honestly, there are a few really solid wingers left on the board.
Best NBA Free Agents Available:
PG Mr. Fultz D. Smith Jr. I. Thomas J. Freeman-Liberty J. Goodwin
SG L. Shamet E. Fournier J. Holiday T. Horton-Tucker W. Matthews
SF I. Okoro (R) D. McDermott C. Osman O. Brissett R. Bullock
PF J. Crowder Mr. Morris Sr. R. Covington D. Bertans… — Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) August 29, 2024
