WCJ out of surgery and starting rehab, Jabari wants 25 mins a game, Melo is a BULL! But what will become of him? Plus the Latest Trade Rumors surrounding the Bulls and a look ahead to upcoming games this week.
Welcome to the Chicago Bulls Podcast, coming to you from BullsPodcast.com. This is where we bring you the latest news, reviews, rants, rumors and opinions on the players, coaches and front office of the Chicago Bulls.
Come TANK with us! We’ll be right back after this quick time-out…
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Wendell Carter Jr is out of surgery and ready to rehab
Carter underwent the season-ending surgery on Monday. He’ll be in a cast for 10 days and begin rehab on the thumb while wearing a splint. Though Carter never explicitly stated his rookie season is over, the Bulls have 11 weeks remaining in the regular season and will be in no rush to bring back their 19-year-old foundation piece.
Carter’s rookie season was typical but one that featured more good than bad. It took him just a few days to supplant Robin Lopez as the team’s starting center, a position he didn’t relinquish despite being one of the league’s youngest players. He averaged 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 25.2 minutes.
He played multiple roles in his 44-game rookie season, acting as a third scorer and at times an initiator in the high post while Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn were sidelined early in the season. As the Bulls regained their health Carter was able to focus more defensively and work around the rim.
Jim Boylen applauded Carter’s maturity in his rookie season and how he was able to bounce back from bad quarters by not letting it affect the rest of his game. His hard-nosed defensive principles certainly played to what Boylen looks for in a foundation, and Boylen was pleased with how Carter improved his shooting and decision making in the pain.
“I think he had a great learning curve in those 44 games and he’ll keep learning as he’s watching, things will make more sense to him now while he’s watching. And it’s not ideal but it is what it is.”
Carter will soak in as much as he can the rest of the season while he rehabs the thumb, and it’s Boylen’s hope that he’ll travel with and be around the team during the final weeks of the season.
Jabari is ready for 25 minutes a game
After missing the Atlanta game with a right patellar tendon strain, Jabari Parker says he expects to be available against the Clippers. He wants to play “good minutes.” “I’m a 20-25 minute guy,” Parker said. “10 minutes isn’t for me.”
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Carmelo Anthony is Finally a Bull – 5 years too late
Rockets and Bulls have completed trade: Carmelo Anthony, draft rights to Jon Diebler and $1.56 million to Chicago for draft rights to Tadija Dragicevoc.
The Chicago Bulls officially announced the trade Tuesday, with Anthony, Jon Diebler’s draft rights and cash considerations going to the Houston Rockets for Tadija Dragicevic’s draft rights.
ESPN.com’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday that the Rockets would trade the 10-time All-Star to the Bulls. According to Wojnarowski, Houston waived James Nunnally to clear a roster spot for newly signed big man Kenneth Faried because the deal couldn’t be made official until Tuesday.
Releasing Anthony after the trade is the most sensible outcome from Chicago’s perspective. He has little value on a team with the fourth-worst record in the NBA (11-36).
Anthony, meanwhile, will be free to try to get his career back on track with a contending team. However, he might have limited options given how poorly he fared during his short time with the Rockets.
Marcus: It would be great to see Melo suit up at least once for the Bulls, though that probably won’t happen. I mean, long ago we actually had John Starks play as a Bull for one game that I happened to be at. He was booed every time he touched the ball, which wouldn’t happen to Melo. I think deep down we like him as a player and it would have been intriguing to get him in his prime back when we really wanted him.
Bulls Trade Rumors
New York Knicks trade Enes Kanter for Parker? Will this happen?
The New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls “have discussed scenarios” for a Jabari Parker trade, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Charania reported the Knicks want to offload Enes Kanter as part of the deal, but New York and Chicago have yet to find a third team to absorb Kanter’s expiring contract ($18.6 million).
Acquiring Parker doesn’t carry a ton of upside, but the Knicks can afford to take a flier on the 23-year-old forward.
New York has little to play for this season beyond lottery odds. According to Tankathon, the Knicks would have a 52.1 percent chance of landing a top-four pick and a 14.0 percent chance of getting the No. 1 overall selection.
Were Parker to struggle in the Big Apple, he’d help the Knicks’ tanking campaign. If Parker exceeds expectations, the team could exercise his $20 million option for 2019-20.
The former scenario would be more likely. Parker has fallen out of favor with the Bulls. The Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson reported in December the Bulls were looking to trade Parker, which came after the team removed him from its rotation.
Parker is averaging 14.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, but his .321 three-point percentage seriously limits what he can do on offense. He’s also turning the ball over 2.3 times per contest while dishing out 2.2 assists.
Upcoming Games and Predictions:
- Friday January 25th – Bulls vs LA Clippers
- Sunday January 27th – Bulls vs Cavs
- Tuesday January 29th – Bulls @ Brooklyn Nets
- Wednesday January 30th – Bulls @ Miami Heat
Predictions:
Marcus: We’ll lose 3 of those games, possibly winning again against the Cavs. Honestly, it’s better that we lose to the Cavs, as we need to make up tanking ground to assure that we’re in the bottom 4 of the NBA.
CLOSING:
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Remember Bulls Fans, our magic TANK NUMBER is down to just 34 more losses, and we’re just 147 days away (June 20, 2019) from the NBA Draft!
Until next time, Thank you for listening everyone, Go Bulls!