I think I’ll use this introduction to thank all of you for welcoming me into the Bleacher Nation family with open arms!
While the Bulls may be horrible, we will have plenty to discuss and joke about. Also, I feel like they can only go up from here, right? RIGHT?
Regardless, I’m excited to get to know all you Bleacher Nation fans and pump out that #content.
For anyone that watched the Chicago Bulls play this season (all seven of you), the issues at the point guard position shined bright. And now that the season has come to a close, Kris Dunn has been thrown into some rather serious shade. Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic wrote about the current status between Dunn and the Bulls, and you should definitely give it a read.
Mayberry offers the money-quote from Executive of Basketball Operations John Paxson that probably sums up this whole situation well: ‘”We feel that at the 2, 3, 4, 5 spots, we’re really solid,”‘ Paxson said minutes after the lottery heartbreak hit.” Wow, I don’t know about you, but if I’m the No. 1 on that team, I’m not feeling too good right about now. Isolating one position, let alone one player, feels a bit rough. Although, I’d argue it feels especially rough because it’s true.
Dunn did the opposite of taking that much-needed step forward this year. His injury troubles meant only 46 games on the court this season, even less than his 52 games last season. Not to mention, he dropped in nearly every statistical category, maxing out at an “okay” 11.3 ppg this season. When you watch Dunn, you can see he has the athleticism and the defensive chops to pave a path for himself in the NBA, but he now clearly fits a backup role right rather than (what the Bulls were obviously hoping for) a reliable starter. The rough start to his career really does stink because the guy was such a fun and electric player to watch at Providence over the years. At the end of the day, none of the Bulls rebuild struggles should be put on Dunn, but it may be in the four-year point guard’s best interest to be shipped out of town sooner than later. I’m a strong believer that a change of scenery can promote some serious growth (especially when your team is already vocal about looking to replace you). The only problem is that multiple executives told the Chicago Tribune that Dunn’s trade value remains “low to nonexistent.”
Anyway, you can watch Paxson talk about the point guard situation and Dunn below.
The Daily Herald shared some vintage photos from their archives the other day, and the second is a young Michael Jordan driving in on Larry Bird. Go take a look for yourself and relive the age of short-shorts and an actually relevant Bulls team.
Sometimes, you just find some hidden gems. Heavy.com and sports journalist Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson put an article out about how Jordan, specifically, avoided getting technical fouls. He talked to retired 30-year NBA referee Derrick Stafford and even former Pistons player John Salley. When considering today’s NBA, which is full of bickering and outlandish reactions to the simplest of foul calls, the article relates well to our current NBA. In the beginning, Salley even talks about “The Jordan Rule,” which was the Pistons Isiah Thomas’ on how the team should guard Jordan. I just can not stop thinking about what “The Harden Rule” or “The Giannis Rule” would be? Whatever, the piece is as timely as ever so give it a read.
DON’T YOU EVER FORGET!
And finally: Chicago respects Chicago. Former Loyola point guard Clayton Custer was at the Bulls pre-draft workouts yesterday. Custer was a huge part of that, still, awe-inspiring Final Four run for the Ramblers during the 2017-18 season. He just finished his redshirt senior season of collegiate basketball, and he is one heck of a shooter. During that Final Four season, he shot 52.8 percent from the field and 45.1 percent behind the arc. Custer took a bit of a step back this year in terms of his shooting percentage, which can be expected after a season like that, but still managed to prove he is a no-joke shooter and won the three-point challenge in Minneapolis during the Final Four. Custer also worked out for the Milwaukee Bucks on May 8.
NEWSLETTER
