Noah’s Story, Smiles on the Court, a Productive Porter? Top-100 Players, and Other Bulls Bullets

Today is the day. After months of frustration, I’ve finally worked up the courage … I’m getting a haircut.

•   The only way you could not love Joakim Noah is if you’re a cyborg programmed to not love Joakim Noah.

•   In the interview above, we learn a little more about what exactly happened to Noah prior to the 2019-20 season. The veteran big man had plans to workout with the Clippers back in September, but he then suffered a freak accident and cut his Achilles. Refusing to allow his career to end on those terms, he got in the gym the day after his surgery to work on a comeback. The Clippers hung by his side through it all and gave him the opportunity he wanted once he felt 100 percent. Smart move. We all know Noah’s DPOY days are behind him, but with his boatload of playoff experience and basketball IQ, he certainly feels like the perfect addition to any team with championship-potential. I can’t imagine he clocks too much time on the court in Orlando (especially in the first couple of games), but I’m sure he’ll make his presence felt in one way or another. With the Bulls out of the picture, this will at least give us Chicagoans something to cheer for throughout the restart.

•   Anyway, all these social media videos shared by teams and players have got my spirits high. I know a lot can go wrong over the next several weeks/months, but it’s refreshing to see guys smiling on the court once again. Too bad all those smiles will be crushed next season by Hulk Coby, though.

•   What does Otto Porter need to do during the 2020-21 season for us to consider it a success? I know playing more than 15 games would already be a nice step in the right direction, but I’m curious to know how much a healthy Porter improves this team. The best season of his career came in 2017-18 when he averaged 14.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He also shot 50.3 from the field and 44.1 percent from downtown over his 77 games played. For the bulk of that season, he was 3rd in command behind John Wall and Bradley Beal as the team won 43 games and finished 8th in the Eastern Conference. Oddly enough, it feels like that’s exactly the type of situation and role we should want him to be in with the Bulls this season. Porter should be a consistent presence who puts up anywhere between 13-15 points per game, but he should be focused more on helping the team make winning plays – whether that be with an aggressive defensive stop or a big-time rebound. Porter should be a stabilizing presence who can help reel this young roster back in when things get out of hand. Sam Smith wrote more about Porter’s potential and his 14 games played this season, so check it out.

•   I’d also 100 percent consider next season a success if Porter is good enough and healthy enough to draw serious trade interest from contenders around the trade deadline. Moving him for some additional assets on a contract year would be the best-case-scenario.

•   Bleacher Report listed the Top-100 players from this season and Zach LaVine checked in at No. 44. He was the only Bulls player to make the cut and found himself sandwiched between D’Angelo Russell (No. 45) and Gordon Heyward (No. 43). Thoughts?

•   Sure, a case could made for why the Bulls should trade LaVine, but you will not hear me make that case. Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley need to see if they can be the folks to finally channel LaVine’s skills toward winning basketball. For the time being, I think his value to the Bulls exceeds his value in the trade market. The guy continues to improve and has expressed a clear desire to win with this team. Chicago should at least run things back for another year with a new front office before they reconsider his future within the franchise.

•   Hm, Lauri looks good on the move? How about that!? 

 

written by

Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.

more bulls news

What Would be the Best Draw for the Chicago Bulls in the Play-In Tournament?

Nine games stand between the Chicago Bulls and the Play-In Tournament. I know ... yippie! Practically locked into the No. 9 seed, this puts them in line to host the No. 10 seed at the United Center in Round 1....

Best Defense of the Season, Playing Big, Javonte Green’s Instant Impact, and Other Bulls Bullets

Lose to the 14-win Wizards one game and hold the Pacers' elite offense to their worst performance of the season the next. Your 2023-24 Chicago Bulls, everyone! As I said in last night's Enhanced Box Score, I'm now even more...

WOW: Minnesota Timberwolves Sale to Alex Rodriguez Falls Through

The Minnesota Timberwolves dropped a bomb on Thursday morning. According to a statement released by the Timberwolves and Lynx ownership group, the franchise is no longer for sale. A transition of power was thought to be in place over the...

Enhanced Box Score: Bulls 125, Pacers 99 – March 27, 2024

I got to be honest, I'm even more upset about the Washington Wizards' loss. If the Chicago Bulls played like they did tonight, they would have beaten that depleted Wizards team by 40. This was a locked-in group from the...

Javonte Green Makes Bulls Return… Immediately Does Awesome Stuff

Javonte Green has officially made his Chicago Bulls debut ... again. The 30-year-old signed with the organization via a 10-day hardship deal on March 22. Injuries to Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, and Julian Phillips paved the way for...

WATCH: Alex Caruso Snatches Rookie Ben Sheppard’s Ankles

Alex Caruso will always be known for his defense capabilities, but he's showing a lot more than that this season. The veteran guard is averaging double-digit points for the first time in his career. A big part of that has...

Draymond Green Ejected Less Than 4 Minutes Into Game Against Orlando

Draymond Green was at it again on Wednesday night. Out East to take on the Orlando Magic, the Golden State Warriors watched Paolo Banchero bulldoze Andrew Wiggins to the rim early in the first quarter. As Banchero high-fived his teammates...

Pre-Gamin’: Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls (7:00 CT), Projected Lineups, How to Watch, More

Everything was awful on Tuesday. Be Better. https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1772971933161705610?s=20 Game Info Indiana Pacers (41-32) at Chicago Bulls (34-38) – 7:00 p.m. CT on NBC Sports Chicago (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Projected Starting Lineups Chicago Bulls Coby White Alex Caruso Ayo Dosunmu...

Around the Association: Caitlin Clark Gets Big(3) Offer, Knicks Getting Help, Lakers OT Thriller, More

It's hard to believe we have less than three weeks remaining in the NBA's regular season, and we should be in for some real drama down the stretch. The Knicks have plenty to play for in their remaining 11 games...

WHOA: NCAA Looking to Ban Prop Betting on All College Athletes

As the NCAA men's basketball tournament gears up for the Sweet Sixteen, the college sports world received some big news. On Wednesday morning, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that NCAA president Charlie Baker wants to officially ban prop betting on college...

Latest News

CRAAAAAAP: Justin Steele Exits the Game with an Injury

Yep. That's about as bad as it gets. All those fears and anxieties you felt when Justin Steele took that liner off his knee in spring training came back tonight, only this time it's a soft tissue injury during the...

Heat vs. Trail Blazers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) are heavy underdogs (+14.5) as they attempt to break an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena. The matchup airs...

Cavaliers vs. 76ers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) take the court against the Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) as 7.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under of 210 points.Cavaliers vs. 76ers OddsCavaliers odds to win:...

Knicks vs. Spurs Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The New York Knicks (44-28) are heavily favored (-10) to continue a three-game winning streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center. The contest airs on BSSW....

Wizards vs. Pistons Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Detroit Pistons (12-61) are 2.5-point underdogs as they attempt to turn around an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Washington Wizards (14-59) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Capital One Arena. The matchup airs at 7:00 PM ET...

Pacers vs. Lakers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Los Angeles Lakers (41-32) will attempt to extend a five-game winning streak when they hit the road to play the Indiana Pacers (41-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as just 2.5-point underdogs. The game airs at...

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Western's top two teams, the Denver Nuggets (51-22) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22), hit the court at Ball Arena on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET on ALT. The Nuggets are favored by 6.5 points at home....

Warriors vs. Hornets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Golden State Warriors (38-34) play the Charlotte Hornets (18-54) as double-digit, 11.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET on NBCS. The over/under is set at 218 in the matchup.Warriors vs. Hornets OddsWarriors odds to win:...

Clippers vs. Magic Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Los Angeles Clippers (45-27) visit the Orlando Magic (42-30) after winning three road games in a row. The Clippers are favored by only 1 point in the contest, which starts at 7:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024....

Bulls vs. Nets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Chicago Bulls (35-38) are favored by 5.5 points against the Brooklyn Nets (28-45) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET. The matchup airs on NBCS. The matchup's over/under is 215.Bulls vs. Nets OddsBulls odds to win: -218Nets...

more bulls news