NEWSLETTER
I went to the dentist yesterday, which is the same thing as saying, “I visited hell’s hell yesterday.” Look, I get the dentist is important. I want to have teeth so I can chew food, smile, and whatnot, but why does it have to be so darn uncomfortable? Is there no way to clean my teeth without tools that look like they’re also used to cut out a kidney in an ice bath? Seriously.
Anyway, shoutout to my dentist for knowing I’m a huge wuss and making it as comfortable for me as possible. Thanks for the shiny chompers.
• Only time will tell who the Bulls next head coach will be, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski may have dropped a hint about who’s leading the pack.
Is Wes Unseld Jr. the New Front-Runner for Bulls Head Coach?https://t.co/KOjXeAFDgs
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) September 16, 2020
• I have a feeling most Bulls fans would be content with Wes Unseld Jr., especially after what the Nuggets have done throughout these playoffs. The motivation and culture inside that locker room is one of the healthiest in the league, and the Bulls desperately need someone who knows what it takes to establish that kind of environment. In general, whether it be the product on the court or the rave reviews, Unseld Jr. continues to feel like one of the best first-time head coach options in the league.
• Still, while it feels like Unseld Jr. is option 1, the Bulls seem to have an option 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, etc. During an interview with the media on Wednesday morning, Coby White gave us an update on how the coaching search is taking shape (via the Chicago Sun-Times): “We haven’t talked about the new coach because it’s so spread out right now. They haven’t really narrowed it down to the people that — I think, don’t they narrow it down Friday or something like that? I don’t know. But they haven’t really narrowed it down to where we’ve actually sat down and talked about it.’’
• HM. According to White, the front office is still weighing all their options, and a cutdown of the candidates list could happen this Friday. We know that the organization reportedly finished first-round interviews around the same time OKC and head coach Billy Donovan decided to part ways, thanks to Woj. So, either Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley haven’t yet decided who will move on to round two of interviews or they have proceeded without giving an update to the players. Considering White isn’t necessarily supposed to be a major part of this process, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the latter. White’s reference to Friday is interesting, though, because this could mean the players were told this was some kind of target date for having a final list of candidates ready to be discussed. Regardless, it feels like we’re due for an announcement sometime soon.
• For more on what Coby White had to say during his media availability, make sure to check out our post from earlier today.
"Who doesn't want to be the starting PG at Training Camp? That's my goal." -Coby pic.twitter.com/DVQoDSRVID
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) September 16, 2020
• Do you think the league posted All-NBA rosters in the bubble and all the players ran up like it was the cast list for a high school play? Let’s go with that.
2019-20 All-NBA teams:
First: LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, James Harden
Second: Damian Lillard, Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Jokic, Chris Paul, Pascal Siakam
Third: Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Rudy Gobert, Russell Westbrook
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 16, 2020
• I will say, after this playoff run, it feels a bit surprising to see Jimmy Butler on third-team and Pascal Siakam on second-team. However, this is all based on regular-season stats, and Siakam did play a big role in helping the Toronto Raptors stay in the championship conversation. Some noticeable absences included: Joel Embiid, Khris Middleton, Bam Adebayo, Bradley Beal, and Kyle Lowry. For a full look at the voting click here.
• Oddly enough Zach LaVine did receive ONE vote as a forward for All-NBA Third-Team. Sooooo … yeah.
• Coby White would be correct in his assessment.
Coby White on Jamal Murray: "He cold."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) September 16, 2020
• We already knew this, but the NBA seems to have made it official (or as official as official can be in today’s world).
ESPN Sources: NBA has locked in November 18th for the 2020 Draft. Date had been tentative.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 16, 2020
• Jimmy Butler is playing like a man on a mission right now, and I’m sure it has many of us thinking about the good times he shared with us.
Top 5 Jimmy G. Buckets plays as a Bull. Watch at your own risk pic.twitter.com/509Y0E28Us
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) September 16, 2020
