Why do I look forward to fantasy football every year? Two weeks in and it’s already giving me a rageful headache. I need to just focus all my efforts on basketball again. The Bulls aren’t playing, so they can’t hurt me (right?).
• Wes Unseld Jr., Ime Udoka, Darvin Ham, and Kenny Atkinson – chances are, one of those guys will be the next head coach of the Chicago Bulls. Who are you taking?
REPORT: Bulls Head Coach Search Moving Toward Final Interviews with Four Front-Runners Emerginghttps://t.co/l47OOZVkoB
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) September 21, 2020
• FWIW: My gut – which is probably similar to yours – tells me that Unseld Jr. will be on the Bulls sideline next season. All signs have recently turned to him being the most popular name for the job, and his prior connection to Arturas Karnisovas simply can’t be overlooked. With that said, I think I’d be pretty good with any of those four candidates. Udoka has plenty of respected coaches on his side, Atkinson has proven he has what it takes to win over a young roster, and Ham just already acts like a head coach who players love to be around. If these are the finalists it – for once – feels like the Bulls can’t go wrong.
• I’d love to be a fly on the wall for the voluntary group workouts that kicked-off today at the Advocate Center. Not only do I just want to watch some of these guys on the court again, but I have to imagine there will be plenty of talk about the next head coach behind closed doors. Player input shouldn’t be the most important factor when it comes to making this decision (after all, it’s hard to say what this roster will look like in two years), but the front office says they’re running a player-first organization, and that means guys like Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen should have an opportunity to give their input on the search.
• TIME. TO. GRIND.
Our team is back in Chicago for @AdvocateHealth Bulls Minicamp!@SamSmithHoops has five questions as the guys get back to hooping together:
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) September 21, 2020
• Thanks to these workouts, the Bulls have a tremendous opportunity to get everyone on the same page. All players are supposed to be in attendance for drills and 5-on-5 action over the next couple of weeks, which means the entire team will be around their new front office leadership for the first time. Hopefully, players can use this time to build chemistry and carve out more defined roles for next season. Coby White will have a chance to convince he’s the right guy for the starting point guard role. Lauri Markkanen can show Karnisovas and Co. he is worth an extension. Kris Dunn can remind everyone what he brings to the table. Everyone on this roster has something to prove with the new bosses in town. It’s like when I’m at a Cubs game with Brett. Gotta look extra blog-y and sporty, ya know?
• Rob Schaefer over at NBC Sports Chicago has the Bulls taking Deni Avdija with the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. I knew I liked Rob. Despite constant conversation around other prospects, I’m still all aboard the Avdija hype train. I think he not only fills a need for this Bulls team, but he offers a greatly intriguing skill set. Plus, the guy is said to work his ass off, which makes me less concerned about the fact that he’s a bit of a master-of-none talent, at the moment. Give. Me. Deni.
• Come home, you coward.
AD WINS IT AT THE BUZZER.
OH MY. pic.twitter.com/Um2uWqjmZR
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 21, 2020
• Lolz get it? Because they lack hair?
https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1308079273672994826?s=20