NEWSLETTER
It’s a glass half empty or glass half full kind of world.
While I’m sure the latest Lonzo Ball update – which reports that he’s expected to miss at least a few months after a successful surgery – isn’t going to make some folks feel better, it does actually make me a lot more optimistic.
The 24-year-old couldn’t have sounded more dejected earlier this week. Not only did Ball share that he couldn’t run or jump, but he noted pain whenever he did something as simple as walking up the stairs. The injury has clearly taken a toll on him mentally and physically since he first hit the bench in January. So, yeah, I’m going to call the fact that doctors believe they addressed the problem a big positive.
Now, does that mean our entire perception of what this team is capable of this season should change? Absolutely not. We still have to wait and see how Ball responds to his latest rehab. A world where things turn south or the Bulls can’t manage to stay afloat while he’s gone still exists. In other words, all concerns stay valid. But after months and months of mystery around Ball’s status, it’s nice to have a bit of clarity on the situation.
I look forward to seeing how he progresses over the next couple of weeks.
- Ayo Dosunmu didn’t say whether or not he expects to be the starter on opening night, and why would he? Where he stands in the rotation isn’t his place to decide, and focusing more on that particular role as opposed to how he can help the team as a whole is counterintuitive. But don’t take my word for it, take his:
“I just want to come out here and win,” Dosunmu told reporters after Day 2 of training camp. “I’m a competitor, so whenever I step on the court, whether I start or not, I’m going to compete. I’m going to go out there and have fun. I’m going to go out there and play as hard as I can to help the team win becuase I think when you win, everybody wins, everybody eats, everybody looks good.”
- I continue to be impressed by the young guard’s poise and candor. Everything about Dosunmu feels like what NBA geeks call a “winning player,” which is remarkably impressive when we consider he’s heading into just his second year in the league. Whether it be his off-court demeanor or on-court impact, the guy has continued to perform like a 10-year vet, which is why I’m incredibly high on his potential to be a key piece to this team’s puzzle moving forward.
- Dosunmu also revealed a new and meaningful tattoo on Wednesday. The artwork is of his late-friend Darius Brown, who was shot and killed while playing basketball in Chicago at just 13 years old. It’s well-documented the influence this tragic event has had on Dosunmu and his family over the years, and Dosunmu says that the tattoo serves as a reminder of why he’s forever motivated to keep going.
- In case you’re unfamiliar with the story, the Bulls made a mini-documentary on what it was like for Dosunmu to grow up in Chicago.
- In more Dosunmu news, he is looking smooth as heck in the latest footage from training camp:
- I really do think the starting point guard gig is his for the taking. While I know Billy Donovan talked about an open competition, reserving Alex Caruso’s energy for the second unit and closing the lineup feels like a necessity. And, as much as Caruso might be able to replicate Ball’s defensive impact, I think Dosunmu possesses the higher two-way ceiling. Not only did he demonstrate an ability to guard the perimeter at a high-level last year, but his work in a transition fit in well with the uptempo style this team prefers to play.
- As for Dragic, it already seems like Donovan prefers to maintain lineup flexibility with the veteran. Both the head coach and Dragic spoke about this, and they sure seemed to suggest at the idea that his services will be best used off the bench. A lot more on that below:
- Billy Donovan never stops working. The Bulls’ head coach shared that he spent part of his offseason overseas in Slovenia getting to know newcomer Goran Dragic. Look, I know the head coach who shall not be named also went and spent some time with Lauri Markkanen in Finland, so it’s not like this foreshadows a recipe for success. But I always think it’s worth a note when a head coach goes the extra mile (literally) to get to know a new face. I have to imagine this meant quite a bit to Dragic and it probably also went a long way toward setting up an early rapport between the two.
- Playing with Michael Jordan was intense? Noooooo.
- Hey, I know that guy!
- Well-deserved!
- Let’s end the year with some bombs!
