Getty Goran Dragic #7 of the Chicago Bulls.
The Chicago Bulls are losers of five straight contests with just one more to go before an All-Star break that could bring a lot more clarity to their latest roster question.
“The Bulls are in the mix to add a player via the buyout market, currently targeting veteran point guards,” notes NBC Sports Chicago. “The Bulls will need to waive a player to create a roster spot, and their current focus on point guards calls into question the future of Goran Dragić.”
Chicago has been floated as seeking guard help since before the trade deadline.
They have tried to navigate the season this far without starting point guard Lonzo Ball who has been sidelined since January of 2022 with a knee injury that continues to leave his doctors in a state of confusion. The Bulls’ attempts at remedying the situation have gone for not, though Dragic’s individual performance has been fine.
No look dime from The Dragon 🐉
He has a better net efficiency differential than Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, per Cleaning The Glass. Ditto for his plus-minus per NBA.com but the 15-year veteran has not garnered consistent minutes.
Despite missing just seven games this season – all of which have been injury-related – Dragic has only surpassed the 20-minute mark nine times.
The Bulls’ 2-7 record in those games lends credence to head coach Billy Donovan’s stance.
“The one thing about Alex [Caruso] and Ayo [Dosunmu] out there is we feel those two on the perimeter have been pretty good,” Donovan told Johnson, “and then even if we’re going against someone a little bit bigger we’ve played Patrick [Williams].”
Goran Dragic More Consistent Than Ayo Dosunmu, Patrick Williams
Dragic, who missed the 117-113 loss to the Indiana Pacers, has a higher net efficiency differential and plus-minus than either Dosunmu or Willams – Caruso has been a stud. Dragic plus-minus in those games is plus-51 and he only finished with a negative plus-minus three times in that span.
He’s also been vocal about what this wayward team needs as they continue to fight for a berth in the Play-In Tournament.
“I know the plus/minus is good, and I know what I can do,” Dragic said ahead of the Bulls’ 97-89 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I do think the starting unit needs a point guard, that’s for sure.”
That loss gave the Cavs their first sweep of the regular-season series since 2018.
Dragic is on a one-year, $2.9 million contract. He was considered a buyout candidate even before the Bulls were known to be actively shopping for another point guard.
This new development only figures to expedite that process.
The Bulls Checked in With John Wall Too
“If the Bulls don’t add Westbrook, John Wall, and Patrick Beverley are names to monitor” the NBC Sports Chicago piece continues. “A source told NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson that the Bulls have been in contact with representatives of both Wall and Beverley.”
Westbrook’s situation is still very much up in the air with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that it is still possible Westbrook remains in Utah and collects the full remainder of his $47 million salary this season with just 26 games to go
.@wojespn reports that Russell Westbrook has communicated with the Bulls, Clippers, Wizards and Heat about possible buyout destinations.
(via NBA Countdown)
Wojnarowski previously called the Bulls “front-runners” for the two-time MVP’s services.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on FanDuelTV’s ‘Run It Back‘ on February 15 that there did not seem to be a spot for Westbrook just yet which could simply mean whatever role that has been discussed would not outweigh any money he might give back in a buyout. But, for his part, Donovan has let it be known that he wants Westbrook in Chicago, per Chris Haynes on the ‘#thisleague UNCUT’ podcast on February 13.