Saturday Slam: The Chicago Bulls are a disaster

If the 6-23 Chicago Bulls thought firing Fred Hoiberg was going to solve their problems, they're in for a rude awakening. Since relieving Hoiberg of his head coaching duties and promoting Jim Boylen to head coach on December 3rd, the Bulls have already had their worst loss in franchise history, losing to the Boston Celtics by a final score of 133-77. To make matters even worse, their $40M man Jabari Parker, a Chicago native, is being shown the door as he has been put on the trading block and dropped from the rotation.

Given how things are going, it wouldn't be surprising to see Bulls players spontaneously combust on the court. Everything else appears to have gone wrong, so why not? They're clearly heading in the wrong direction and it's tough to envision things getting better for them anytime soon.

The only thing that the Bulls can take some comfort in is the return of second year power forward Lauri Markkanen and the stellar play of combo guard Zach LaVine, who is averaging 23.8 points per game. Both Markkanen and LaVine look like a legitimate duo to build around for the future, but it's the rest of the team that's a mess.

Personally, I'm puzzled of as to why they're already giving up on Parker. He's averaging 15.2 points per game and is one of the few guys they have that can create his own shot. I understand he's not the best defender in the world, but that said, he's still a very solid player. Even more puzzling is the way they've gone about handling this whole thing. Wanting to trade him in and of itself isn't necessarily a bad thing. What's bad is to drop him from the rotation, lower his trade value, and then seek a trading partner for him. If they were smart, which they clearly aren't, they would showcase his skills and try to up his value to get as much back for him as possible. Instead, they're potentially stuck with a two-year, $40M contract that they desperately want to get off their books.

The bottom line is that this Bulls team is a disaster and there's no easy solution to turning them around. Their general manager Gar Forman has his work cut out for him and if he doesn't figure out how to right the ship, he'll soon be looking for a new job. Sit tight Bulls fans, I'm afraid the bumpy ride has only begun.

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Saturday Slam: Zach LaVine has solid debut for the Chicago Bulls

Zach LaVine had his debut for the Chicago Bulls against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, scoring 14 points on 5/9 shooting from the field and 3/4 shooting from 3-point range in 19 minutes of action. The Bulls won the game 107-105.

LaVine has been recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Bulls traded for LaVine and Kris Dunn with the hopes of getting a quality young back court to build around for the future and they have to be pleased with what they saw. LaVine played a pretty efficient game and had no trouble being inserted into the starting lineup. In what has been a pretty bleak season, LaVine's debut gives the Bulls something to get excited about.

The Bulls don't have a ton of depth at the guard position as is evident by LaVine starting right away. What LaVine gives them is a quality scoring/slashing guard to play off the ball of Kris Dunn, who is more of a traditional pass-first point guard, averaging 13.8 points and 6.3 assists per game. Together, LaVine and Dunn give the Bulls a dynamic back court that is capable of doing a lot of different things on the floor. They can facilitate, attack the rim, and also score from beyond the arc. This young Bulls back court has the chance to be special in the coming seasons due to their versatility and compatibility.

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Saturday Slam: The loss of Zach LaVine is brutal for the Minnesota Timberwolves

Earlier today, the Minnesota Timberwolves confirmed that their explosive young point guard Zach LaVine would miss the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL in his left knee. Below is the official team release.

Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) taken this morning at Mayo Clinic by Team Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Diane Dahm revealed that Wolves guard Zach LaVine has a torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) in his left knee. LaVine, who will have surgery at a to-be-determined date, will miss the remainder of the season. Further updates as to LaVine’s progress will be issued when more information becomes available.The injury occurred during last night’s 116-108 loss to the Detroit Pistons.In 47 games this season, LaVine averaged 18.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 37.2 minutes per game. In his third NBA season, LaVine holds career averages of 13.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 206 games.

The loss of Zach LaVine obviously really hurts this young Wolves team. At 19-32, they are still very much alive for the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs, just 3.5 games back of the 22-28 Denver Nuggets, who are currently clinging to the 8th seed like grim death. With the loss of LaVine, it's going to be really tough for this young Wolves team to make up for his quality production. LaVine was in the middle of having a breakout season, making it all the more sad that he had to go down. The good news of course is that with proper rehab and surgery, LaVine can come back even stronger thanks to the quality medical care that he'll receive at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

                                         (Credit: YouTube. Click here for video). 
           
In terms of who will need to step up, it's obvious that Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, who are both averaging north of 20 points per game, will need to carry even more of the load.  In addition to them, the rest of the Wolves backcourt will need to do all they can to make up for Zach LaVine's production.

The guy in the backcourt who can be expected to step up the most is Shabazz Muhammad, who is averaging 9.0 points per game on 46.6% shooting from the field, 45.8% shooting from three-point range, and 80.2% shooting from the free throw line. During the past 10 games, Muhammad has notched six games with 15+ points, so with Zach LaVine now out for the season, it can be expected for him to continue to put up similar numbers. Ricky Rubio being more of a facilitator can't really be relied on to score more, but he will have to undertake a larger chunk of the point guard duties.

The one guy who is sort of a wild card in all of this is rookie point guard Kris Dunn, who is currently nursing a sore right hand. Dunn was the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft but has so far not really lived up to the hype. LaVine's absence should free up a lot more minutes for him once he returns to the court, giving him a chance to flourish and showcase his skills. If there's any benefit of Zach LaVine going down, it is that his absence gives Kris Dunn more minutes and opportunities for growth. Dunn has to make the most of these extra minutes and prove to the Minnesota franchise that he was worth the fifth overall pick.

There's no question that the loss of Zach LaVine is a major disappointment, but the Timberwolves are still in big picture mode, so as long as he is able to make a full recovery, this shouldn't be too big of a set back. If anything, it will give other guys an opportunity to step up and grow, so maybe in a way this will benefit the team for the long term. Of course, my thoughts and prayers are with Zach LaVine. I've gotten to know a lot of these top basketball players through my work with GoldenBearReport.com of the Rivals Network, so I have nothing but mad respect for all the work that they put in. I hope LaVine comes back stronger than before and helps the Minnesota Timberwolves continue to grow into one of the most elite and dangerous teams in the NBA.

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Saturday Slam: Look out for the Minnesota Timberwolves

     While some lottery-bound teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and New Orleans Pelicans are crashing and burning to end the season, the Minnesota Timberwolves are actually starting to find their groove and build some momentum going into next season. The 28-52 Timberwolves have won 6 of their last 10 games including 3 straight road wins over the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, and Portland Trail Blazers.

     The win in Golden State took the basketball world by surprise on Tuesday. The Warriors were favored by 14.5 points and looked to steamroll the Timberwolves as they go about trying to break the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' record for most wins in a regular season. Instead, the Timberwolves came from behind to stun the Warriors in overtime on their home floor by a final score of 124-117. Shabazz Muhammad led the way for the Timberwolves with 35 points and 6 rebounds while Andrew Wiggins finished with 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Other notable Timberwolves performers were Karl-Anthony Towns with 20 points and 12 rebounds and Zach LaVine with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists.

     If the Minnesota Timberwolves had to pick a way to have their coming out party, winning on the road in Oracle Arena as the Golden State Warriors are chasing history is probably the way to do it. While the Minnesota Timberwolves will once again be in the NBA Draft Lottery, their win on Tuesday put the basketball world on notice. The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming and they aren't afraid of anybody.

     The Minnesota Timberwolves' biggest weakness is inexperience and youth, but very much like the Utah Jazz have started to build around a talented young core, the Minnesota Timberwolves are as well. Only, I actually like the Timberwolves' core even better. Unlike Gordon Hayward, Andrew Wiggins has the chance to be the number-one guy on a championship team. As for Karl-Anthony Towns, he could be the next premier big man of the NBA.

     All in all, the Minnesota Timberwolves are on the right track to being a very competitive in the NBA for a long time. They have youth and all-star level talent. Look at them as a caterpillar in a cocoon that isn't yet a butterfly. They are in the process of becoming something special, but they just need more time to grow and develop.

Zach LaVine & Aaron Gordon electrified Toronto on NBA All-Star Weekend

     The highlight of the 2016 NBA All-Star Saturday Night and possibly the weekend, was the slam dunk contest. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine and Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon had one of the most epic slam dunk battles the world has ever seen. Every time Aaron Gordon did something that couldn't be topped, Zach LaVine found a way to match it and get a 50 to stay alive in sudden death.

     While we have seen a lot of great dunks over the years, what makes this dunk contest different is that we got to see two guys who truly matched each other for their grace, creativity, and difficulty. Aaron Gordon's soaring between the legs dunk over the Magic's mascot was jaw dropping and Zach LaVine's between the legs dunk from the foul line was equally spectacular. In truth, even though Zach LaVine ended up winning, there really was no winner to this dunking duel. Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon both were winners because they captivated the minds of NBA fans across the globe.

     The reason we watch the NBA is to be entertained by the world's best players and both Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon demonstrated an understanding of this. They knew that people wanted to see a show and they did everything in their power to put on the best show possible. What was even more impressive to see was the mutual respect between the two players when the contest finally ended. Zach LaVine was happy to win, but he was quick to recognize that Aaron Gordon did some stuff that he himself could not do.

     This dunk contest really had everything we could hope for. It had dunks we hadn't seen, dunks that left us in awe, and dunks that left us wanting more. I don't know about you, but if somebody told me that Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon were having a dunk off at 2:00 AM at Rucker Park with glow in the dark basketballs, I would stay up to watch it.

     Hopefully, future dunk contests will also be able to entertain us, but make no mistake, the dunk contest isn't back. It's been back for a while and Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon just took it to another level. It was beautiful to watch and definitely worth watching again.


   

Daily Dunks: 8/3-8/9/15

                                                  (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

     This is my Daily Dunks page for August 3, 2015 through August 9, 2015. Throughout the week, this page will be updated with news from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. LeBron James will report to Team USA minicamp but leave early (Click here for details).

#2. The Nuggets aren't planning to wave Kostas Papanikolaou. At least not now (Click here for details).

#3. The Heat officially signed Josh Richardson (Click here for details).

#4. The Timberwolves officially signed Andre Miller (Click here for details).

#5. Ray Allen may play in the NBA next season (Click here for details).

#6. Pistons rookie Stanley Johnson's mom has passed away (Click here for details).

#7. The Nets will waive forward Earl Clark (Click here for details).

#8. Paul George will attend Team USA minicamp but not play (Click here for details).

#9. Salah Mejri's contract with the Mavericks is full guaranteed (Click here for details).

#10. Adidas is offering James Harden $200M (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Clippers officially signed Pablo Prigioni (Click here for details).

#2. The Hawks made some changes in their front office (Click here for details).

#3. The Raptors made some changes in their front office (Click here for details).

#4. The Knicks signed center Kevin Seraphin to a one-year, $2.8M deal (Click here for details).

#5. Spurs center Boban Marjanovic (ankle) won't play for Serbia in Eurobasket (Click here for details).

#6. Danilo Gallinari officially signed his contract extension with the Nuggets (Click here for details).

#7. Wizards point guard John Wall will attend Team USA minicamp (Click here for details).

#8. The Magic signed forward Melvin Ejim to a partially guaranteed deal (Click here for details).

#9. Josh Howard is attempting an NBA comeback (Click here for details).

#10. The Raptors unveiled new uniforms (Click here to see them).

Tuesday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Sun 82 Stars 51. Sky 106 Fever 82. Mercury 87 Shock 84 (OT). Sparks 83 Lynx 61.

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Cavaliers have officially signed Richard Jefferson (Click here for details).

#2. Donald Sterling's divorce was thrown out for being incomplete (Click here for details).

#3. Kobe Bryant says he could see his career ending in Italy or China (Click here for details).

#4. Thanasis Antetokounmpo is signing a partially guaranteed deal with the Knicks (Click here for details).

#5. Charlie Villanueva has signed with the Mavericks. It's official (Click here for details).

#6. Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried hopes to improve his defense (Click here for details).

#7. Casey Owens has been hired to be the head coach of the Los Angeles D-Fenders (Click here for details).

Wednesday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mystics 66 Stars 63: Final.

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Pacers are signing point guard Toney Douglas (Click here for details).

#2. The Mavericks have officially signed Samuel Dalembert (Click here for details).

#3. The Knicks officially signed Kevin Seraphin (Click here for details).

#4. Roy Hibbert opens up about mental health struggles (Click here for details).

#5. The Rockets are confident that Ty Lawson is making progress in his rehab program (Click here for details).

#6. Markieff Morris reportedly wants out of Phoenix and is giving the Suns the silent treatment (Click here for details).

#7. The Utah Jazz confirmed Dante Exum's torn ACL (Click here for details).

#8. The Utah Jazz are interested in trading for Wizards guard Garrett Temple (Click here for details).

#9. The Raptors signed point guard Shannon Scott to a partially guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#10. USA Basketball has announced their 34-man roster for their minicamp (Click here for details).

Thursday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Sparks 84 Shock 57. Nneka Ogwumike led the Sparks with 26 points on 11-16 shooting from the field.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Darrell Arthur, Will Barton, and Jameer Nelson re-signed with the Nuggets (Click here for details).

#2. The Knicks have officially signed Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Click here for details).

#3. The Knicks have officially signed Sasha Vujacic (Click here for details).

#4. Jason Terry is considering an offer from the Pelicans (Click here for details).

#5. Ricky Rubio is eager to get the Timberwolves to the playoffs (Click here for details).

#6. Rudy Gobert thinks Derrick Favors should have made the Team USA minicamp roster (Click here for details).

#7. Celtics point guard Marcus Smart should be back in two weeks (Click here for details).

#8. Utah Jazz second round pick guard Oliver Hanlan has signed overseas with BC Zalgiris of the Euroleague (Click here for details).

#9. The Wizards are open to trading Garrett Temple (Click here for details).

#10. Coty Clarke has signed a training camp deal with the Celtics (click here for details).

Friday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Sun 86 Mystics 72. Fever 106 Dream 77. Liberty 77 Sky 63. Mercury 73 Lynx 66.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Memphis Grizzlies' preseason schedule has been announced (Click here for details).

#2. Grizzlies shooting guard Courtney Lee is in favor of women getting roles in the NBA (Click here for details).

#3. Jamal Crawford reportedly would love to join the Cavaliers (Click here for details).

#4. Arron Afflalo doesn't agree with Walt Frazier about Carmelo Anthony's future (Click here for details).

#5. The Lakers and Mavericks reportedly are front runners to land JaVale McGee (Click here for details).

#6. Jonathan Holmes has signed a training camp deal with the Lakers (Click here for details).

#7. Hawks forward Mike Scott admits the drugs in his car were his (Click here for details).

#8. The NBA and the NBA's referees union have reached an agreement on a seven-year labor deal (Click here for details).

#9. The Trail Blazers don't want Pat Connaughton playing pro baseball (Click here for details).

#10. China will host the 2019 FIBA World Championships (Click here for details).

Saturday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Stars 88 Storm 81.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Grizzlies shooting guard Jordan Adams underwent minor knee surgery (Click here for details).

#2. The Wizards are willing to trade Garrett Temple to the Jazz (Click here for details).

#3. Zach LaVine dominated the Seattle Pro-Am dunk contest (Click here for video).

#4. Tracy McGrady got his number retired in China (Click here for details).

#5. The Knicks reportedly fired their D-League coaches because they did a poor job developing Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Click here for details).

Sunday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Sky 74 Mercury 64. Mystics 84 Sun 73. Dream 98 Shock 90. Lynx 92 Sparks 64.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord and like my Facebook page NBA Lord Nation for NBA news