Why Luol Deng Delaying Wrist Surgery Won’t Impact His Efficiency

 Chicago  No Responses »
Oct 082012
 

Luol Deng‘s wrist was the story of the summer for the Bulls. There were those who were concerned that by not opting for the surgery, but instead playing for Great Britain in the Olympics, he would jeopardize the start of the 2012-13 season.

Not to worry, Luol Deng will be fine. 

Prior to his injury, Deng was a genuine All-Star and for those who have forgotten, this is what he looked like before he got hurt. 

Afterward, his play took a hit, and some of that was evident during the Olympics.

Concerns were raised even higher when Deng put up good overall numbers during the Olympics, averaging 15.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists in five games, but shot a mere 31.4 percent. Speculation ran rampant that it was because his wrist was bothering him. 

There was some justification to that. His field-goal percentage dropped 32 points after Deng came back from his injury. Oftentimes it would seem that Deng would not switch hands on the dribble when it seemed most opportune. 

It wasn’t just his shooting, either. Prior to his injury he scored 16.2 points and added 7.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He also had two combined blocks and steals. 

After his injury he averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists with 1.5 total blocks and steals. 

It’s pretty clear his injury was affecting him the second half of the season. 

His defense also suffered. According to data compiled by hoopstats.com prior to his injury, opponents had an average efficiency of only 11.9. But afterward, his opponents had an efficiency of 14.1.

Prior to his injury he won 11 head-to-head matchups (based upon scoring a higher efficiency than his opponent), tied three and lost only four—a win percentage of 69 percent. After his injury he won 23, tied four and lost 15—a win percentage of 59 percent. 

So the question is: Which Luol Deng will be playing for the Bulls this year? Did his Olympic performance prove he should have opted for surgery?

However, there was more to look at than just his field goal-percentage. There were genuine signs of healing. Most notably, Deng was switching hand when he dribbled. He was passing with his left hand. He wasn’t afraid to go up to the rim with his left hand.

You can see some of this in the video below. 

The comfort he had in utilizing his left hand was something Bulls fans hadn’t seen since prior to his injury.  

Then came the training camp. Why should we believe that Deng’s wrist is fine? Because he says so. Note the words, “the wrist feels great right now.” 

And if that’s not enough for you how about because Tom Thibodeau says so according to Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald, 

He’s doing all the things he was doing before, so I don’t think it’s an issue.

McGraw asks, 

At the end of last season, left-handed dribbling was an adventure for Deng. So is he driving through traffic with his left hand in practice?

Thibodeau answers, 

Well, he never did that when he was healthy, Thibodeau said with a laugh.  He’s handling the ball. He’s making plays with his left hand. He’s fine. He’s actually playing at a very high level.

Again, he’s fine. Step away from the panic button. 

The Bulls will have Deng at his best. In fact, he might be ready for his best year yet. While the wrist might be better, there are also some other things that Deng picked up in his Olympic experience. 

With Great Britain, he was the unquestioned leader of the team both on and off the court. In fact, he was the most important figure in Great Britain basketball.

That kind of experience is invaluable to the Bulls as Chicago will need not only need someone to replace Roses’s on-court presence, but they’ll need to fill up his leadership as well. 

In what was ultimately a losing performance, Deng still showed he has that ability to step up and carry a team late in the fourth quarter when he nearly led Great Britain to a startling upset of the vaunted Spain, the eventual Silver Medal team.

Deng scored 13 points in the fourth quarter of that game alone. 

In the end, it might be that Bulls fans look back at Deng’s Summer Olympics with relief rather than regret. What he learned is invaluable, and it appears that his wrist, at least for the time, is fine. So it appears much was gained at little cost. 

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Why Luol Deng Will Overcome Troublesome Wrist to Fill Derrick Rose’s Shoes

 Chicago  No Responses »
Oct 082012
 

If there is one word that strikes fear in the Chicago Bulls‘ hearts, it is “injury.” Superstar point guard Derrick Rose fell victim to a laundry list of ailments during the 2011-12 season, capping it off with a torn ACL that will sideline him until early 2013.

The year was no kinder to Rose’s teammates, as center Joakim Noah severely sprained his left ankle and All-Star small forward Luol Deng tore a ligament in his wrist.

As the 2012-13 regular season rapidly approaches and D-Rose remains sidelined, the team is in full recovery mode. It has been widely speculated that the Bulls are in store for a disappointing season, which places a new level of pressure on Deng and Noah to save the half-year from being lost.

In fact, Deng will overcome his troublesome wrist to fill Rose’s shoes.

Per a report via Mike McGraw of The Daily Herald, Deng has been practicing with the Bulls. Coach Tom Thibodeau claims that Deng is “doing all the things he did before” and even went as far as saying “he’s actually playing at a very high level.”

In this time of need, why offer up sentiments of pessimism and doubt? If Thibs says it’s true, believe it to be.

Although Deng will not be able to bring the athletic dynamic that Rose has become known and loved for, he will thrive in his place as the team’s leader. The former Duke Blue Devil is one of the game’s elite perimeter defenders, and as of a year ago he’s even become a threat on the offensive end.

The Chicago Bulls will miss Rose. Just don’t tell Deng that.

 

Production in London

After Deng was named an All-Star in 2012, some fans began to question whether or not his abilities warranted such a selection. Although he’s always been one of the better players at his position, Deng has never displayed true star qualities.

After he finished in the top 10 in terms of scoring at the London Olympics, however, we may have to reconsider such a claim.

Deng averaged 15.8 points per game, dropping in 26 during Great Britain’s furious rally and near upset of the heavily-favored Spaniards. The final score sat at 79-78, which was quite amazing considering Spain led 60-48 after three quarters.

Deng’s 13 points in the fourth quarter, however, brought his country within striking distance. A late three-pointer cut it to one point, but Spain held on and Great Britain found disappointment.

What the NBA found, however, is a new respect for Deng. The British assassin is more than capable of playing the role of lead scorer when the lights are on and the pressure has mounted.

 

History Lesson: This is Nothing New

Rose’s absence is certain to be a distraction for the Bulls. As for how much it hurts them, however, that can be determined by a study of history.

During the 24 regular season games in which Deng was active but Rose was not, the former Duke star was phenomenal. Deng averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. He also had two outings with at least 10 assists and another nine with at least eight rebounds.

Statistically speaking, Deng was playing like an All-Star.

In total, Rose missed 27 games during the 2011-12 regular season. In that time, Thibodeau, Deng and the Bulls went 18-9, grabbing victories over the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Orlando Magic.

The team can compete without Rose. In fact, they can win. The real question is, can Deng lead the Bulls to an elite record until his return?

As history would suggest, the answer is yes.

 

Defense, Defense, Defense

Anyone who tells you that the Chicago Bulls’ quality of defense suffered from Rose’s absence is speaking out of pure and utter bias. With D-Rose out of the lineup, the Bulls were the best defensive team in the NBA.

Don’t believe it? Check the numbers. This time around, they don’t lie.

For the year, the Bulls held opponents to a league-best 88.2 points per game. In the 27 games in which Rose was sidelined, however, they smothered their opposition and limited the to just 86.4 points per contest.

That includes eight games where the opposition scored less than 80 points and 16 in which they held their opponent to less than 90.

During games in which Deng was sidelined, however, the Bulls surrendered 90.6 points per game. Although that remains an elite number, that’s a 4.2 point difference between the average they posted with Deng on the floor and Rose injured.

We will not compare importance. What will be acknowledge, however, is what the numbers suggest. With or without Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls are elite when Luol Deng is on the floor.

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Why Trading Luol Deng Would Be an Insane Move for Chicago Bulls

 Chicago  No Responses »
Aug 292012
 

Trading Luol Deng would be a terrible decision for the Chicago Bulls. At 27 years old, Deng provides three main things necessary to the squad: A solid shooting presence, veteran leadership and fan involvement and energy.

A few months ago, Deng’s availability for this season remained in question as it appeared the forward would need wrist surgery. However, Deng’s doctors recently announced that he can forgo the operation. After leading Great Britain during the 2012 Olympics, Deng is positive and ready to go for the NBA season. He said the following after the Olympics:

Did I look like I needed (surgery)? I’m fine right now. I feel great. There are a lot of things I want to improve in my game that I want to focus on now. I want to be a better player than I was last year. I have time to make decisions and be healthy by the time we start (training camp).

Chicago could look at trading Deng for a new, younger player, but that’s not what the team needs right now. The Bulls have already acquired several new players while losing some significant “bench mob” members, and making another swap would not be to their advantage. To use a cliche, why fix what isn’t broken?

Last season, Deng averaged 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Originally drafted 7th overall by Phoenix in the 2004 draft, Deng has put up consistent numbers since day one. He started 54 games in Chicago in 2011-2012, and he should remain in this position.

Numbers aside, he’s an invaluable leader to his younger teammates. Deng’s presence on the hardwood provides energy and stability in every game; this will be even more valuable this season with so many new faces donning the red and black. Not only does he lead his teammates, but Deng is a fan favorite. With star point guard Derrick Rose sidelined until at least this spring, supporters are looking for someone to trust.

The Duke alum is a role player, and losing him while already facing a season without Rose is a situation Chicago should avoid at all costs.

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Luol Deng’s Olympic Experience Will Prove to Be a Good Thing for Chicago Bulls

 Chicago  No Responses »
Aug 222012
 

Luol Deng was the only member of the Chicago Bulls to participate this summer in the London Olympic Games. He represented the host country Great Britain, which had a basketball team in the Olympics for the first time since 1948.

While some may believe that it was wrong for Deng to play, I actually think it will help him and the Bulls in the long run.

With Derrick Rose expected to miss most, if not all, of the regular season, Deng is going to have to step his game up. In the Olympics, he got a taste of what it is like to be the main man.

While Team USA and Spain have rosters full of NBA players, Deng was the only NBA player on Team GB. In five games, he averaged 14.8 points, 4.6 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals, leading the team in most of those categories.

His best game came against the loaded Spanish team, which ended up winning the silver medal. Deng nearly tallied a triple-double, scoring 26 points, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out seven assists in a 79-78 loss.

Deng also played pretty well against the bronze-medal-winning Russian team—also scoring 26 points—but Great Britain lost 95-75. 

For those wondering, Great Britain did not play the gold-medal-winning Team USA during the Olympics. However, they played an exhibition before, and Deng scored 25 points in a 118-78 blowout.

Averaging nearly 26 points per game against the three best teams in the world is pretty good if you ask me.

 

Deng’s Olympic experience will also likely give him confidence in his injured wrist. He was able to go out there and prove that his wrist was fine and surgery is not needed at this time.

He had this to say to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:

Did I look like I needed (surgery)? I’m fine right now. I feel great. There are a lot of things I want to improve in my game that I want to focus on. I want to be a better player than I was last year.

This is great news for the Bulls because being without Rose is bad enough. If they were without both Rose and Deng it could be a disastrous season.

It would be a tremendous boost if he can in fact postpone surgery until next summer or skip it all together. While entering his ninth year in the league, he is still only 27 years old and is entering the prime of his career. 

Deng enhanced his reputation around the league. Perhaps general managers will make an effort to trade for him should he ever be available.

With two years remaining on his current deal, and a potential replacement (Jimmy Butler) already on the roster, it is unclear if the Bulls will re-sign him. If they don’t, then trading him when his stock is at its highest would be the best course of action.

By avoiding surgery in the prime of his career, moving him at the trade deadline or next summer might be the time to do it.

On the other hand, if Deng reports to camp and is unable to avoid the surgery, then playing in the Olympics would look like a bad move.

What do you think, Bulls fans? Was Deng playing in the Olympics good or bad for the team? Sound off below.

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Luol Deng Avoiding Wrist Surgery Is Huge for Chicago Bulls Without Derrick Rose

 Chicago  No Responses »
Aug 142012
 

Apart from hearing that Derrick Rose had miraculously recovered, the next best news for the Chicago Bulls would be that Luol Deng will no longer undergo surgery on his wrist. And, according to a recent article, that’s exactly what he’s telling his team. Why could this announcement salvage the Bulls’ season? Three reasons: his defensive game, his leadership on the court and his fan following.

After the close of the Olympics, Deng said the following:

“Did I look like I needed (surgery)? I’m fine right now. I feel great. There are a lot of things I want to improve in my game that I want to focus on now. I want to be a better player than I was last year.”

“I have time to make decisions and be healthy by the time we start (training camp).”

Deng underwent surgery on his right wrist for a separate incident during his rookie season, and his doctor says this particular injury may be able to heal without surgery.

For Chicago fans, this is huge.

He led Great Britain during the Olympics, averaging 15.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists in five games.

Last season the small forward averaged 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

Granted, Deng does not play Rose’s position. Stat-wise, he will not replace the injured All-Star. However, he is a major role player for Chicago, and losing both him and Rose would be almost impossible to overcome.

Besides being a solid scorer, the 27-year-old exhibits defensive prowess on the floor. Deng is one of the best on-ball wing defenders, and he is a large reason Chicago tops the charts in defense night after night.

Numbers aside, he’s an invaluable leader to his younger teammates. Deng’s presence on the hardwood provides energy and consistency in every game. Not only does he lead his teammates, but Deng is a fan favorite.

Without Rose on the floor, fans are looking for someone to trust—Luol Deng is that man.

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Andrei Kirilenko feels like a young deer (Ball Don’t Lie)

 Minnesota  No Responses »
Jul 302012
 

As our Dan Devine noted at Fourth-Place Medal on Sunday , Russian forward Andrei Kirilenko had a pretty great first game in the Olympics in London. Facing hosts Great Britain, the man known to NBA fans as AK47 (who actually wears No. 15 for Russia) dominated the contest with 35 points on 14-of-17 shooting on the way to a 95-75 win.
It was a nice sight for fans who missed Kirilenko last season, when he returned to his pre-NBA club CSKA Moscow in the midst of the lockout. That’s especially true for devotees of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who reached terms with Kirilenko to a two-year deal last week. While he’s always been a little more of a star for his home country than in the NBA, Kirilenko has the sort of versatile skills that can help an improving young team become a more serious postseason participant. At 31 years old, he can be a key veteran presence.
Yet, despite his advance age, Kirilenko still thinks of himself as an energetic player. In fact, he told the assembled press as much after Sunday’s game. From the Twitter account of Associated Press reporter Jon Krawczynski , who covers the Wolves during the NBA season:

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Chicago Bulls’ ‘cheap’ Front Office Should Be Cut Slack

 Chicago  No Responses »
Jul 202012
 

Let’s make it loud, proud, and crystal clear. The Chicago Bulls front office is busy rustling and wrangling up stray cattle rather than going after stampeding bulls.

With all the articles the readers (yes, you) have perused through since the start of free agency on July 1st, the Chicago Bulls (Jerry Reinsdorf, Gar Forman, John Paxson) have made it quite visible that the team will not be contending for a deep run at the big trophy during the 2012-2013 NBA season.

It’s not exactly jaw-dropping or eye-opening, but before the city starts pillaging the Madhouse on Madison let’s try to step into the minds of GarPax, get a glimpse of their reasoning, and how they can achieve the results Bulls fans have been yearning for since the days of the multicolored Worm. After leading the team to back-to-back seasons with the best record in the NBA, I’m sure supporters can rest assured that unlike personnel from other franchises, the Bulls are committed to winning. 

The Dark Knight Rises

Make no mistake, the entire machine begins and ends with Jersey No. 1. Derrick Rose‘s over analyzed injury has been the catalyst for the controversial offseason and good news in the Windy City seems hard to come by these days. Yet, a gleam of shimmering hope shined off the Lake Front last week when Scott Powers of ESPN reported of Rose’s progress. Dr. Brian Cole, who performed the surgery on Rose, said “Rose was ahead of schedule.” With so many budding careers (Greg Oden, anyone?) cut short by setbacks after surgery, the future—so far anyway—is still promising. No need to release the emergency chute just yet, and Chicago’s brass is thinking along the same lines as well.

On a side note, as many of you know the injury to the wrist of Luol Deng is also a concern for fans as he has elected to forgo surgery to play for Great Britain at the Olympics. While having surgery after the Bull’s’ elimination would have assured the fans a healthy Deng by the beginning of the season, the delay puts the early part of his 2012-13 campaign in jeopardy. A new rumor from ESPN reported that ‘rest’ might be all he needs.

Moonrise Kingdom

With Rose still a half year away from jockeying for position before a jump ball, he is signed to a well-deserved $95M+ deal for five years. Captain Obvious says that for better or for worse, even with him not playing for a majority of the season, the Bulls are still locked in to pay that money.

With owner Jerry Reinsdorf wanting to have no part of a luxury tax (for a team that will not win a title this year without Rose) that includes a payroll consisting of Carlos Boozer’s $75M, Joakim Noah’s $60M and Luol Deng’s $70M—the hands of GM Gar Forman are tied by King Jerry. The team simply does not have enough (or wants to spend) loot to reel in a big ticket free agent. With most of the prizes of the summer having been captured ,the sight is now set on the class of ’13, that has names like Monta Ellis and Josh Smith, and ’14 with Deng’s contract set to expire.

Ice Age 3: Continental Drift

Vocal critics that blast the departures of the quote unquote “Bench Mob” need to stop worrying or think the Bulls have shot themselves in the foot and have begun embarking on yet another Ice Age streak of listless seasons.

Let’s break it down logically.

I apologize if I burst your bubble, but the NBA is a business. There is no loyalty in sports and the fact that Kyle Korver, CJ Watson, John Lucas III, Ronnie Brewer and Omer Asik were allowed to drift off are examples of that. If they kept each of them, as Nick Friedell of ESPN reported, the Bulls would be hovering around $15 million over the cap (with a stiff $15 million penalty to quickly follow). That’s also not including matching the absurd sheet for Omer Asik, offered by the Houston Rockets, where the Bulls would have to pay him $15 million in the third year of the contract. Although they held down the fort long enough to clinch the No. 1 seed last season, the series against the the 76ers showed that at the end of the day, they are bench players and relatively replaceable.

Brave

The plan in motion, assuming they are in it to win when Rose gets back, is a brave one.

After the unnecessarily compelling amnesty saga of Carlos Boozer ending with nothing being done, the Bulls are heavily banking on learning from the historical 2010 summer to land at least one superstar in the process. The recent polarizing signings are nothing more than band-aids, but make sense. Signing a three-point specialist to replace Korver, such as Vladimir Radmanovic (one year, $1.3 million,) does not hurt because it is a one year contract in a transitional season. Meanwhile, players like Jimmy Butler (two years, $2.1 million) and Kirk Hinrich (two years, $6 million) are also coming cheap.

Reports have also surfaced that Richard Hamilton and his $5 million are on the trading block with a team option coming up after the upcoming season. As mentioned earlier, Deng is off the books after 2014 and Boozer will follow suit in 2015—Noah even later in 2016—so the expiration of the small contracts could not come at a better time.

The short, thrifty deals will undoubtedly help Chicago clear enough cap space to try and make a big splash once again when Rose is back to action.

The Avengers

Rest assured, the Chicago Bulls front office is not playing for the lottery. I doubt there are more than four to five teams in the East that will be better than them, but while like squads in Boston (Courtney Lee), Miami (Rashard Lewis, Ray Allen) and Brooklyn (Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, etc) have been gearing up, what bodies are left for the Bulls to nab and fill their gaps?

Sadly, not many. The latest names being thrown around are reports from ESPN on Darko Milicic and others about Michael Redd. One is still only 26 and most famous for being picked ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, etc. The other is a version of Hamilton; an often injured 30-something year old guard.

Using them as fillers for a season or two at the league’s veteran minimum contract is worth taking a chance, but no one will be avenging last year’s early playoff demise. Gar Forman has done the best he can under the circumstances, and while no one is picking the Bulls to go deep this season, it is a smart move to stay put for now and build the team around Rose, Noah and Taj Gibson.
Moreover, use the next year to see what Jeff Teague and Butler can do and entertain (any by all means) offers for Boozer. Trading him and Deng for draft picks would be alright as well since that would mean more money for the pursuit of happiness ala free agents.

While it’s easy to scratch your head and point and blame the front office for the goodbyes of some of your Bulls, remember that it’s a business and the head honchos thankfully have a tremendous coach. You can sleep well knowing that there is indeed a plan and just as The Dark Knight watches over Gotham City, Chicago still has The White Mamba, so cut Gar Forman some slack!

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Bulls Trade Rumors: Luol Deng Isn’t Worth 2012 NBA Lottery Pick

 Rumors  No Responses »
Jun 272012
 

The idea of the Chicago Bulls dealing Luol Deng for a lottery pick in Thursday’s 2012 NBA draft have been swirling for the better part of two weeks. But rumors regarding the Bulls’ interest in a potential trade mean little if there’s no recipient on the other end, and at this point, Deng isn’t worth a top-10 pick in this draft. 

Several media outlets, with the most recent being the Chicago Sun-Times, have tied Deng to a potential trade before or during the NBA draft. 

From Neil Hayes at the Sun-Times:

“The Bulls have had discussions with teams about trading Luol Deng for a chance to move into the lottery to pick up North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes in Thursday night’s draft,” Hayes wrote. 

Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald also reported that trading Deng was “under consideration.”

So why would the Bulls even think about trying to trade Luol Deng for a high draft pick?

That does appear to be one of the strategies under consideration right now, league sources confirmed. A draft camp meeting with North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes was mentioned on the team’s website, but there’s probably no single target.

Finally, Deng acknowledged that the trade rumors surrounding him this month were real, according to ESPN Chicago. 

If it’s not true, a GM could always come out and say it’s not true. But if a GM doesn’t come out and say it, there are probably talks. And there should be. If I was a GM I would be shopping players around, too. I’ve got to show that I’m doing something.

As much as I want to stay on the team—I love Chicago, I love the Bulls—at the same time, I know the business part of it. Sooner or later, all the rumors are going to come up.

The idea of moving Deng for the chance to draft UNC’s Harrison Barnes makes plenty of sense from Chicago’s side. Barnes is the kind of scorer that could easily replace Deng in the Bulls’ starting lineup for 2012-13 and beyond.

But finding a trade partner willing to swing that kind of deal remains as remote as remote gets. 

Deng, 27, is due almost $28 million over the next two years, and his wrist will require offseason surgery once he returns from the 2012 Olympics.

Deng is planning on playing for Great Britain, something the Bulls have not taken too kindly considering the health status of Deng’s wrist. 

The real question remains: What lottery team, in their right mind, would give up a top-10 or better pick to acquire Deng?

The short answer: There isn’t one. 

There have been talks about the Bulls swinging a trade with the Golden State Warriors, who hold the No. 7 overall pick. The ESPN Chicago report said that the Warriors even sent a scout—former NBAer Speedy Claxton—to watch Deng train with Great Britain last Sunday. 

But why would the Warriors dish out that pick—a spot that could land them Barnes, if the cards fall right—for an aging, injured and expensive player that has already reached his ceiling? There’s no rhyme or reason for the Warriors to pull off that move. 

The same can be said for any of the other teams picking near the Warriors in Thursday’s draft.

Suddenly, rumors of Deng getting moved for a lottery pick become a lot more muddied. 

There’s nothing wrong with the Bulls exploring all their offseason options—every other team does this time of year. And it’s likely that Chicago is looking at a big step back next year because of injuries to Deng and Derrick Rose. 

But Bulls’ fans should hold their breath on a Deng-for-Barnes trade. Any GM pulling the trigger on the opposite end of that deal would be considered crazy, even in this era of boneheaded personnel moves in the NBA. 

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