Jazz veteran guard Mike Conley wasn’t spectacular in his team’s victory Friday, but he affected the outcome. Bulls point guards remain inconsistent at doing just that. Guess who’s a free agent this offseason?
Mike Conley’s career NBA earnings are just under the $175 million mark.
That included the $34.5 million he’s making this season with the Utah Jazz.
Is there more to make for the free agent-to-be?
Absolutely.
But how much and where?
There will be at least a handful of teams interested to find out that answer, and the Bulls should be right there at the front of that line.
Friday’s 113-106 loss to Conley and his Jazz was just another reminder of that.
It wasn’t that Conley was spectacular in handing the Bulls (19-28) their sixth-straight loss. The veteran simply spent his 32 minutes of work impacting winning, finishing with 13 points, five assists and just one turnover.
On a night in which the Bulls had Tomas Satoransky starting at the point once again, but also had lead ball-handlers Coby White and Zach LaVine back from injury, winning plays were hard to come by on a consistent basis.
Yes, LaVine did score 23 points on 22 shots fresh off an ankle injury that sidelined him last game, but White’s play was very head-shaking at times, especially with some untimely poor decisions he made on the night.
Overall, the point guard spot for the Bulls hasn’t been awful this season. On most nights it’s actually been serviceable. But serviceable for a roster that has been cast into win-now mode just isn’t good enough.
The Bulls were in on Lonzo Ball at the trade deadline, so it’s obvious how they feel about their point guard play this season – even if they won’t necessarily admit it.
“I feel like my job as a coach is to keep trying to help and push guys to try to get better,’’ coach Billy Donovan said of his point guards. “There’s things that Sato can do better. There’s things that Coby can do better. I would hope those guys are not satisfied with where they’re at. Do I think both can be better? Absolutely. I think everybody on our team can be better. I think we as coaches can be better. That’s the real key. Am I satisfied with them? Yes. I’m satisfied with them, but I hope that there’s more in them to get better. They both have to get better. We have to get better.’’
And there’s the problem.
Donovan can’t lean on that position from game to game, and it’s a position that good NBA playoff teams usually need to lean on.
It doesn’t mean Donovan needs Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook running his show like he did in his Oklahoma City days, but he does need a player that impacts winning at that position.
Look at Conley’s first half against the Bulls. Just six points and four assists, but plus-19 in plus/minus.
That’s why Conley has to at least have his tires kicked by executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas this offseason.
The Jazz will have the eighth-highest payroll next season and it could be tough to bring him back, while the Bulls will have the 18th-highest payroll.
The immediate concern for the Bull, however, is turning the losing around.
Even with the current spiral, the Bulls sit in the No. 10 spot of the Eastern Conference and are still in the mix for a play-in game.
Improved point guard play could go a long way in making sure that happens.
“It’s been challenging,’’ White said of being demoted to the second unit and then missing games with a neck injury. “It’s been different. Still learning, trying to mesh with those guys off the court. So just get ready to get back out there.’’
from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/3miiNqg
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