Reacting to Bulls loss to Suns and Coby White’s evolution

Reacting to Bulls loss to Suns and Coby White’s evolution

Hi everybody welcome into the Bulls Talk podcast brought to you by Toyota Let’s go places I am Kevin Anderson joined by our man on the beat on the road Casey Johnson beat writer for the Bulls on NBC Sports Chicago and NBC Sports chicago.com uh KC it is uh wge

Notification season officially we’re two and a half weeks from the trade deadline and uh just uh before we started this morning the uh the heat get Terry Rosier for Kyle Lowry in a first round pick and um hey a lot of teams in the East are

Making moves this is now the third week in a row that somebody in the uh in the playoff race in Eastern Conference has made a move to get better um Rosier seems like a perfect spoler key player I think it makes them better and uh certainly they are trying to uh bolster

Their roster for what they hope is a playoff run yeah they need more scoring punch and Rosier certainly delivers in that department I feel like that dude like always kills the Bulls in fact I looked up his career stats I was surprised to see he only averages in the

Teens because it seems like every time we look up he’s in the 30s or 40s against the Bulls he’s had some big games against the Bulls um tough player Big Shot maker um his assists are up this year um I love that trade for Miami certainly bolsters their offensive

Production and uh you know Jimmy Butler obviously is the heart and soul and the and the heartbeat of that franchise and he just pulls people along with them tough-minded players and you know Kyle Lowry is as tough as they come but Rosier is tough and also more talented

And younger and a better score so it’s just a great fit for Miami and uh certainly helps their franchise yeah Rosier is up there with uh Legends like fking cork M for Bulls killers in the world so yeah we’ll see what happens with him I think we need to add Kevin

Durant to that list yes’s let’s go there because um we’ve got a lot to talk about from the the Suns Bulls game there’s there’s a lot of threads to pull at uh but just an appreciation for just the coldblooded killer that is Kevin Durant I mean every moment you were there in

Phoenix like not not just the big shots in which everybody knew in the arena he was getting the shot but just like his everything he does he’s incredible player well it’s amazing because pregame Billy Donovan was asked about him from a phoenix riter because obviously Billy

Coached him in OKC and Billy almost kind of like uh predicted what was to come because he said you know the the best quality about Kevin is he he wants all of it he he leans into the big moments he he wants it all he does not run away

From anything pressure adversity and you know here he starts 0 for six from three four for 16 overall he was missing Point Blank wide open looks they were obviously finishing a backtack and then just completely took over down the stretch that last shot man I’m you know

Stacy is and Adam are obviously in my ear and um you know I heard Stacy go did he double clutch that I’m like yes yes he did I mean you can’t play much better defense than that but with his length and his scoring ability there’s not much

You can do except tip your cat yeah and you know he’s got two great players with him and even great as Booker I mean you know certainly we’ll talk about guys who have scored 70 points in this league uh you know including last night with embiid but like Booker is one of those

Guys who scored 70 uh in NBA history one of the few active players who scored 70 and I think even he has to defer to Durant in those situations and how can you not I mean he just is a great clutch player Rises up in those moments um I

Felt like getting back to the game and the 23-point lead lead that was blown which is really kind of difficult to swallow uh watching the game I thought everything hinged uh in the third quarter when uh Alex kuso U got in foul trouble and and came out like it felt

Like at that moment the game tipped and you could see the impact that kuso was bringing that wasn’t there with him on the bench in that moment just everything started to swing towards Phoenix’s why yeah and and as good as the blls were offensively and they were getting really

Good shots down the stretch so I don’t want depend too much on this that but they had a stretch where they went almost 13 minutes without an assist and um so kind of everything dried up for them and then that game got chippy um there in the third Demar took exception

To something Grayson Allen did and then Drew EU Banks I thought had a huge impact on the game he came in and kind of mucked things up um and you know the Bulls didn’t have the response that that is where to me the game was lost because

Down the stretch I thought the bulls actually played pretty well I thought they played defense well Durant just hit you know good good good defense better offense kind of thing and then you know they were getting good looks on the stretch they just you know and and they

Made a lot I mean that dear tied breaking shot was a vintage dear you know a tying shot was vintage dear in the lane so yeah that that’s that’s a tough one man that that to me was the most entertaining game of the season by far and that’s a tough one because

Beyond the 23-point uh lead you just you know you have an to start your road trip off on the right foot against a good opponent and get to within one game of 500 and to to lose in that fashion is I we’ll see what kind of response they have against

The Lakers yeah it was uh like you said entertaining was it was fun to watch even like as a a fan it was kind of like a perfect NBA game that had drama had back and forth at the end uh the other nice thing is both coaches were letting

Their teams play you know there there wasn’t this situation where you tend to in those games where where every possession is a fulltime out take the ball out of half court and Advance it like certainly um like we saw them okay run it Durant you run it D rozan run it

Um to your point about the 500 thing they’re now 21 and 24 uh getting to 500 is that a is that a vocalized goal that they’ve talked about because certainly when you start the way you’ve started the season at at five and 14 getting back to 500 would be a tremendous

Accomplishment and certainly to be in the playoff race and above the play in race last year they finished with 40 wins so obviously 40 and 42 and they were 10th in the East you need to get 500 or better if you want to host a playin game or certainly even better uh

Get out of the playin situation and get the six uh have they talked about getting back to 500 being this goal that they they just know they need to accomplish no and actually I would that I’m glad you bring that up I think that’s something about this point team I

Could I could address that I think I I I think is a good mindset for this team they never focus on um you know I I shouldn’t say never focus on WS losses but their focus is not on the result it’s on the way they play and playing to

Their standard and giving themselves chance to win we all know how difficult it is to win in this league but if you play with a compete level that they did last night you’re going to win more of your share than you’re going to lose and that’s kind of what the come filters

Down from the coaching staff compete you know play to a a compete level that is a certain standard so you give yourselves a chance to win and that filters down to the players so I don’t hear much about result I hear more more about um process

And and that’s what you’ve seen kind of them as they pulled themselves out of that five and 14 hole is they focused on you know just winning that possession you know doing playing the right way um and and that’s kind of been the the mindset throughout the the organization

That I felt being around the team so um I’ve not heard that talk um obviously they’re aware of their record they’re aware of their standings I mean all all players and all teams are but uh that’s kind of their their focus and approach as they as they move through the season

And do you get the sense specifically after that loss to the Suns do they take moral victories like is that something that they reject them yeah and to me that’s there’s no moral victories in professional sports it’s it’s a win it’s a win loss I mean you know we were

Talking to Kobe afterward who had a brilliant game and even he was rejecting like doesn’t matter man we lost the game and you know I’m gonna write about that on our website today just kind of Kobe’s rise and and how that’s part of it it’s just he’s not focused on at all

Individual stuff he’s about winning and that’s a big reason why I think he’s playing at the level he is because I mean Kobe had some shots you know he was going toe-to-toe with Kevin Durant I’m not saying there guarding each other but he had that one hesitation move where he

Scored over him and Kobe Was Not Afraid of the moment either so uh but no there’s no there’s no moral victories so Kobe came very close to his first career triple double actually the second time this season he’s come very close to his first career triple double um he has

Seemingly is starting to take another step in his Evolution we’ve already seen just this season a couple steps in his progression um you get the sense from his teammates specifically Demar D Roan the kind of like especially with LaVine being out again that they’re kind of recognizing the the player that Kobe is

And maybe the player he still could be yeah and that’s going to be a big focus of of the the piece that you’re going to see on our website today is dear’s praise for Kobe man it’s like I mean Demar knows the game as well with

Anybody he’s as Sage a veteran as there is and he’s been around and you know just he said what he looks for in a player is um the uh desire to uh work and compete and um try to impact winning focus on winning and Kobe checks all

Those boxes so again it’s not less about the stats and more about um you know that those mindsets and Kobe has them all I mean it’s it’s been remarkable to watch this rise I mean you know we’ve seen Kobe go through so much here in his

Time with the bulls and for a guy to look Inward and put the work in and address kind of his shortcomings and take this leap is is something to behold I mean you you can just feel it I mean he’s he’s a legit you know Frontline

Player now and you know if he continues on this path he’s going to be in the All-Star conversation not this season but moving forward uh haulk harelson called it twtw the will to win um and I think Kobe Kobe has that um as an aside has there been any discussion about the

Three-Point Contest and that is that something that Kobe is hoping that he gets invited to or hoping to participate in so I talked to him way back in then we were in that home in home in Miami in December about it and uh I gu enough

Times past that I can reveal this I mean Kobe look he he would be honored if you were be asked but he’s pretty he’s pretty upfront about how much that week means to him going back to North Carolina and reconnecting with his family and his friends he’s a very small

Town humble guy and obvious see if he’s asked he’s going to go um but let’s just say it would be a it would be a tough conversation for him because he really values that that home time in that break where where he can kind of just go be

Kobe white I mean he really enjoys his anonymity and this this um rise in terms of his play has been a little difficult for him I mean he’s very willing to do the media but he does not really uh enjoy talking about himself um and you

Know he’s a go-to guy now we talk to him every game that was not the case in previous Seasons so this has been an adjustment for him in that realm too uh and if he were to be asked um I don’t think he’ll be asked personally um I

Don’t think he has the star quality quite yet and um you know I think I’ve looked at his three-point numbers lately I think they’ve tailed off a little bit although um four for five last night so um it would it would be tough for him but I you know he’s also a respectful

Guy and he he would understand what that would mean not only for himself but for the fr anch so I I think he’d ultimately go but he really does enjoy his his time in in North Carolina over a break well hopefully if he is invited he can get a

Sunday morning flight from Indianapolis to Charlotte or Greensboro whatever is closest to him uh for that um speaking of Kobe the the one thing and and you know I don’t know if the anybody talked about it after the game one thing I was a little upset at is he didn’t get a

Shot attempt in the final three and a half minutes of the game it it really became the Kevin Durant and Demar D rozan show and now while D rozan had that great shot to tie the game it felt like there were a few possessions in that three and a half minute stretch to

Close the game where if you have a player who is ascending like Kobe I would like to see him get a little bit more touches yeah I mean that’s kind of been the blueprint for the Bulls offense I mean you saw in a recent game I remember

Which game it was Kobe oh the Toronto game you know kind of Kobe had some impact down the stretch you know was a little bit more focal point down the stretch but you know that’s kind of dear’s time and his Mo and then the team’s Mo again I thought actually the

Ball movement was pretty good down the stretch um so um but you know it is something that you know you also wonder like did they think about maybe going the last play to him I like Billy’s reasoning for the L to Patrick Williams

He he knew they had a file a give and he didn’t want to have them give take that give and then you know have time go off the clock which is why they went for the lob play to Patrick um and it was also kind of probably a little bit surprised

Move in the sense that probably a lot of people weren’t expecting that um but it’s it’s it’s a fair conversation um you know he’s that’s that’s the thing he’s put himself in that conversation where we’re having this debate uh should he get more of a focal point down the

Stretch it’ll only EXA mate if and when Zack is back you know because then you’ve got another option down the stretch as well uh any health update that we can share about Zack Le no he’s he he he he’s got a home in La and so he

Was out in La as of last night and we’ll meet the team this week um and has not started running and cutting yet so just doing straight up rehab now I would think it’s still being that one to two weeks uh range I would be surprised if

He plays on this road trip um but he he will join the team uh in La it’s looking increasingly more likely that he is going to be on the Bulls roster come 20101 p.m in February 8th um do you you get that sense like does this does this latest injury is it starting

To become a situation in which teams that maybe would have been interested in Zach because of his uh down year and now two different stretches of of missing extended time is that a situation in which teams May a little bit more hesitant to trade for him where they

Wouldn’t have I don’t think the injury plays much of a factor I mean it’s it’s a sprained ankle and he stepped on a foot I mean that’s that’s unavoidable that happens in this league to me it still comes down to the same parameters you need a team to get desperate and if

A team gets desperate enough they’ll make an offer that the Bulls have to consider to this point that has not happen I know he and Rosier don’t technically play the same position um but you know they’re both they’re they’re somewhat similar players and their scoring ability and their usage

And someone asked me today like is Rosier better than Zack line I said well this year he is I mean the numbers prove that so you know and Miami was a team occasionally you hear floa with LaVine I never reported them as having interest because I I never heard that they had

Any interest um but you know it just there’s another team that dries up you know even if they didn’t have interest there’s another team that’s now not trading for Zack LaVine so um I don’t know Charlotte says they’re not dealing there’s a team we’ve always pointed to

Is maybe they get desperate but if they’re getting off money in Rosier I don’t see them adding money in in Zach so it’s you just start taking them down one by one and yes the market seems like it’s drying up um a market that hasn’t really materialized at this point anyway

So obviously we’ll be having some fun with that storyline over the next coming days in Laker land um but uh it’s been pretty well documented the Lakers to this point have not shown much interest so uh we we might have to buckle up for February 9th and uh a Zack LaVine world

And the bull yeah and to be honest that’s not necessarily a bad thing you know like certainly start playing what the way he’s capable of you know we’ve all you you and I have both said many times I mean this dude can be one of the most

Elite and efficient scores in the league yeah and like so I think you know certainly there needs to be some uh coup’s counseling that needs to occur if they’re going to be together long term at least the medium term uh in that sense but Zach brings significant amount

To the team uh they are better with Zach and you know obviously you know they they they lost in Phoenix and they beat Memphis but you know I I just I don’t understand and I continue to see it on my timeline I do not understand the

Feeling by some members of the fan base who feel like this team is better without Zach maybe they’re better without Zach the way he has performed so far this season that’s it but even but even the way he was playing coming back from the 17 game absence the more well-rounded

Zach the one who was getting a lot of rebounds and a lot of assists like that version of Zach was contributing to winning it’s not like we saw them all of a sudden start to lose three out of four games because Zach was back like he was

Doing the right things and even to Donovan said a couple times he’d like to see Zach get a little more aggressive with his shot and I think LaVine will get there but if we get to a point in which Zach let’s say takes two weeks to return from the ankle injury and he’s

Back on this roster the first week in February and is on this roster on February 9th uh and plays in that game against Memphis on the night of the eth um they’re a better team for it than if they were to just ship him off to the

Best offer they would get on February 8th I mean they this isn’t a situation to me in which it’s a they have to trade them no matter what um and they’re not going to do a deal that is going to be bad for the future of the fr franchise

Taking on bad salary or not getting what they feel is a a good draft compensation or good player compensation I mean to me all along it’s really about one of two things if you’re get a trade sack it’s about getting a a young player who maybe hasn’t performed up to expectations on

Their current team who’s still under their rookie contract who’s still got a lot of upside or you’re looking about low protected first round picks multiple um in return and so if you’re not getting either one of those things doesn’t have to be both but if you’re not getting either one then what’s the

Point of making the trade like you’re you’re a better team with Zach as you’re starting shooting guard he is an absolutely Elite at what he does and he’s actually gotten better defensively we saw him during that stretch when he came back from the foot soreness that he was locked in defensively right multiple

Players and Billy talked about how he was engaged defensively now the huge question mark for him is can he be consistent with it like it’s probably a little bit easy to be locked in consistently for five games than it is for a full 82 uh but if we can get even

A fraction of that version of Zach that we saw healthy with the scoring that we know he can bring then this team is going to be firmly in the playing conversation and hopefully hosting a playing game and and if they continue to play like they have the six seed’s not

Out of round of possibility they need to play at a pretty high rate to get there and there’s a lot of teams bunched together in the East it’s not be easy but at the same time you want to put yourself in contention to at least at

The very least be in a situation which you would need to lose two to not be in the playoffs being the seven or eight in the playin situation um so yeah I mean I just I I don’t understand the the feeling that this team is better without

Zach look what happens like it’s it’s I think it’s a apples to oranges type comparison when you look at oh look how well Kobe’s played Without Zack Kobe played well when Zach was back yeah yeah so y yeah no go ahead I was going to say another player I think we should dive

Into a little bit who in his own is quietly progressing maybe not at the level that Kobe has is a dumu um IO is is quietly having a very good season he is bringing a lot to the floor the energy and the pace and the hustle and

The Heart in which he plays at is significant when he gets in the game is that something that you’ve noticed specifically these last couple weeks with him and really all season to a certain point yeah I talked about him on the broadcast briefly last night I mean

If you told me before the season that he’d be more in the rotation than uh than Javon Carter I would have laughed at you and uh I mean the way they moved to sign Javon Carter and resign Kobe white INF fre agency and the way they

Took their time to resign IO dumu who at one point you know was leaning towards thinking he’d be elsewhere um that tells you all you need to know I mean we were right in that day you know the sumu looks like he’s on the outside looking

In but I also always added the caveat every time you count that dude out he seems to find a way and lo and behold here we are um his his ability to push the pace in in in uh and get Advance the ball in transition is you know top two

Three on the team uh his defense his long arm his anticipation his toughness he’s improved his three point shooting um you have to give him a lot of credit um you know between him and Kobe those guys are on value contracts too so you’re getting not only strong play

Especially in Kobe’s case but you’re getting it on team-friendly deals so um a lot of credit to IO and I agree with you I mean he’s a valuable piece in this rotation and the way he plays defensively just really impacts the game yeah he’s hitting 37% from three this

Year which is significant Improvement where he was last year um you know and that’s that’s pretty good that’s above average right like the the elite Shooters in this league are shooting 39 40% plus from three um so he’s he’s right there um it’s it’s really good to

See he’s obviously a a Hometown Illinois kid and I think a lot of people really like to see him play well um you know Kendall Gil uh liai Legend included with that and so it’s good to see I think from a a fan standpoint that we now have

Two players who are homegrown developed players because one of the biggest knocks in this franchise in the last uh you know seven years or so has been the lack of development from their draft picks um and so we’re seeing that with Kobe we’re seeing that with a and that’s

A good thing to see you know certainly part of us the coaching staff part of us the development coach is a lot of it’s on the player uh themselves to to get better but it’s good that we’re finally seeing like these two players develop and get better um getting back to this

Road trip which is is pretty key uh for this team um it’s interesting just circling back to the LaVine stuff for a second on how multiple NBA Riders both plugged into the Lakers and National say there is zero chance of a Zack LaVine to LA deal so like there’s there’s usually

Sometimes a wiggle room where a reporter might phrase it like to this point I haven’t heard any discussions to this point I don’t think the Lakers are interested I seeing people definitiv like it was wior said flat out zero zero chance so you know I don’t know how much

The the writers gonna have to talk about when you’re in La about any of that and you know certainly if the Lakers I think were to get desperate as as you put it uh and make Austin Reeves available I think certainly there’s a potential there or if the Bulls were going to then

Include something else like Alex Caruso or a pick or Patrick Williams uh in a deal for LaVine I think then you could have talks but like like I don’t want to see even as much as I like Reeves and the potential ree Reeves has I don’t think necessarily A cruso and LaVine

Deal makes sense for the Bulls for that I mean like like Reeves has brings a lot to the table but he is one of the wor defenders in the entire league I mean like bottom 1% yeah I I I don’t see them doing that I mean I like I said I think

LaVine to the Lakers deals a long shot to begin with and adding Caruso to me makes it even more of a long shot I mean this team’s trying to win uh you know the other question is you I don’t know how this would work with the tax line is

Like let’s say we get past February 8th and um you know the LaVine still here the Bulls have a roster spot available so you know are we looking at a Patrick Beverly Redux uh situation where they’re adding somebody via the bio Market I mean this is the way this regime is

Opera they they are chasing relevancy via the playin or playoffs first round whatever so um they’re just below the tax line so I’m not sure they’re going to be going into the tax to do that uh but they have that ability to add a player via the buyout Market if they

Don’t get anything done between now and the trade deadline uh also obviously if they are at all off the tra you can take back an uneven number of players because they have that roster spot available so um I would just say wherever they land it’s going to be in the hunt for keeping

This competitive keeping this largely intact because that’s especially with the way they played last night and almost getting back to 500 with a great Road Victory uh against uh a good team um you know that just to me reaffirms what this regime believes is that that

This team can be a playoff team now they’re not basing decisions off one game I don’t want to give that impression however you know that’s just been their mindset in their M Mo for a while now is let’s let’s be competitive let’s chase the playoffs and I think any

Move uh Beyond between now and February 8th and Beyond is going to be hinged on that continuity that’s the word we’re looking at uh and this this Bulls Observer would be a little shocked if they went into the tax for for that so don’t uh I don’t think that’s going to

Be likely right now uh last night Kevin Durant went a little viral not just for his game-winning shots but his reaction at the podium to learning that Joel embiid uh hit 70 last night which is kind of like a cool moment if you’ve gotten a chance to watch that clip

Because um Durant is is truly finding out in the postgame Podium that andb got 70 and is kind of in shock for a moment and then it kind of goes in to appreciate like he actually has a very thoughtful answer after that talking about just the the game right now and

And beid specifically and how uh you have multiple defensive sets set up to try and stop embiid from doing what he does and teams can’t um you know certainly getting to Joel I mean right now all he has to do is get the 65 games

And the MVP is his um as much as I like SGA in the the season that Oklahoma City is having been having um you know I think if embid were to not get to that requirement 65 I think SGA is probably your your leader in the clubhouse if you

Will uh but just absolutely ridiculous you obviously in Phoenix and um you know I was keeping a close eye on the Bulls game but at the same time like watching some of these highlights roll in uh from the Philly uh game is just incredible um like he is a unique and special talent

And it’s it’s nice in the NBA right now to watch players perform at this incredible level I mean even at the same time I think embiid had 70 I think uh Carl Anthony towns hit 44 at halftime in his game and we were looking at you know

Maybe hit two players in 70 in the same night um just throw it to UKC is is the MVP race which I think EDS now over 36 a game uh averaging this season which is incredible considering he doesn’t play a lot of fourth quarters um is the MVP

Race is he by far your front runner hases anybody even have a chance to compete with him well I mean I was look to joic because to me He Still Remains the best player in the league I know a lot of people think MB is but I still favor joic just because

Of his ability to you know pass and um be certainly better than yic defensively and his scoring is so Elite I mean they’re both incredible players but embiid’s definitely having the best season this year but I mean it’s like the years where LeBron was always the

Best player um he didn’t always win MBP but I would always kind of say well he’s in the conversation because he’s the best player in the league and that’s how I would look at joic too SGA is up there too but yeah right now embs the MVP but

Um you know you still gotta see how the rest of the season plays out in Denver and with with what yic does it’s interesting with him because you know the conversation then as soon as we get into April is going to be can they advance in the playoffs you know

They’re they’re a little bit like like I’ll make a football comparison Joel embiid and Josh Allen are a little bit similar in the sense of this incredible talent but yet for some reason they can’t get to the Super Bowl right like they can’t get to in fact correct me if

I’m wrong I don’t think the Sixers have even been to the Eastern Conference Finals under Jo and beid um if I’m if I’m thinking correctly there and so um you know the the big question for him is is this the year they finally put it together with maxi and the support cast

They’ve gotten Philly certainly Boston in Milwaukee are going to be very difficult outs in the playoffs um so it’s it’s you know don’t want to get four months ahead of myself but I I I cannot wait until April and and May and see you know some of these teams in the

Playoffs which hopefully includes the Bulls as well um in that um so Casey you’re on the uh of this road trip with the team what is the mood with the team right now you know certainly coming off the The Phoenix lost are they are they confident are they up beat like what

What sense do you get being around the team right now yeah I mean the locker room uh last night was pretty normal um you know they knew that they played really well and they knew that they got beat by an incredible performance by Kevin Durant um obviously they were

Disappointed they lost but uh pretty normal postgame locker room uh they are off today because they don’t play till Thursday um so uh you know we’ll see him again tomorrow at practice uh in La um but yeah it’s a it’s a professional group um they they’re filled with guys

Who don’t really do a lot other than play basketball um I don’t you know so they’re they’re just kind of focused on the task at hand and um I expect that to continue for the rest of this trip the Lakers game will be fun obviously because you’re going from Kevin Durant

To LeBron James and Anthony Davis and obviously all the storylines inherent with the Lakers but uh they’ll be ready I mean this is a team that doesn’t dwell much on things they focus moving forward and it’s it’s a it’s a committed professional group and that’s kind of always been the case with with

This team uh last thing for you Casey Let’s uh flashback to Saturday um Derrick Rose and Memphis Grizzly’s in town at the United Center uh his very good friend and uh a bulls favorite Joe know was at the game joined Adam and Stacy uh during part of the game as well

Which was really nice to see um Joe and Derek have a special friendship and a special relationship just what what can you share about what you saw on Saturday between the two of them and the respect they have for one another and and how these these two teammates uh are now

Essentially lifelong friends yeah it goes well well beyond basketball obviously uh now and it started early in the day I mean joem Noah came to the grizzly shoot around joem obviously played for brenis briefly at the end tail end of his career they kind of helped resurrect his career to a happy

Ending um but that’s not why he was there he was there for something Bulls related at the United Center and also to see Derek um and you know the connection’s just genuine and and it’s like I said transcends basketball um you know Derek and Joe Keem were each active

Participants in each other’s weddings uh joem even officiated Derek’s wedding last summer which he talked about on the broadcast um so yeah you know the thing that always stands out to me is how much Joe Keem always had dereck’s back when there was kind of that shift in in our

City um and some people kind of turned on Derek for not playing and in that 12 13 um season and Jem always had his back um and you know they just they’ve been through a lot together and they both maintained Jem more emphatically than Derek that if they had stayed fully

Healthy they they really still to this day believe they would have got a chip so that would have been obviously an incredible story to cover always be a what if um but their their bond is cemented For Life do you think uh Derek understands how loved and appreciated he

Is by the people in this city he is now yeah he does he he understands that uh he feels that uh he doesn’t really spend much time worrying about it he’s such a guy who’s so comfortable in his own skin he’s really matured and obviously since

You he came in the league as a 19yearold he’s 35 now I talked to him briefly at the shoot around not for media um because he’s injured but just kind of catching up and he’s just got such a mature perspective on life and you know he’s got two-e deal there he said he’s

Very happy with the franchise he is just in a good place in his life uh but yeah he he feels the love and always you know Chicago’s home for him and I think that love will start to flow even more strongly once he retires and some of the

Postc career accolades start coming his way um but I think there has been kind of a over correction to the other side now uh regarding him and his standing uh because there was a time there where a lot of people turned against him and uh

That stung him deeply at the time uh I think he’s now you know he remembers those times but he also now feels where it’s gone to this point when he does retire I truly hope the Bulls send number one to the rafters you we certainly know for Joe and Derek

That the Ring of Honor is in their future right but for the Jersey itself I know this team has a extremely high threshold for what jersey number gets retired uh but to me Derek qualifies for that you win an MVP um you do what he did being from the

City like to me it’s a little bit like the pro Basketball Hall of Fame is not just the NBA right and so like for for Chicago Bulls to retire number one I think they should probably take into account uh you know Derek Simeon the legend he he did there and so that’d be

That’d be nice to see I hope I hope they do it you know certainly that debate will intensify once we get uh postretirement for Derek it’s you know certainly not going to happen now but you know um it’s not not a perfect comparison but we just saw the Miami

Heat retired Udonis Hassam uh number right and so the Bulls do the right thing retire number one when it comes to that time uh we could certainly have that debate uh when that occurs but like Ring of Honor for them um and then like retire number

One like he he deserves it um Casey thank you for your time uh if you want to check out Casey on Twitter SLX please do so kcj hoop uh all the latest on Zack LaVine injury or anything going on with any trade uh he will be all over it uh

Check out his work at NBC Sports chicago.com uh as well and the NBC Sports Chicago app uh for us you know certainly we’ve got some key games coming up later this week for the Bulls uh and by the way speaking of the trade deadline we’ll be doing a 2m streaming

Show on YouTube um and the NBC’s uh streaming app at 2m Central on Thursday February 8th with with h Kendall uh Jason gof and KC so we’ll React to what the Bulls do or do not do on that date but that’s still a couple weeks away A

Lot can happen between now and that time period so for KC and our producer behind the scenes Claire uh I’m Kevin Anderson this has been the Bulls Talk podcast brought to you by Toyota Let’s Go Places thank you for watching on YouTube or listening liking and subscribing and

Leaving a comment we always appreciate to hear what you think about the Bulls and the NBA at large so for everybody here have a great week everybody and go blls

On this episode of the Bulls Talk Podcast, K.C. Johnson and Kevin Anderson recap the Bulls’ loss to the Suns on Monday night. They discuss Kevin Durant’s 43-point outing and the Bulls blowing a 23-point lead. They also look at Coby White’s evolution and his continued growth during the season. Later, they discuss Zach LaVine’s injury and if it impacts the trade market. Is the team better with or without LaVine? Finally, they discuss Joel Embiid dropping 70 points on Monday night and the Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah reunion.

#ChicagoBulls #CobyWhite #ZachLaVine

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Reacting to Bulls loss to Suns and Coby White’s evolution
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