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This year is no different. Kawamura knows he can make an impact in this league. And he’ll take any opportunity to prove that point, again and again. “I believe I still can play in the NBA,” Kawamura said after his first NBA Summer League game with the Chicago Bulls. “I want to get a contract — two-way, whatever. I just want to get a contract.”
Nikola Vucevic done with National Team after Eurobasket?
Despite his pride and long-standing role in the international scene since his first EuroBasket in 2011, 35-year-old Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic has hinted that the upcoming FIBA EuroBasket 2025 will likely be his last with the national team. "I think after the EuroBasket, that'll be it," Vucevic told Vijesti, via FIBA. "I'll give my best, enjoy it, and try to achieve the best result possible. I'm entering the final phase of my career," he added. "My focus will shift to rest during summers, to be with my family. It's not 100 percent certain, but at the moment I believe these will be my last games for the national team."
K.C. Johnson: You ever golf with Caruso? He's pretty good. Matas Buzelis: No, I haven’t. I was supposed to golf with Zach LaVine. Interviewer: Also good. Matas Buzelis: Yeah, he’s also— He’s not better than me, though. K.C. Johnson: You hear that, Zach? Zach, you're not better than me. I saw him play. He’s all right. He’s not better than me.
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Matas Buzelis: I always believe I could be the best
Matas Buzelis: What's my ceiling? I—I don't know. I don't know. I think I could be the best. I mean, that's just how I think. I always believe—I always think—I could be the best. So I never put a limit on anything for me. That's just how I was raised. I think I could be the best player ever. That's just how I think. And if you don't think like that, I mean—it's not the sport for you.
K.C. Johnson: All right, we're here with Matas. We're in Las Vegas Summer League, but I want to start with a look back. I have not asked you what your reaction was to making All-Rookie Second Team. Matas Buzelis: Oh yeah. Honestly, to have your name on something like that, to have the award, is always an honor. It shows the countless hours of working in the gym. Even looking back at playing AAU, sacrificing my childhood life to play basketball. All the memories come flying back — me and my mom driving an hour to go work out, staying there, working out hard three, four hours. It’s honestly a blessing. Hopefully I get more awards soon. K.C. Johnson: Any part of you mad you weren’t on First Team? Matas Buzelis: I'm always mad. I always think I could do better. I wanted that Rookie of the Year, but it's all in God's plan. Second Team All-Rookie is not bad either.
Tim Bontemps: I suspect again here I would be surprised if there isn't a deal that's struck at some point between Josh Giddey and the Bulls. I just, you know, the the question I think is is it going to be something in the 20 to 25 million range per or is it going to be something, you know, well north of that? Tim MacMahon: And that from what I hear, that's kind of the difference in the discussions right now. Tim Bontemps: And look, Josh Giddy's a talented player. I wouldn't want to sign him to either deal because to your point, it's you're sort of signing yourself up to be a 35 and 47 team if you have him as your main engineer offense, which is right about where the Bulls were last year and probably will be going forward if they have him doing that. But he is a talented player. If you do believe in him continuing to grow and improve, like somewhere in the 20-25 million range is probably a reasonable deal for everybody. Again like I would assume that gets done at some point and that he doesn't sign the qualifying offer. But Josh Giddey has put up a lot of numbers and you know he I think there's a a belief that he's got a chance to be a high level player and so I could see him saying well I was a sixth pick in the draft. I've made a decent amount of money. I get another $11 million. There's a lot of cast space next summer. I'll take my chances.
Bulls, Josh Giddey still in talks over potential new contract
Multiple sources told ESPN they expect Josh Giddey and the Bulls to eventually come to a contract agreement, and the two sides have had some positive discussions. Yet, Giddey has been seeking a contract for approximately $30 million annually. With little cap space available this summer, Giddey's options for alternatives outside of Chicago dried up quickly, giving the Bulls leverage to hold off for a more team-friendly deal.
The league collection includes NBA and MLB sports teams from L.A. (Dodgers and Lakers), Chicago (Bulls, Cubs and White Sox) and New York (Mets and Knicks), offering Mitchell & Ness Jerseys, hoodies, t-shires and hats repping the teams and Blackpink.
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Jake Fischer: Josh Giddey is in Las Vegas, but has noticeably been absent from both Bulls games at Summer League. Several veterans just sat courtside here. Certainly seems like an indication that negotiations between the point guard and Chicago are not trending in an amicable direction.
Because of the penalties in the first and second salary-cap thresholds now smacking teams in the face, players have been unable to involve teams in a bidding war. That’s where the Giddey situation stood Saturday. The Sun-Times reported last week that Giddey’s camp still was hoping for a contract akin to the $30 million per year guard Jalen Suggs got from the Magic, but the Bulls haven’t gone there. The dialogue between the sides has remained good, but there is still no resolution.
Rookie forward Noa Essengue’s debut Friday wasn’t just humbling, it was a disaster. The 18-year-old looked like a freshman playing with the varsity. He was pushed around like a baby giraffe, turned over like a French pastry — seven giveaways, to be exact — and became a passive bystander in the second half. Essengue scored only five points and was a minus-32 in just less than 25 minutes against the Raptors. Even more alarming was afterward, when he admitted he was ‘‘surprised’’ by the physicality. He very well might have been, but it probably wasn’t something he should have admitted. ‘‘I need to improve everything: my dribble, my shooting skills, my go to the basket,’’ Essengue said. ‘‘I missed a lot of shots. I [had] a lot of turnovers. I just need to get better [in] everything. I just need to be more physical, more ready.’’ Donovan III was blunt, too. ‘‘This league has humbled all of us at some point,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m really interested to see how he’s going to respond.’’
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