Chemistry beat out adding talent after all.
On a NBA trade deadline day that saw the Eastern Conference powerhouses push some large stacks of chips to the middle of the table, Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas explored some interesting options, according to a source, but in the end opted to stay the course and wait for the buyout market.
Karnisovas and coach Billy Donovan had been preaching the high chemistry of this current locker room for weeks, as well as the idea of adding injured players like Lonzo Ball (knee surgery), Alex Caruso (wrist surgery), Patrick Williams (wrist surgery) and Derrick Jones Jr. (finger) at some point in March, and were in agreement that chemistry like the Bulls have shown this season was unique.
“We like our group a lot, we like the chemistry a lot, we want to make sure that continues,’’ Donovan said last week. “Chemistry in the locker room is critical, it’s important. Certainly Arturas is always going to look for ways to improve the group, but you don’t want to say, ‘OK, we’ve improved our talent, but we’re not as cohesive and the chemistry is not as good.’”
Bulls players were also in full agreement with that mentality.
“We’re missing Lonzo Ball, one of the top point guards in the league,’’ DeRozan said. “Alex Caruso, one of the best defenders in this league. Patrick Williams, one of the young stars in this league. We haven’t had those guys. And we have them, they’ll be back. We don’t need to worry or stress about having nobody else. Those three right there, I guarantee every team in this NBA wished they had those three guys. We’ll be fine.’’
