![]() ![]() His foot-speed isn't going to increase overnight, but with a slightly better effort at that end, Valentine could work his way towards starter status sooner than many think. The front office will also want him to show at least minimal improvement on defense, which should be possible with the Bulls' new switch-heavy system hopefully keeping him more engaged on that end. The Bulls are woefully thin at small forward, and with Chandler Hutchison clearly not NBA-ready and Jabari Parker playing out of position, Valentine-who played 94 percent of his minutes at SF last season-will be depended on to provide steady offense.He was a 38.6 percent 3-point shooter last season, and averaged 4.2 assists per 36 minutes, and impressive number for a wing player such a low usage rate. The injury is supposed to keep him out for 1-2 weeks, and Chicago certainly could use his shooting on the floor, seeing as Lauri Markkanen is out for an extended period with his right elbow injury. With the summer fully behind him, Valentine is focusing on rehabbing his left ankle, which he tweaked in a practice. Denzel Valentine on his Drew League experience I didn’t really care that much about it, but it kind of made me realize who I am and every time I step on the court, no matter where I am, whether it’s the park or I’m in this building, it’s for real. ![]() Valentine didn't back away from answering questions about Frank "Nitty" Session's 44-point explosion. In a story released on Friday afternoon, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times talked to Valentine about his summer experience. Chicago could then look to fill the roster spot with somebody else, while Valentine could find a new home that makes more sense for him.Over the summer, Denzel Valentine played in the well-know Drew League Pro-AM circuit, getting torched in one of the more memorable performances in the league's history. He came home from class and sat with his older brother, Drew, who asked how his day went. Did I mention he also released a rap album Forget I said that and spare yourself the time. Valentine shot 39 from the field and 35 from downtown in 19.8 MPG. ![]() ![]() He averaged 7.1 PPG, 1.9 APG, and 3.4 RPG. Lani Tons/Provided photo The first time Denzel Valentine ever freestyled for anybody was in middle school. During his time in Chicago, Valentine played in 232 games. He held averages of 2.9 points (while shooting 40.9 on 2.0 three-point attempts a night) and 1.7 rebounds in 9.3. Bulls guard Denzel Valentine plans to release his debut album, 517 Made Me, sometime before the next NBA season begins. And even though they could probably bring back Valentine for even less than that $4.7 million, these two sides should part ways after this rocky four-year tenure. In 22 games with the Cavaliers, Valentine functioned as a fringe rotation player. However, the Bulls shouldn’t even bother with the qualifying offer. CHICAGO Valentine’s Day 2021 is a day Denzel Valentine has been waiting for. This could lead to Valentine’s return given a likely lack of bigger offers on the market. The Bulls are lacking in the shooting and playmaking department, and Valentine theoretically can provide that off the bench at a relatively cheap price. Valentine did average 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 38.6% on 3-pointers in 77 games in 2017-18. Perhaps Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley are intrigued by Valentine’s skill set enough that they at least extend the $4.7 million qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent. He also struggles on the defensive end and is rather ambitious with his shot selection for a player of his caliber. He came into the league with a red flag on his right knee, and he has since undergone surgeries on his left ankle (twice) and left knee. Valentine may have some tantalizing skills, but he has only produced one semi-productive season in the NBA ( 2017-18) and has a number of injury red flags. The fresh start could, and should, come this offseason, and it has nothing to do with whether or not Boylen is still the coach. He later questioned Boylen’s status with the team. Ultimately, the guard didn’t get dealt as the Bulls stood pat at the trade deadline, even though he surely would have liked a fresh start. Valentine never explicitly asked for a trade, but there were rumors with his name involved. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |