Bubble glum in this pack of stars
Rondo injury aside, NBA’s top players ready to turn it on
The Bulls know all too well what happens when Rajon Rondo injures his right thumb.
It was back in 2017 when former coach Fred Hoiberg was looking to shock the world in his lone playoff appearance. The Bulls were up 2-0 against the top-seeded Celtics, and the series was returning to the United Center.
In the first two games against his former team, Rondo averaged 11 points, 8.5 rebounds and 10 assists, including falling one rebound shy of a triple-double in Game 2.
But the news about Rondo’s broken right thumb followed the Game 2 victory.
Rondo was out of the series, and the Bulls were out too after losing the next four games without their veteran presence at lead guard.
Three years later, the news coming out of the bubble last weekend was just as bad for Rondo, now with the Lakers. His thumb again was broken, and he’ll be out a possible eight weeks after surgery.
The good news?
They could get him back for the second round of the playoffs, adding strength to their bench for a deep run.
Even better news?
The Lakers don’t need Rondo like the Bulls did. Not when the headliners are LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Preseason games start next week in the restart bubble in Orlando, Florida, and should the bubble hold, that duo looks to the most important asset for any team.
But they aren’t the only key players to keep an eye on. Heck, a few of these players might catch a lot of Bulls interest for different reasons.
Fred VanVleet, Raptors
The days of living in Kyle Lowry’s shadow as a lead guard will soon be over for the undrafted VanVleet. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and with many teams facing a tighter cap in the wake of the coronavirus and the league’s issues with China, the asking price might be far less than in previous years.
VanVleet, born in Rockford, actually would be the perfect player for the Bulls, as he’s able to run a team and be a knock-down three-point shooter. The problem is the only way he becomes a reality for the Bulls is if Otto Porter Jr. decides not to pick up his player option, a very unlikely scenario.
In the meantime, he was huge for the Raptors’ title run last season, and with Kawhi Leonard no longer around, the auditions for postseason hero will take place soon.
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, Heat
No single player had more success defending Giannis Antetokounmpo this season than Adebayo.
If the Heat plan on making a title run, they likely will have to go through the Bucks and will rely on defense. If Adebayo could hold his own against Antetokounmpo, former Bull Jimmy Butler can defend the rest.
Miami went 2-0 against the Bucks before the shutdown, but can they keep it going when the stakes are much higher?
Kawhi Leonard, Clippers
Is the forward ready to take the iron throne from “King James?’’ Well, a third NBA title and a third Finals MVP would put him in the same conversation.
If there’s a team constructed to wipe out the Lakers’ chances, it’s the in-town rival Clippers, but Leonard again would have to be magical on both ends of the floor for that to happen.