Harrison will be signed, Asik on his way out
The Bulls are continuing their quest to get younger and more athletic.
In a move set to be announced Sunday, the Bulls will sign guard Shaquille Harrison and waive injured center Omer Asik, sources said.
The Suns waived Harrison, 25, on Monday after he averaged 6.6 points in 23 games for them last season. The 6-foot-4 point guard was undrafted out of Tulsa.
Asik, 32, acquired from the Pelicans as part of the Nikola Mirotic trade, hasn’t been with the Bulls this season because of inflammatory arthritis. His $11.3 million deal this season is fully guaranteed, while the Bulls will owe him $3 million next season on a partial guarantee.
When the Bulls acquired Asik, that partially guaranteed 2019-20 salary was touted as a potential trade chip. Instead, the Bulls moved on, taking another flier on a young athlete and trying to shore up a position that could improve.
Point, counterpoint: As for point guard, with Kris Dunn out a second straight game following the birth of his son, coach Fred Hoiberg again started Cameron Payne against the Pistons on Saturday night at the United Center. On Friday, Hoiberg said he was mulling a lineup change if Dunn didn’t return. But he kept Ryan Arcidiacono as the backup.
“I thought Cam got us into some good offense (in the season opener),” Hoiberg said, when asked to explain the move. “I like how Arch brings energy off the bench.”
Dunn is scheduled to play Monday in Dallas, though Hoiberg said the guard will join the team in the afternoon and miss the morning shootaround.
Heavy hardware: It’s not unprecedented but certainly rare when a Coach of the Year is fired. But such was the case for Pistons coach Dwane Casey, who won the award for his work with the Raptors. Casey, who was a finalist for the Bulls’ job that Vinny Del Negro won in 2008, never got past LeBron James in the playoffs.
“The page is definitely closed. That’s part of the NBA,” Casey said of his Toronto stint. “We were unfortunate to go up against 23 for that number of years and just come up short. But that was their prerogative. I’m in a great situation with a great owner, great front office and great nucleus.”
Casey said he received texts of support from all 29 head coaches, as well as retired and overseas coaches.
Layups: The home opener prompted the Bulls to introduce the entire roster, and select season-ticket holders accompanied players as they entered the court through a tunnel. … The Bulls honored Trail Blazers owner and Microsoft founder Paul Allen with a moment of silence. Allen died last week.