Holiday ready for challenge of Bulls' rebuild
Bulls free-agent addition Justin Holiday knows what he's getting into by returning to Chicago. The primary goal of the team next season is to get a high draft pick in 2018.
“I've struggled my whole career to get where I am. That's stuff I can handle very well,” Holiday said in a conference call Tuesday. “You're going to struggle at some point, we don't know how bad; I guess everybody assumes it's going to be very tough for us.
“That's what makes you grow. It's how you get through the tough times that makes you grow into the player and people that we're supposed to become.”
That positive attitude is one reason the Bulls grew to appreciate Holiday when he played 27 games for them late in the 2015-16 season. Holiday was included in the Derrick Rose trade to New York last year, but now he's back after officially signing a two-year, $8.9 million deal.
The 6-foot-6 wing wasn't drafted when he left the University of Washington in 2011. His NBA experience is limited in some ways, but he was part of Golden State's 2015 championship team and now at 28, he's the third-oldest player on the Bulls' roster behind Dwyane Wade and Robin Lopez.
“It's a first for me,” he said. “I know I can help young guys, especially getting through a season dealing with certain situations that might not go your way, because I have been through so much.”
Holiday played in Belgium, Hungary and the D-League before becoming a full-time NBA player. He impressed with the Bulls because he could do just about everything well: score, defend, run the floor. He had his best season last year in New York, averaging 7.7 points and playing in all 82 games.
Holiday grew up in the San Fernando Valley sharing a bedroom with his younger brother Jrue, now a well-paid point guard with the New Orleans Pelicans. There was talk before free agency began that the brothers wanted to play on the same team.
“I think Jrue and I wanted to play together; we just weren't sure where,” Holiday said. “I guess it could have been a possibility, but it wasn't as appealing as Chicago was for me. One thing that does feel good, especially with the career I've had, is to be wanted somewhere.”
The Bulls are looking to add some helpful players this summer but weren't going to aim high since Step 2 of their rebuilding plan is to get a high draft pick next year, with probably more to come.
A photo appeared on Instagram on Tuesday of Holiday posing with new and former teammates Nikola Mirotic and Cristiano Felicio. Mirotic remains in limbo as a restricted free agent, but the fact that he's still working out at the Advocate Center every day is a clear sign he expects to return to the Bulls.
It's possible Mirotic still could get an offer sheet from another team, but the cap space is starting to dry up around the league.
After Brooklyn saw its offer sheet matched for Washington's Otto Porter Jr., the Nets decided to absorb DeMarre Carroll's $15 million salary in exchange for a first-round pick from Toronto. So it remains to be seen if Brooklyn will try again with a restricted free agent.
Payne leaves summer league
Point guard Cameron Payne left the Bulls' summer-league team in Las Vegas due to family reasons. He's the third Bulls player to drop out, joining Kris Dunn, who left for personal reasons, and Paul Zipser, sidelined by a sprained ankle.
Payne wasn't particularly impressive in the Bulls' first two games, both losses. He didn't shoot well (9-for-26) and seemed more interested in shooting than making plays for teammates.
Bulls get first win
Antonio Blakeney scored 23 points and Lauri Markkanen added 20 as the Bulls picked up their first win at the Las Vegas summer league, defeating Washington 82-73. Blakeney, a rookie shooting guard from LSU, hit 4 of 5 shots from 3-point range, while Markkanen grabbed 10 rebounds.
After getting blown out in their first two games, the Bulls led 33-15 after the first quarter against Washington.
Denzel Valentine contributed 15 points but hit just 6 of 21 shots. Deerfield native Duje Dukan joined the Bulls' summer team Tuesday and scored 11 points. He had been playing for the Atlanta Hawks' squad.
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