Patrick Williams Says “I Need to be Better”, Bounce-Back Season Loading? | CHGO Bulls Podcast

Patrick Williams Says “I Need to be Better”, Bounce-Back Season Loading? | CHGO Bulls Podcast

What up, Bulls Nation? We’ve got a live CH show Bulls coming up right around the corner. On today’s show, it’s day three of Bulls training camp, another practice in the books. Goat was there. We heard from Patrick Williams, who had a lot to say about his self-improvement. We’ll also talk about Zack Collins and Jaylen Smith, that battle for the primary backup minutes at center behind Vu. All of that and more on a fresh show Bulls next. Oh my god. [Music] Get down. [Music] You can’t pick and choose things that you want to do or not want to do and then say you want to win. Like it’s it’s not a buffet. Like the rules are the rules. Winning takes what it takes and you got to be willing to do it. So listen, we’ve taken more charges in the last two days of practice than we took in 82 games. CHO Bulls podcast coming to you live from our studios here in West Loop, downtown Chicago. I’m PC. Bulls_p. That’s big day. Bam. Bow bow. PWL sports. Will the goal perfectly qu queen of the controls, the one and only K. What up Katie? 6 and 1/2 hours, you guys. Six and a half hours until what? Till what? The Taylor Swift album comes out. Wait, wait, did it drop at midnight? It drops at I’m doing the math. Wait, I’m not good at math. Let me do this again. It drops at 11:00 p.m. Oh, then you were right. No, that I’m doing the math right. If it drops at 11:00 p.m., then you are correct. 6 and 1 half hours, you guys. How excited we all are. I don’t appreciate the sarcasm today. Well, we’ll talk we’ll talk about it on tomorrow’s show once we’ve all had a chance to digest it. Are you all going to listen to it before we come in here tomorrow? First thing I’m going to do if it means when it drops. If it means something to you, then I will. You’re going to listen to it before you come into this building tomorrow. Not before I come into the building, but I will listen to it. Do I have to pay to listen to it? Do you have like a streaming service of some kind? Like a Spotify album? I I use Spotify, but I just pay or I mean I just use Spotify free, so I have an ad. You’ll just have to listen to ads, but you don’t have to pay additional to listen to it. Okay, good to know. Great. We’ll talk about It’s on my to-do list. Uh what’s going on Nation? Hope you’re having a great Thursday. And yes, the Cubs are playing a do or die game three of their wild card series against the Padres’s right now. Shout out to our CS Cubs crew doing a live watch along right across this hall uh wall rather in studio A. Um but we are here to talk Bulls basketball. That’s why we’re always here. Yes, it was day three of training camp today. Uh you just heard in the opening Billy Donovan, Bull’s head coach, say a pretty interesting statement that they have taken more charges in three days worth of practices this week of training camp than by his estimation they took in all of last season. Dave, what what was your first thought when you heard that sound for Billy? Yay. I didn’t know how, honestly, I didn’t know how to take it. I mean, it is progress. It is something. If the coach is noticing it, you know, off jump and it’s your first couple days, I I would say it is definitely something. So, it lends itself to the Bulls talking about playing with more physicality, uh, establishing more of a defensive identity. Uh, I don’t know why it wasn’t a thing before that they did it. I mean, I’m not going to go into that. No need to. It’s not that they didn’t have a defensive stalworth here before. they did in a guy like Alex Caruso, but it feels like it’s uh being harped upon more now. So, yeah, since it’s being harped upon more now, they’re doing it and it’s good to hear Billy say that. Now, will the officials find it to be charges or not is what we will find out when the games begin, but it makes me also uh want to see what it looks like when they get to the preseason. Well, they’ve had NBA officials in practice uh for the last couple days. So they’ve been calling them. Um 13 charges last year, which was fourth fewest in the entire league. Um so yeah, I mean four or five a day. And they didn’t even really scrimmage today. So really it was probably two days, seven or eight in two days each each of two days. So um yeah, I mean I think like this is a team that needs to harness and find that sort of physicality in order to like get to a passable level. This is not a defensive unit that I think you can sit here and ask to be top 15, top 10 over the course of a year, but if as a collective group, everybody gives you 10 or 15% better, then yeah, maybe you can get around league average. And I think that’s that would be like a great outcome, especially if the offense uh continues to uh improve and and play at a level uh where they need to get to. So, um, for me, I think like it just takes everybody ratching it up a little bit in order to bring the most out of the guy you’re competing against and then maybe it comes back around. So, uh, I think that that stuff really matters. And look, taking charges is a form of rim protection, right? Like if you are getting down to the basket and drawing those kind of fouls, that’s taking away shots at the rim, right? So, this team does not really have that. Uh, the team defense was really good with Zack Collins out there, but even he was not even getting a block per game. So, uh, Vu obviously being big and deterring shots helps. Uh, Jaylen Smith can block some shots, but like this is not a team that has elite shot blocking. Hopefully, Modis can provide some of that. Uh, but Chargers going to have to be a big part of it and sliding over and being the low man and protecting the rim in that way. I think it’s going to be a big deal. And that statement for Billy came as part of an answer that started about talking Patrick Williams uh, and his need to be more physical. Pat talked about that himself as well. We’ll get to that a little bit later on. But we thought or at least I thought you thought we like look this off season when we talked about Pat it was not much more than an eye roll and you know being frustrated with the fact that they gave him that big contract and that contract was about potential and not about anything he had proven in the league up to that point. He’s also dealt with some injuries over the past few years that have maybe had something to do with his lack of production and his lack of confidence when he has been able to be on the floor. But I think it could benefit us as Bulls people to have just like try to take the emotion out of it. Try and take any preconceived notions out of it. Just a level-headed conversation about the fact that Pat is healthy. And by the way, the update today uh from Billy was positive after the little like ankle tweak at at the other day’s practice. Pat’s fine. Was a full participant today. So that’s good news. Where in this team does he fit? Where in this rotation could Pat fit? And knowing that he is very likely going to be here a while because of said contract, what Bulls fans can realistically hope to see from him? Where where do you where do you stand on that right now, Dave? trying to a brain conversation, not a heart or angry fan conversation. Absolutely. Absolutely right. It’s the fair way to approach it. Yeah. Uh when we’re talking about uh Patrick Williams, um there’s room for him on the team because now he he hasn’t achieved what he’s needed to achieve. So, there’s still room for him on this team. That hole that was there previously is still kind of there. So, he’ll have an opportunity is what I’m saying. He’ll still have an opportunity to get out there on the floor and find out what he can do because what he can do and his skill set is sorely needed. Uh it needs to be, you know, elevated for sure, but a guy who can, you know, shoot threes and who can play the defense that uh we’ve seen him play in the past that can that’s still available for the Chicago Bulls, that hole is still there. So whether you’re talking Kevin Herder or whether you’re talking Isaac Akuro, one can do one thing really well and the other can do the other thing really well. one offense and defense is what I mean. But with Patrick, you would like it to be both of those things good and not really well. Just good. He’s gonna have to earn it back though in my opin I don’t know how Billy is looking at it. But I think when I look at it, if I’m if I’m the coach, I would say, okay, well, you got to earn some things back, man. Because of what’s happened last year, you lost a lot of trust, you know, in in putting you out there on the floor. And he got a lot of opportunity last year, a ton. uh being in the starting lineup, then being moved to the bench to where he wanted to be. Ben still Billy still trying to find a way he can fit him in in certain situations like he he never gave up on Patrick um Williams out there on the floor. But I still feel like he needs to earn his way back to that and shouldn’t be given that. And I think that’s fair to when you coming off the season that we saw you come off of to earn it earn your way back to it. I think it’s a fair thing. So hopefully he comes in with the right mindset and it feels like he’s come in, you know, with the right mindset and we hope it equates to something that is on the floor that looks better than what we’ve seen previously. Sounds like the Cubs just did something. Cubs put on a run. Cubs put on Cubs put on a run. Um, you’ll love to see it. And they are charged. I have a question. What’s up, Kitty? I wonder how much of the frustration with Pat and I feel similarly about the frustration with Giddy. Yeah. I wonder how much of the frustration with Pat is about him and how much of it is about these kind of unearned opportunities that he’s given because Billy Preach is a lot about like earning your minutes and we were all frustrated last season, you know, with the minutes or lack thereof that Modis was getting and then Pat was just kind of getting whatever kind of minutes Billy wanted to give him. And I feel similarly about like, you know, are people frustrated with Giddy because of his skill set or because of the fact that we traded away Caruso to get him? like I I wonder how much of it is actually on Pat versus the situation that the team has kind of put him in. So I I I want to say something about that because I think that a lot of times with especially young players, you see the highlight reel dunks and you see, you know, a couple of hit threes or block shots with like with Modis last year and even though he’s playing 13 games, you’re, you know, wondering why he’s not playing more because you’re seeing those flashes. And I think that those are what I just described them to be. They’re flashes. When you are a young player, just making a sick dunk or getting a steal and a run out does not mean you’re playing well. It means that you had a a nice play. But there’s so many things on a play-to-play basis that Billy needs each of these guys to do from knowing their positioning to knowing like when to float into space, uh when to cut, when to, you know, slide over and protect the rim. uh to be able to guard guys in space. There’s a lot of things that every player has to do in order to earn their minutes. Not just Modis, not just Patrick, but I think that it does speak to the fact that, you know, and Patrick has played less over the last year than he did at any other point in his career. Um 26 minutes per game pre- all-star break, but only 22 after the All-Star break. So, it’s not like Patrick’s out here, you know, playing 36 minutes a night. But I think it does speak to the fact that there are some of those things that he does that probably go unnoticed because of the lack of the highlight plays. And I think that’s something to keep in mind when you’re evaluating any player is like Billy is not just giving anybody minutes. I think that there is a gap at the power forward position. Modis has obviously stepped into that role and I think he will continue to do that, but there is not really a backup power forward yet. Hopefully Noah gets into that point. Um, but like look, what is one of the biggest knocks that people have had on Patrick over the years is the lack of rebounding. Like maybe there is some room for him to be the three and he won’t have to be the the weight of carrying the rebounding won’t be as much on his shoulders. Uh, he’ll still have to do it. He’ll still have to be better. I’m not saying that he does everything perfect. Um, but I don’t know. I I I just think that there are things that he does that probably go unnoticed because there’s a lot of other really quiet parts of his game. And that was the messaging that I got from him today when we talked to him, which was, “I need to be better.” Like, I think he’s similar to the way I talk about Giddy. Pat’s always been very self-reflective, self-aware, knows what to say, and has always said the right thing. There’s a difference between saying and doing, as Dave likes to say. Uh, but I do think that like him coming into camp with kind of a clear mind of he’s got his body fully healthy. He did not have that going into last season. He was coming off the surgery. uh he got hurt early on in the season, wasn’t really able to ever get into a rhythm, and you know, he he even said it like those aren’t excuses, but it’s just the reality of the situation. So, um I I still think that there’s like a mentality and a physicality piece that he needs to get up to. And hopefully the rest of the group and the way that they’re going about their training camp is going to help him reach that level. I’m not saying it will or won’t, but I do think that uh he seems to be coming into camp with the right mindset of like I know last year wasn’t great. Uh and that and that he needs to be better this year. And I think he also has at least a little bit of a better understanding of like how we can do that compared to previous years where and and Ma said this too at media day where it was like I came into last season just thinking I needed to be good at everything and now I know there’s like a couple of key things I need to work on. It sounded like that’s what Patrick was saying as well today. So, um, look, I I’m not sitting here saying he’s going to play 30 minutes a night, uh, but like if he played 20 as a backup power forward, would it surprise me? No, because I just don’t think that there’s really an answer there right now. And I do think to your point, Matt, that like look, he’s on the roster. This is four more years of of Patrick Williams on the roster. So, they have to not give him minutes, but they have to hope that he can get into a position where he is contributing. Um, and so he’s he’s got to earn that, but I also think that he’ll have opportunities because of the lack of other options right now. Yeah. Do we want uh Katie, do we got time before break to actually hear from Patrick? That take a break. Okay, let’s uh let’s knock out our first break uh here. Uh we’ll get to some of y’all’s comments about Pat in the chat and hear from Patrick himself after today’s practice. While we are doing that, you know what y’all should be doing is hitting that like button and also making sure you are subscribed to the CHO Sports YouTube channel. As Katie just mentioned in the chat, we are closing in on that 90,000 subscribers mark right here at CHO Sports on YouTube. Make sure you’re subscribed if you aren’t already while you listen to these words from our friends and sponsors. Multitask. Today’s show brought to you by Circus Sports Book. Whatever the sport, the app to bet is Circus Sports Illinois. Circus Sports is sports betting the way it should be. Circus Sports Illinois has high betting limits, low holds, and exceptional customer service. featuring real human beings. Yeah. Not AI bots and AI videos where you look and you’re like, “What the heck’s going on here? Where did all the humans go?” Human beings. Yeah. Circus humans. I appreciate that. But on all your favorite teams at every game this season, football is underway. Preseason hockeyy’s happening. 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Here is part of what he had to say. Katie, take it away. Um, I know you are a very team oriented guy and like we’ve always asked you what your goals are and you always just say win, but with some space and hindsight from, you know, how things ended last year, how do you assess the season that you had and um, what are some of the things that you’re kind of focused on improving on next year? Um, in terms of the last season, obviously I don’t I wasn’t my best. Um, no excuses for that. No excuses for that. Uh, so one just being better. I think I think that’s that’s part of being a leader. you have to look yourself in the mirror and say, “Okay, I need to be better.” Um, before Billy does it, before the coaching staff does it, before my teammates do it, I look myself in the mirror and say, “I got to be better for for those guys and for myself.” Um, so to start there, um, but then in in terms of goals to win, I think that that that that’s always the goal. Um, a lot a lot of people want to win on their terms. Winning may not always be on your terms. It may be it has to be whatever it takes. And each night, it’ll take something different. each game. Billy always says each game, each possession has a has a identity of its own. So, you never know what it’s going to take. Um, I think I’ve been around enough to kind of be able to mend and and and bend into whatever needs to be done at that moment. Um, so I think that’s that’s pretty much the the main focus. When you have guys that have the talent, skill, and ability to do everything, you you need to rely on them to be able to do everything. And uh that’s been the focus for me going into this season. And I think the focus for us That was Patrick Williams earlier today after the team’s practice and training camp. Um, very self-aware, if you want to give him that credit, knowing he needs to be and look, I’m I’m sure it’s got to be tough to be a pro alete in a position like Pats where he probably hears this noise. Yeah. from the media, from fans who dating all the way back to the 2020 NBA draft have had high expectations for this young man. And for a variety of reasons, most people’s expectations for Patrick and his contribution to winning Bulls basketball to this point have not been met. And I think that, you know, it’s it’s hard to face the music like that. It is. and also maintain some level of confidence in yourself. Uh just real quick, let’s get a few things from the chat. Fine day saying, “I was the biggest Pat defender, but have we ever seen a player break out in their sixth season? If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, might be a duck.” Our guy Fish saying, “I’m still pulling for the guy to turn it around.” Paul Zorenson, it’s been so long I don’t recall what he’s supposed to be good at. Ouch. uh Brazil Popular and Slay QR Slaker Slacker both mentioning the weight loss that Pat mentioned uh answering Julia Po’s question about what he was doing this off season and that he’s slimmed down a bit. Um so look I fair comments I think from our from our people on YouTube Dave about like the expectations for Pat but there’s clearly some people still believe in this guy among Bulls fans. It’s just like when and where and in what form that helps the Bulls win are we going to see it? Yeah. Uh I while you were speaking I was just thinking about do what I sometimes do cuz I told you Will occupies a a small space in my brain as he should. Um, and so, and so I was thinking about when he was talking how he doesn’t want what happened to Modis to that happened to Pat to happen to Modis as far as those expectations were concerned. Um, as far as, you know, him coming out and saying he’s going to do this and when he didn’t equate to that, people, you know, coming after him and Yeah. And and those kind of things, which is which is true. With Patrick, it felt different with Pat when I would watch him and he would say these things. I I hold people accountable to what they say and what they kind of do out there on the floor because if you put those high goals on you, I like the fact people set those high goals for themselves. It means you really believe in your game and you believe in what you’re doing out there on the floor. And I am for all of that. So when you go out on the floor and it doesn’t come to fruition, I don’t get too hard on it. I didn’t get super hard on Pat until last year because if you remember I was going to no excuses to her. Correct. It’s the only time I really just went at, you know, Pat and was because I was disappointed, you know, in what I saw on the floor. Um, but God is right. Like you don’t want it to get toxic. You don’t want it to get mean. And people definitely like and shout out the Bulls fans like when that’s the level we’re going over. You know what I mean? Whether it’s good, whether it’s in praise, or whether it’s in criticism, we’re going over. Shout out to the hatthrows. Like this just how it goes. You know, we we kind of wear our emotions on our sleeve, you know, out here as as those kind of fans. I got very mad at Pat a lot of times last season. Yes. But with that comes also a sense of love because this is why people are still in the comments saying, you know, I still have some love for Pat. I still think he can do something for us. I still think, you know, he might be coming into his own. Just give him a little more time, a little more patience and things like that. Now, of course, there are people on the opposite side who are like, “Get out of here.” You know what I’m saying? with all of that. Nobody’s breaking out in that six year. I’m not looking for a breakout uh for Pat in the six year. I’m looking for an NBA pro. And I’m looking just for a six-year NBA pro for some guy you put in the game and you’re like, “Okay, yeah, of course you’re in the game because I need you in the basketball game.” And I’m not in the game nervous because you’re in the basketball game. Or I’m not in the game wondering why you’re in the basketball game. I’m in the g you’re in the game because okay, you’re you’re professional. I know you’re going to get out there and you’re going to do your job. What will that job be? I don’t know. But in that front court, there is definitely open opportunity as you mentioned. Like there’s open opportunity at the four. I don’t want to see him at the four personally. I’d like to see him more play the three a little bit, but his game that I saw that it was kind of last year kind of lend itself more to being a four than the actual three cuz the ball handling wasn’t there uh for for Patrick. But I’m c I don’t know what he’s going to look like coming into this season. He’s another guy who I think it will be answered kind of early on who he is because he has been a guy that in the past has shown those spurts. We see like, hey, he had two good games. All right. And then we wouldn’t see it again for 11 and we would he would just kind of disappear. So early on if he’s talking like this cuz he sounds grown hearing him speak, you know, he sounds like a mature adult. Not saying he was in the past, but you can really hear it uh seeping out of him because it wasn’t in a, you know, short sentence way. It was very reflective, you know, and like you said, very self-aware about what he, you know, needs to accomplish and what what he needs to do out there on the floor. So, I think mentally he has, you know, it’s pretty tough honestly because he was getting it, you know what I mean, last year. So, for him to not collapse under that, but want to come back better, I’ll give him credit for that for sure. But still, in fact, he still needs to show the consistency out there on the floor. But I’m rooting for him because there’s nothing else, you know, that I can really do in this situation. But, you know, root for him to be better at the game out there on the floor because, as you guys mentioned, the contract is signed. He’s going to be here. He’s a part of the Chicago Bulls. So, I’m just hopeful that he gets better. Yeah. Yeah. And I think, you know, just listening to today, he was talking about some of the work that he was doing over the offseason. Um, you know, being out in LA, working out in like he was saying like the sand pits and on dunes and stuff like that, trying some new things to challenge himself. Um, he said he lost some weight. He wouldn’t like disclose exactly how much, but said he’s down uh pretty significantly. Um, and like last year, I mean, we just the athleticism just wasn’t there. And I do think like coming off of the foot surgery, not being able to work out all summer, doing five on five for the first time in like August or September, and then going into training camp and reinjuring his foot, like he just wasn’t able to get into a rhythm. And I think he is the kind of player that gets in his head like he just is. And so when you’re playing poorly, uh, and you don’t feel like yourself, like again, I’m not saying he’s in a position now to break out cuz I just I never really expected there. I I was kind of over that multiple years into his career, not like four or five. Um, you know, I think that there is more that you mean over what? I just I didn’t like, you know, people who were listening to Bulls HQ three years ago, four years ago, know that like we we just were kind of not in on pass. You shout out to our pel were not in on the when you say breakout like a young player who could take like that star level leap. Exactly. Or or or even like above average player leap that some other Bulls fans waited longer to see. And I think Exactly. And in a lot of ways like I think the disappointment in Patrick is because of what the expectations were. And that’s where I think about Modest. That’s where I think about like I mean Modus was everybody likes to say he was projected to be number one. He he went 11. Like not a lot of stars get drafted 11th. Sometimes it happens. maybe he can be one of those guys, but like to have that expectation and then to be mad at him if it doesn’t work out, I don’t think that’s productive. Um, and I think especially for a guy like Patrick who does get in his head, uh, that has just, you know, that that’s hurt his development more than it’s, you know, helped anything. And so for me, I agree with what you’re saying, Dave, like I just want to see him come in and defend at a higher level this year, give you good minutes off the bench if he earns that role, uh, and get back to a point where he’s making shots. I think the the thing that I said about the highlights with Modis, like with Patrick, it was the opposite. It was like low lightss where you’d see him like miss dunks or you’d see him dribble it off his foot. I think that stuff was so loud that it does mask some of the other things that I think he can contribute. Um, so if he can just like be a little bit more steady and like make his shots a little bit more consistently next year, I think he’ll be a more productive member of the rotation. Um, but yeah, I think to to the idea that like there is a breakout, I just I’m I’m not sure that that was really I was kind of over that after a year too. I got you. Katie, you have another thought? I just I think the mental part is obviously so important for Pat. Like that’s something that you guys have been talking about for years and like every Bulls fan has been talking about for years and you guys know that I’m one of the most vocal what’s the opposite of a supporter? I’m blanking on skeptic doubter. Skeptic, thank you. a hater Patrick Williams like not only on our show but when we watch games together but hearing him talk today does sound different like when he was in that media scrum last year and and made the comment about I got game like obviously a different question I’ll remember that forever but but like this what we heard from him today was so different like it was more level-headed it was it was realistic like I need to be better and and I hope that this is a sign that he got his mentals right in the offseason because I think you can do as much as you not physically, but like the mental part of it is so important for him. And I really hope that that is what he worked on this offseason. I hope that he went somewhere and really like talked to someone and like figured that part of it out because he does sound really good and and, you know, level-headed. So, Billy Donovan has, I think, been very supportive of and patient with Patrick Williams over the years. We know that the Bulls coaching staff at large has tried to work with Pat in various ways. Let us now hear Billy’s thoughts after today’s practice when he was asked about Patrick Williams entering his sixth season with the polls. Katie, I think he’s had a good healthy summer, which is I think good for him. Um certainly I think the pace and speed we’re playing at and him to be in good shape and good condition, not only for Patrick, for all those guys is important. Um, the one thing I noticed with him is I think he’s been a lot more physical just all the way around when the ball’s been in his hands, trying to go rebound, trying to use his body a lot more. I’ve seen that. Um, you I think coming off of last year, uh, and the way the season went for him, he’s a pretty prideful guy and he’s also a team orientated guy. So, I think he knows that he can impact the team in a positive way and help us, you know, but at the same point too, I think he wants to be in a position where he’s contributed in a part of that as well. Um, but he’s been fine the last three days. You know, again, it’s only been 3 days. We played a lot on Tuesday and Wednesday. Today was way way much much lighter. There really wasn’t any contact. It was a lot of install scripting. five on five on against some of player development coaches underneath out of bounds side of the bounds jump ball situations free throw situations so we’ll get back to playing again tomorrow but I think as time goes on you know probably give you a better idea of where he’s at but so far I think he’s done a good job so that was Billy talking about Patrick uh the physicality that he wants to see and and even if it’s from a player who’s slimmed down a bit in the offseason and shed a few pounds just feeling his presence out there, whether it’s on the glass or making other plays happen. And you know, um somebody uh I think it was Slayer just said if you know if Pat just can be consistent, he’ll be all right. To me, that’s what it’s about because we’re not talking about a breakout year anymore. To me, I think that chip has sailed. Like the reason like the question today is can Pat have a bounceback year? A bounceback year from being in this Bulls fan’s opinion borderline unplayable and whether or not part of that was mental along with coming off of an injury and still not feeling 100% right and confident with his body. Whatever the reasons were, cool, those reasons are in the past. Now you’re here, you’re healthy theoretically and playing. Where do you fit in Billy Donovan’s plan to make this a winning basketball team this year? Because even if it’s not a breakout potential player anymore as he’s entering year six and going from age 23 to 24. I mean year 1 39% from three. Year two 52% from three. Year three 41 12% from three. Year four 399 aka 40% from three. Last year just 35.3% and a field goal percentage of 39.7. He shot sub 40 from the field. If he can bounce back to being a knockdown three-point shooter, Yeah. in the high30s to maybe eclipsing the 40% range and playing uh, you know, a lateral enough, a quick enough version of his defense one-on-one, feel challenged by Isaac coming in here and saying, “I’m the guy who’s going to guard our opponent’s best player every night. Now sit down, Pat.” Does that spark something in Pat to be like, I want to get back to at least the level of player that Bulls fans can see my production on the floor and be like, you know what, I’m I’m less upset about that contract than I was a year ago cuz he’s giving us something. Yeah. Like I you’ve said a lot of times, you just want to feel him out there. Yeah. On the floor. You just want to make know that he’s out there doing something. So whether he is doing something or or not, you just want to know he’s there. because there have definitely been times where I’ve forgotten he was on the floor and I was like, “Oh, is that Pat out there? When did Pat get in the game?” And I’ I’ve definitely said those things. Um, so you just want more from him. You want to feel him physically, you know, when you’re watching him and you want the other opposing team to obviously feel him as well. But again, the opportunity will again be there for him because even though Isaac Akuro and Kevin Hurder are here, it’s not even set in stone which one will be the starter, you know. So opportunity is there. They’re definitely thin at the four. You have a rookie behind that. He’s not going to get a ton of playing time. He will get, you know, the the first uh uh cut of the piece of meat out there when he’s in line for dinner outside of uh the the rookie. That’s just how it goes. So, he has an opportunity to show that I do belong on the floor. Not only do I belong on the team, but I belong on the floor. Whether that’s as a starter or a bench guy, he’s going to have an opportunity to show it. Should we pause? Yeah, I think we got to go to break. Let’s pause. All right, let’s knock out a couple ads. When we come back on the other side, maybe another final thought or two about Patrick Williams and then we’re going to shift to who’s backing up V and fighting for those minutes. We also heard from Zack Collins at today’s practice. We’ll talk about him and Jaylen Smith and set our goals for them for this season. Next, hit the like. Next, today’s show brought to you by Eye on the Ball. Hey coaches, listen up. If you’re looking for more athletes to train, Eye on the Ball is where you need to be. It’s simple. Just create your profile, upload your background check, and boom, you’re in. They’re also offering a new promo for coaches who sign up, offering their free first six months, then just 50 bucks a month after that, or 500 for the whole year. Athletes of all ages and all sports can find you directly. And here’s the best part. Eye on the Ball doesn’t mess with your schedule, your payments, or your business. That means you’re in full control. They just connect you with athletes who are already looking for a coach like you. So, if you’re ready to grow your coaching business and reach more athletes, go check them out right now at iontheball.net. That’s eytheall.net. Don’t wait. The athletes are already there looking for you. Well, Godly, what time is it, Katie? Game time hoot. I don’t know if she got the time. I don’t know, Jeff. It’s on deals. That’s what makes game time very, very awesome. Especially when you’re looking for some NFL tickets, y’all. Cuz guess what? You choose the section and Game Time will do the selecting. And guess what? That way you save. Fees are included, ladies and gentlemen, in those tickets. So, when you see it, that’s the price you’re going to pay. Of course, like I told you, they got the zone deals. Of course, you know they got the lowest price guarantee. You know, they got them seat views, but they also got that game time ticket coverage, which is the most customer flexible. Oh, customer flexible, which is the most flexible customer service policy in the ticketing industry. So, technically, guess where I got to buy those tickets to NFL game C HG O get yourself $20 off your first purchase. Firstly, first C HG O get yourself $20 off your first purchase. First download game time today and go cuz M back we back. CSU Bulls roll along Thursday afternoon pack big Dave Goat and Katie on the controls. Um really quickly we plugged it yesterday. We’ll plug it again quickly today. Goat wrote an excellent feature piece on the Bulls rookie Noah Asen in which he talked to his former coach uh when he was playing pro overseas in Germany. Uh, I want to give another quick elevator pitch quote to the people who missed yesterday. Scan that QR code to go read it. If you are a diehard subscriber uh, of our site, but a lot of good stuff about I mean, we’re talking about like mentality with Patrick. A lot of this is about Noah’s mentality and how he approaches things um, and what his coach saw and and how he worked with Noah uh, in that season with M. So, a lot of good stuff there. We got a die hard on them right now. So, if you haven’t become a diehard yet, take advantage of the sale, sign up so that you can read that great goat piece plus everything else that he will write in the coming weeks as we get a fresh bullse underway. Um, plus all the other perks, no potentially in that same group of players with Patrick Williams who are going to be fighting for minutes in that Billy rotation this season. Uh, do any any other final thoughts on Pat before we shift to uh Collins and Jaylen Smith? Go, did you want to add anything else? You know, I just like I think the way that I’m talking about him, I think in comparison to what we’re seeing with a lot of the comments and obviously how you guys have expressed, not so much today, but in the past, like a frustration with him, like I’m not saying I’m like super high on him either or that I really believe, but I think that there is a level that he can get to where he is contributing. Am I guaranteeing that? No. But I I’m rooting for him. Like I I like Pat a lot. He’s always been really like, you know, friendly with the media and like I do feel like he approaches things the right way. I do feel like he wants to be good and work hard. And what really stood out to me today was like what he said about, you know, you always want to win on your terms, but sometimes you can’t do it that way. And I think that that that to me shows me that he is willing to like do some of the other things that he has to do to like build back up. So I’m hopeful that he can do that. Um because I do like Pat. I mean, I I I think he’s he’s a good dude and frankly like it’s better for the Bulls if he plays well, too. Like, I think a lot of people are ready to like put him aside and move on to Noah and Modis as the power forwards of the future. Um, and I’m excited about those players, too. But, like, he’s still around. I don’t really think he’s tradable currently, and that speaks to the performance that he had last year and the contracts that that he’s on. Those are fair criticisms. Um, but best case scenario is that he does turn things around and to your point, Matt, uh, bounces back. um and can contribute and then you know build up some value again. So the Bulls have a little bit more flexibility. I’ll just say what I think everyone’s been saying for the past five years with Patrick Williams. If Patrick Williams plays good, the Bulls will be good. Uh I mean, you know what happened few seconds before that giddy miracle heave? Patrick Williams three. Boom. All right, with that, let’s shift now to the Collins Jaylen Smith conundrum. who will get those primary minutes backing up VU at the center spot. Might we see some double bigs uh that Billy deploys at times? He hasn’t done a lot of it over the years as the Bulls head coach. Uh but again, shout out to Tim Ko, our all city’s national NBA writer. That was one of the trends that he discussed in his column that’s also available now at allow.com is the the coaches going to this double big lineup again. Might we see that? But Collins talked after today’s practice about coming in as one of those trade pieces and making an immediate impact and now coming into his first full season with the Bulls, Katie, if you will. The whole trade, me, Kevin, and Trey coming here. It was like a breath of fresh air for all three of us. And I think we were able to come out here and play free. I didn’t I don’t think anybody, you know, really expected much from that trade at the time. And I think we came in and we all kind of took that personal. We wanted to really play well and show that we could, you know, contribute. So there’s there’s that layer, but then also guys really started to pick up their game at that point. I think everybody kind of had a reset moment there and we all just had a final push to the All-Star break and credit to coach. I mean, he he really set the tone and said, “Hey, let’s let’s try to make some noise here and we just followed his lead and I think that all that played into it.” That was Zack Collins after today’s practice. Did you catch that? He used the MJ line. Took it personally. He did took it personally. I appreciate him saying those things. Uh but look, I mean, Collins was very active uh on the glass. made some big uh plays, hustle plays, Billy Donovan praised when when Billy was talking about and we’ll get to that later on. We also talk about Jaylen Smith, but I mean, what did you like from Collins uh in in his short stint after the trade last season, Dave? And what do you want to see from him this year? I love his physicality. I love the change of pace that he was off the bench uh for the Bulls. So, basically, V was, you know, smooth. You know, this dude was rugged. He was a little more rough. uh where Vu uh is going to get you those defensive rebounds and start the break, he’s going to try to plug get those offensive rebounds and kick it back out to get more opportunities for the Bulls. Um I just love that he was a physical presence and that was one of the best things about him that I really enjoyed. When we had Chuck Schwarzki on the show, he couldn’t stop raving about uh Zack Collins and he was like, I think Zack Collins could be a starter uh for this team. He he really has high high hopes for him. He he definitely has that to him. Obviously BH is here so he won’t be but he has that to him and he gives the Bulls exactly what they are trying to become which is a more physical team which is to define yourself also on the defensive end. And he is one of those guys that you get on your team that can help that definition along because it makes it easy for you when you know a guy is going to be setting those strong screens, when you know a guy is going to be cutting to the bucket hard, when you know he’s not afraid of the contact and or getting to the foul line and he’s a guy that is not afraid to mix it up, you know, with the opposing player. So those are all things I think that you kind of need to, you know, start building a winning team in the NBA. and it’s very rare that you won’t find those kind of guys on a winning team in the NBA. So, yeah, I I like Zack Collins. Uh I think he’s a solid player and I expect more of what I saw from him last season. I think people don’t really understand how good he was with the Bulls because he was behind Vu and obviously Vu missed I believe it was seven games and Collins started uh they did pretty well but like defensively this team the reason they were good after all break is a lot of it has to do with Zack Collins. They were 10 points per 100 possessions better on defense alone with him on the court compared to when he sat. That’s 98th percentile. When he was on the court their defensive rating was a 108.4. that would have been second in the NBA. That means without him, because they were 10 points worse, they were 118. Uh that would be 29th in the NBA. So that that’s a huge gap. Um and I think that like this is not a guy who is blocking a ton of shots. He had less than a block shot per 36 minutes last year. This is not a guy who’s like, you know, got incredibly long arms and is like really deterring people from getting to the rim. But I think his physicality, his rebounding, his aggression, um his knowledge of where to be on the court, like he really helped revamp this defense and you know, it wasn’t like a ton of minutes, but uh he did play a significant amount with the Bulls and and I think that he can really help sh up a lot of the defense. We’ve talked so much about like physicality. I think he really brings that. So, um I am excited to see kind of how his role evolves. He’s in a position too where like I mean he’s an expiring contract, so is Vuch. could he be the longer term option or like the medium-term option at center? Uh I think he’s kind of playing for that right now. So, uh there’s always that sort of added level of motivation on top of you want to win games. Like he’s he’s trying to find a long-term home. He’s trying to find a job. Uh and I think, you know, the Bulls have an opening. Yeah, they do. Uh he is one of many Bulls uh coming into this season on an expiring deal. Does he want to prove that he wants to stick around to the Bulls long term on a new contract? So, with that, let’s move through our specific goals for uh Mr. Collins this season. Um the you know, the the defensive swing stats you just laid out are insane. I did not know that he had that positive of an impact on the defensive end, but Billy has also been harping on, hey, can we improve our offensive rebounding, which was uh a doodoo last season, and how much can Collins perhaps contribute to that? Collins spanning the Bulls and Spurs last season had a career best 11.1 offensive rebounding percentage which is pretty darn good. With the Bulls specifically in those 28 games it was 12.4. That’s when you start talking about the league’s elite. Walker Kesler led the NBA in offensive rebounding percentage last season as a rook 16.6. Jaylen Duran 15.2. Y Missy high 13s. Valenunis 13.3. Zubac Shakur 13. Rudy 12 and a half, Sabonis 12.3. So then you see, okay, with the Bulls specifically, Collins was 12.4 last year. You’re talking elite stuff. So I set the goal for him, spanning a full season, not just that third of a season with the Bulls when he was at 12.4. For a whole season, I want his offensive rebounding percentage at 12 1/2. I like this very much, man. Yeah. And he can achieve that. the phys physicality that he presents out there on the floor is something that especially for a backup. Like usually your backups aren’t going to be like that, but he’s a starting he’s a guy who can be a starting center who’s playing a a backup role. So yeah, he can definitely get in there and and beat some of these dudes down, get some of these rebounds, which I’m just going to enjoy seeing. Yeah. I also think like the way the Bulls are trying to play, the the pace that they’re trying to play, it leaves a lot of room for error, right? We talked about some of the trade-offs yesterday of like getting back in transition defense versus the offensive rebounding. Like for the last couple years, they basically had to use offensive rebounding as a tool to like keep themselves in games because of the gap in three-point shooting. Now they’ve got the three-point shooting, but with the turnovers, with the, you know, lack of really high level defense, they’re still kind of behind the eight-ball. So, I think a lot of what Billy has been talking about and what we have been talking about is the possession battle and how important that is and picking up a few extra offensive rebounds every game, getting either a putback or a spray out to a three. Like, a lot of those are really high quality looks. It’s not just about like the, you know, extra possession, but it’s like on average, how many points per possession are you scoring on those looks? Uh, and offensive rebounds are very high. So, uh, that would really, I think, close the gap and help give the Bulls a little bit more breathing room. Uh, they’re going to have to also turn down the turnovers. They’re going to also have to foul less. They’re also going to have to do all these things. But, uh, for me, finding a good balance of offensive rebounding and transition defense is a really hard thing to do. Uh, but if you can get in there for just an extra two possessions per game, I mean, that really can make a difference. So, Dave, do you have a specific goal for Mr. Collins? Yeah, I like how GO get in for an extra two possessions a game because it kind of plays into some of mine, but I kind of went full goon. I love it on mine with his, but part of it is not. We’ll we’ll deal with the top part there. You can put it up there, Katie. Um the two because I would like to see him play 18 minutes a game for the Bulls. He played 19 uh for the Bulls while he was here. 19.7. I don’t really expect that to be I was dealing with Vuch’s injury, so he was out there playing more minutes and things like that. And as coach said, including like seven or eight starts, correct? Correct. So, but I think he can get 18. I think that’s very fair for him to get 18 minutes cuz if he’s getting 18 minutes, that means he’s going to be slapping people out there on the floor. So, if he’s getting that, I’m going to need to see three fouls per game for my man Zack Collins. Wow. That’s what I want from that young man. All right. I want three. Are you saying you want three on the nose or three or higher? Three on the nose. Okay. Three. If it gets higher, cool. You don’t You don’t want him flirting in Chris Dun territory. Yeah. I want him going to four or five cuz then he can’t play. You know what I mean? Like you get there, you’re like, “Oh, Billy’s like, “Uh, we got to put somebody else in.” No, no, no. Just get you those three a game. Let me read you something I found very intriguing about this young man. His best season uh with the Spurs when he averaged like 11.6 points a game, he was averaging 3.2 2 fouls a game. His second best season with the San Antonio Spurs was next year. He’s a 11.2 a game. 3.0 fouls a game. His other best season was like his third third year in the leagues. Only a seven points. 3.3 fouls a game. When he’s slapping people, he’s a better basketball player. All right. He’s got to get more physical in there. The season uh before with San Antonio when he was in there with them before they traded him Mhm. Not not a great season. You know how many fouls? 1.9. No, that’s not enough. Not enough. No, he’s got to get out there to be physical, man. To to to put his force and let himself be felt. Do you remember him getting kicked out the game very early for the Bulls? I loved it. I thought it was great. I remember him fouling out of a game and which also sound very, very awesome for that young man. So, I see a few goon of the night awards in his future. I think he can get to these three fouls because that means he is being physical, going for those offensive rebounds, setting those strong picks, and getting into some scuffles. When you said you were going full goon, I thought it was going to be way worse. I thought you were literally going to write slap people or something. Slap him Katie. Slapp I wanted to uh tell me I’m a genius. Tell you you’re a genius. But also like what I like about it is the fact that it’s like within his role because when Collins was starting, he went on an absolute tear for the Bulls uh from basically February 24th through uh what is it here? Um March 8th and there was a game which you referenced where he fouled out. It was in 12 minutes. The game before that he had 20 points and 12 rebounds, uh two assists, three steals, and a block. Like he was it was a loss to Cleveland. uh four fouls. Uh but like see what I’m saying? But I mean like I I agree with what you’re saying for in his role, but like if he is going to get to a point where maybe he’s starting games, whether it’s Vu is injured or you know maybe they move on from him and and Collins is still here longer term like he can’t foul that much because he’s going to need to be you know more steady as a part of the rotation. So for me, like the foul thing was what cost him that game and you know, three points after scoring 20 and 12 the night before and then going back up to 18 and 15 the next night. Like the fouling I think is good for that role, but if he’s being asked to do more, then he has to be more steady. So no, it’s a good kind of like what his role will be. If he becomes, you know, more relied upon and Billy’s, you know, starting him like that, cool. But that’s also why I got Jaylen Smith back there, too. I don’t want to turn him down just for that reason. If he plays better as that, then I got to let him be him. That’s like turning down Dennis Rodman. Like, you got to let that go. Just got to deal with what comes with it. Who turns down Dennis Rodman? Nobody. Nobody. Uh, so before we transition to Jaylen Smith, go. Did you uh lay out a specific goal for Zack? Yeah, I did. Um, you know, I was looking at his Don’t get in foul trouble. I wish I really wish that that was what I had done. Um, a game. This is kind of an obscure one, but I wanted him to get to uh better than 55% defended field goal percentage within 6 ft of the basketball. It just crunchy. Come on. It just happens to be one of the things that you can find on NBA.com. Last year it was 56.6% uh which is really good. Um you know, you look at some of these other players and like uh defensive uh field goal percentage within six feet like Jokic 65%. Um, Vu 64% and then you have like some more elite rim protectors are around 55%. Miles Turner was 55.6. Brook Lopez 58. Uh, he’s not going to be Webby that was only 50.8%. Um, but if you can get to a point where he’s like letting teams score only 55% of the time in six feet at the basket, like now you are talking about somebody who could be like a defensive anchor. And I just think that like it’s a little bit easier to do that in a smaller role because you can be a little bit more aggressive. you’re able to foul a little bit more and not have to worry about it. Um, but I think that that would be really transformative for the Bulls defense. I like it. Our guy fish in the chat saying, “Collins came to a new team and was really out of position on defense. He picked up a lot quickly. It means he’s a smart guy. He’s playable. He’s not Hardenstein, but he’s playable.” Um, all right. With that, as we transition to Jaylen Smith, Billy Donovan was talking after today’s practice about Collins arrival and the fact that Collins kind of stole some of those minutes from Jaylen Smith down the stretch last season and how he sees that playing out coming into a fresh season with both of those big men still here. Katie, if you will. I really appreciated the way Jaylen handled himself in that moment. I think one of the things I felt like our team needed was we needed more room presence. I think I talked about this uh you know prior to the All-Star break that was a major problem. We were getting outsc scored by almost five layups per game coupled with the fact that teams were getting more shots than us and I just felt like you know what Zach could maybe give us some rim protection. You know I think he did a really good job and I think sticks to his to his credit kept himself ready. Um, I don’t know if there was necessarily at that point in time enough time to try to work two two bigs at the same time. You know, we didn’t really know if that was good for our team with the way we were playing. You know, how would it change our pace? Would it change our tempo? Not a lot of practice time. But like Stixs has been good the last three days in camp. He’s done a really good job. Um, so is Zach and so is V. So, like I said, we’re going to need all of them. Um, but he’s come in and he’s worked um and he’s put the the the effort in. He’s doing what he does. He’s shooting the ball real well. You know, do we have to maybe find some opportunities to play two bigs together? Yes. Maybe. Maybe there’s opportunities where certain lineups with him out there may be a little bit better. Um, but I I don’t think we can read into, you know, all of a sudden the season starts and here’s a 10 or 11 man rotation and well then that’s this is who’s playing for the next 82 games because you have fatigue, you have different you start to learn your team, you make different adjustment of changes, different things happen, injuries, foul trouble. So, I think it’s important they all keep themselves. And then the other part of it, too, I think as you look at the playoffs, it was pretty consistent that right when the playoffs started, everybody’s rotation went from like 9 or 10 down to seven or eight. And now you’re starting to see because of the pace that teams are playing more players, you know, so you I think you’re going to start to see more and bigger rotations throughout the league. All right, so that was Billy talking to practice today about this uh this battle for minutes between Zack Collins, who arrived in a trade, and Jaylen Smith, who was the team’s lone free agent signing two summers ago. One of the few players who’s still on the books, not just this season, but the season following signing that three-year deal. So, what do we want to see from Jaylen Smith this season as he saw his role get taken away from him at times from Collins after the trade? I kept mine simple. It’s not about stats. I just want to see Jaylen Smith prove that he is not another Hey, I see what he did. Mistake. I see what that guy did. Or if you could pronounce it a different way, another mistake. A mistake made by this team’s head of basketball operations who chose to bring in Jaylen Smith in free agency. Prove that you’re not another person here who AK paid to be here who is not playing cuz that’s a pretty ugly list when you think about it. Hey guys, remember who’s still here? Javon Carter. Oh, Billy Don praised after one of these practice press conferences. Great. But like, how many guys have come here, paid to come here, free agent signings that are collecting dust at the end of Billy’s bench? It’s true. Jaylen Smith, you want to prove that you belong here this year, next year? Mhm. Go fight Collins for those minutes. Fight him for that role. Prove that you’re not another mistake. Hey, I like that. Um, it leads kind of into mine uh for him. I always thought he was just a solid player. Like I didn’t see anything different. Even when we gave grades, I was like, he’s a C. M great was was a S for soldier. Like like he’s the same guy every time. So I’m like don’t change anything. Keep on keeping on, man. Shout out Glattus Knight. Keep on keeping on. All right. Like that’s all I need him to do is just keep being the person that we continue to see him be. He’ll come in, he’ll set those screens. It’s going to be a pick and pop or a pick and roll. He’s going to either when he rolls, he’s going to try to dunk. And when they dunk, they foul. He gets to the foul line. and he walks out the game with eight points and and six rebounds. Like that’s Yes. Keep doing that. Like I don’t want any of that to change. Obviously, I want his health to be better too because he did have knee issues also. That’s another reason Zack Collins also got those minutes too as well cuz he was having uh uh knee problems. But I don’t want to change anything about his game and what he’s doing. I like it when he comes in and the three-pointer is hitting adds another dynamic to the Bulls. So, he’s just something they could put in and take it right on out. And as his role shrank last year, like you know, on the season, his three-point shooting was not good. Post all-star break. Yeah. Tanked, like his his his role decreased, his shooting when he did get those shots of behind the arc fell even further. Mhm. Yeah. That’s exactly where I went for mine was 38% on threes. Like he just he shot 42% the year prior. Uh had never been over 40% before in his career. Uh and last year shot 32%. So literally 10% exactly lower than the year before. And that’s what he was brought here to do. He was brought here to be a stretch five that the Bulls could, you know, ideally have protect the rim a little bit. Um but I think to the point of physicality that we’ve talked so much about, like I think that’s a big reason why he lost minutes to Collins is he just wasn’t giving you that same level of physicality. But if you’re not giving the physicality, it’s maybe okay if you’re able to like really shoot at a high level. And I think that’s what he’s going to need to get back to to earn some sort of minutes because uh you know, Billy kind of alluded to the fact that there’s probably not going to be a lot of opportunity to go with two bigs. I think they could try that a little bit as the NBA moves back towards that. Um but it’s just going to be hard for him to get minutes. And so when he’s out there, he he needs to really shoot it at a high level. Um otherwise, you know, they have more physical options. They have better passing options. They have guys who can, you know, not maybe necessarily block as many shots, but who are as good or better in protecting the rim. And I think that’s what those are all things that he’s going to need to improve on to carve out a role, but to your point, Matt, like he is one of the few guys that’s going to be on the roster next year. Um, and so I wonder if he can sort of carve out maybe it’s not the role this year, but the foundation of like, okay, let’s stick through it next year. Um, otherwise like you probably got to look to trade him. Yeah, cuz you know, like Billy threw that talk you threw that idea out there like, hey, maybe we’re going to figure out a way to play a couple of bigs on the floor together. I would be surprised if we see that look early. It might be something that he goes to in desperation mode or very specific matchups if more and more people are playing two skilled bigs on the floor against the Bulls. But like I think that was just like lip service from Billy today to be like, “Yeah, we got guys that we like and we’ll see how minutes goes.” Yeah. And I I really like Jaylen. Like I think he’s got a really unique skill set that like could really benefit the Bulls, but he’s just got to be like efficient in the moments where he’s out there because otherwise I I do think you have some questions, right? All right. Well, as we go to maybe just a few minutes of overtime here on CHO Bulls, reminder, if you’re watching on one of our various streaming services or channels and you want that bonus coverage, just head to all cho.com. Um, are are we all thinking that it’s going to be Collins winning that battle out of the gate? Yeah. as far as subbing V’s minutes. Yeah, he earned it. Yeah, I think so. I mean, that was like an immediate switch that Billy made after the trade. It was like very true. And like Collins even said it uh you know, he felt like people did not really think that they were going to stick or stick around. All three of those guys that came in via trade and they all happened to make a huge impact. Um and so I expect him to to do that. And like I said, I mean, I would not be surprised if like the Bulls, you know, Vu might want to sign somewhere else next summer so that he can go compete for a championship somewhere. Like, are there going to be a lot of like allstar caliber, like starting caliber centers that are just like available on the market? I don’t know. Maybe there’s a trade, maybe, you know, who knows? But like, could Collins be sort of like the bridge the gap type of center? I think absolutely. And again, Vu also expiring. V expiring. Collins expiring. Jaylen Smith is the only one of that trio of like quote unquote centers who’s under contract for the next two years. Very true. Um very curious to see how that shakes out with Billy’s rotation out of the gate. Um all right, last thing that we wanted to get to before we get out of here for the day. Um real quick, shout out to our French Bulls fan who I saw join the chat late. What up, buddy? Said I really like Jaylen Smith. Great backup guy. They can do a lot of good things. There’s some positivity for you. Um, Katie, the queen of the controls, has some news that she wanted to share today. Maybe if you tuned in to bears earlier today, you already caught this news, but news nonetheless. Katie, the floor is yours. I’m going to hide behind the computer so you guys can’t look at me. Um, excuse me. So, some very Matt, stop it. Face your feet. Get out of my room. Oh, God. Mom, leave me alone. Uh, so some very bittersweet news. Um I tomorrow is going to be my last day at CHTO. Um I am very sad. I’m trying not to cry today. I will definitely be crying tomorrow. Um an opportunity came up for me in my career that I could not pass up and it’s something that I am excited about, but it also means leaving um my guys here and that is uh very sad and and depressing and it um is very hard for me and I will be crying a lot when we finish our show tomorrow. But I just wanted uh you guys in the chat that are here every day, all of our regulars that are so kind to me and um participate in my stupid little polls and all that. I wanted you to hear that from me. So, um I’m still going to be in the city of Chicago, but I won’t be uh producing these shows. I’ll try to pop up at a tailgate every now and then. I’ll try to pop into a show every once in a while, but um it’s been a really great, you know, I got a full season with you guys, and that was awesome. So, yeah. M if there was ever a day, if there was ever a show Mhm. for y’all out there to hit the god darn like button today andor tomorrow. Yeah. Are those days. That is true. Hit that freaking like for Katie. We should We should try and see how many super chats we can collectively get for Katie tomorrow. I like that. Well done. Yes. I’d also love for you to hit the subscribe cuz we’re really close to 90K here and that’d be awesome. Yes. Our guy Clem just asked in the chat, “Can we veto that?” Um, that’s been attempted several times already. I haven’t given up fully on my last two, three, or four ditch effort attempts at vetoing this somehow some way. Um, producer Stevens said just like, “Well, here’s a roll of electrical tape.” The other day when we were talking about ways to convince Katie to stay, I was like, “That b that border is on kidnapping. I’m not trying to do that.” That’s not what I was thinking. Yeah. I mean, I thought the the jokes about you guys not letting me leave were jokes, but then we’ve been stuck in studio B for like 4 days. So, I think this is my jail cell, and I am actually not allowed to leave. But, um, anyway, on tomorrow’s show, when I talk about Taylor Swift for 15 minutes, just remember that I’m allowed to do that because it’s my last day. Also, this is real, I offer Katie a daily 15minute block. Mhm. Talking about whatever’s going on in the world of Taylor Swift and her Swifties to stay. That was one of my my bargaining chips to try to convince her to stay. Okay. 15 minutes per bull show. Okay. Well, we’re just It’s Tay- Tay land. That means I can leave then, right? If you got nothing to say. Yeah, I ain’t got nothing to say. I would hold it down. I’ll I’ll become a Swifty myself. There. Hey. Huh? Look at the sacrifice this man is willing to give. Did you guys know that she’s dropping a new album tomorrow? It’s not tomorrow. It’s Katie. I don’t know if you knew that, but tonight it’s 11:00 p.m. It’s 11:00 p.m. Um, so yes, look, uh, this is very sad and as you said, at least you got a full season with us. It’s crazy that this timing wise, randomly, right around this time last year, we were scrambling because Young Spath left us for a wonderful opportunity himself and we’re like, “Holy crap, we got a fresh bull season starting up any day now when our producers leaving. What do we do?” Katie came in and was a godamn hero. um ended up producing our show on her second day of what was supposed to be just shadowing and training our production team here at CSO. Yeah, that is pretty legendary and has been killing it ever since. Um so we will continue to shower Katie with our affection and praise uh and well wishes on tomorrow’s show, but wanted to just give you all a little heads up today so you’re not blindsided uh when you tune in tomorrow. Blindside them today instead of tomorrow. Yeah. I mean, I didn’t want to tell them like, you know, last week cuz then it would have just been weird for two weeks, you know. Do you think hers would be more emotional than Joey’s was? I don’t know. I know was pretty emotional. I Yeah, [Laughter] I was I was doing some ugly crying. Yeah, that was the day that Joey left already. Today, Katie and I were just going through the final details of our rundown and what the plan was for today’s show and and video clips and all this stuff. And as I got up to go take a little stretch walk, I literally like put my hand on her shoulder. I was like, I don’t I don’t know what I’m going to do. Like, you you can’t leave. You’re not allowed to leave. Katie is my rock. She’s been my rock since she came here. Um, so we will soldier on. We will figure out a plan. We’ll, you know, piece meal our production team together in the coming week uh or weeks. um while we also look to bring in a new member of our production team here at CJO. But um anybody else out there in Bulls Nation, if you got any ideas for convincing Kat to stay, throw them in the chat. Throw them in the comments after the chat if you’re catching it on tape delay. All right, we will get out of here for now. The Cubs are still going. Game three, do or die to in that wild card series against the Padres’s. And um our CHO Cubs crew is right over there in studio A doing a live watch along. So you can catch that right here on the CO Sports YouTube channel or on the CSO Cubs YouTube channel. Tune in to keep those Chicago sports vibes going with them. That was huge. Cubs up still 20 middle of the fifth. Just got Tatis to fly out. That’s hyped. We’ll be back tomorrow, same time, same place, 4:30 central with our last show of the week. Uh in the meantime, read that goat column, that excellent feature on Bulls rookie Noah Sen. Become a diehard so you can read it if you aren’t a diehard already. Make sure you’re subscribed at CS Sports YouTube channel on our climb to 90K. Follow go_galiba big day bal sports. I’m Bulls Peek. We are CSU_Bulls, our queen of the controls now and always. Katie Duffy. Have a great Thursday night. Get your bets in for Thursday football on circa. Talk to you tomorrow. [Music] [Applause] Man,

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The CHGO Bulls crew break down the latest news from Day 3 of Chicago Bulls training camp, including words from Patrick Williams. The former 4th overall draft pick is entering his sixth season with the Bulls, and the second year of his big contract. Peck, Big Dave and Will Gottlieb have a “no shade” conversation about Williams, his role on the team, and what he can still accomplish. The guys also set their “Prove It” goals for Zach Collins and Jalen Smith. What does each big man have to do to win the primary backup job behind Nikola Vucevic?

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