BULLS PRESSERS: Billy Donovan, Nikola Vucevic Speak on NBA GAMBLING SCANDAL

BULLS PRESSERS: Billy Donovan, Nikola Vucevic Speak on NBA GAMBLING SCANDAL

except uh Kobe and uh yes, everybody was available. Yep. Um Billy, sorry. I don’t know your protocol around here because obviously I’m new, but uh for a guy like going through Kobe’s rehab, does he travel with you guys? Does he stay here to um I believe that he is staying back on a one-day trip, the biggest thing that we make determinations on is what is the work rate they can get done here in Chicago verse being on the road. And with where Kobe’s at and the resources here, he’ll stay back behind. I almost joke with you the other night about the box score. You won the rebounding battle and the free throw battle. Are you going to frame that box score? That was a good that was a good start, Case. Yes, very good start. I mean, that’s those are points of emphasis for you, right? I mean, I just think that I I think, you know, again, you go back every year and you try to take a deep dive into uh, you know, where you can get better, where we can improve, you know, and I think for us, like we generated really, really good shots. We played with really good pace and speed. Um, I think we had the 11th best effective field goal percentage. But then you look at, okay, what are the reasons why, you know, and you got four factors. You got turnovers, offensive rebounds, you know, what your shooting percentage is. um you know and for us we were not a team that got a lot of offensive rebounds and we weren’t a team that got to the free throw line very much. Now I think after the trade deadline we did a better job of getting to the free throw line. Uh and then the other thing too is you look at the rim differential. So those things flipped at the last 27 games. I think we were plus two at the rim in terms of a total number of shots at the rim. We’re up plus two against our opponent but for the year we were minus four or five. So, if you take no offensive rebounds and you’re giving up 4.7 extra shots at the rim and you’re giving up four extra shots of total number, it’s back to the math thing that you and I talked about with the three-point shot. So, you know, one, how can we do a better job of offensive rebounding, you know, generate? How do we keep teams off the glass, you know, to generate more possessions for ourselves? And then the biggest thing is it’s still a challenge for us and we got to get better is, you know, we got to take care of the basketball, make better choices and decisions with the ball because that really offsets anything. So when you look at the total number of shots, it really comes down to two things. The offensive rebounding and the turnovers. Those are the things that flip possession. So we’ve tried to put a little bit more of a focus on that. And then I think the defensive physicality quite honestly, you know, at the point of the screen, which enables us to hopefully do a better job of protecting the rim. You said you’re going to do a dive on modest minus 10 in the box for what you see on film. Well, I do think what ended up happening was a big part of it was the group. I think there was a minute and 10 seconds to go in the game in the third quarter. Modus was out there. I think it was Modis IO. Trey Jones, uh, Dalen and and and Jaylen Smith were out there. Josh came back in to start the four. But basically, I think in a minute, excuse me, 3 minutes and 10 seconds from the 110 mark to down around 950, we’re up by 20 and we ended up, I think, being up by eight or nine. that that had a lot to do with it, you know, and I wouldn’t sit there and say it was all modest. That group in particular needed to do better. But I like taking dives on to that because you look at a guy like Isaac. Isaac, he only takes two shots in the game. He’s plus 17 in 22 minutes. So, you know, what are the things that he’s doing? And listen, I don’t I’m not like the plus minus to me is not the end goal, but it is a tool to at least look at. And I think guys have got to be aware how they impact each other on the court. in that group at the end of the third up 20. We didn’t close the quarter particularly well and we need to be better there. All of them, not just necessarily Modest, but everybody. Just one more for me. By all accounts, it’s been a pretty spectacular opening week on the court for the league. I mean, there’s been incredible games, incredible individual performances, but obviously yesterday was a pretty big day from an off the court perspective. What was your reaction to some of the names that were involved and and just some of the accusations that were levied? I mean, obviously I was really really surprised when that stuff came out and certainly respect that everybody’s innocent till proven guilty. I think the other part, you know, like Sean and I have had a really, really good relationship. He’s always been really good to me. I’ve seen him even before he got into coaching, you know, and obviously respected him as a player and winning an NBA championship and all the things that he’s accomplished as a player and the job that he was doing at Portland. I was really really surprised and sad by all of it. You know, I obviously coach Patino, you know, is close with me. I mean, he coached Terry Roier. I know the way he spoke about Terry Roier and his competitiveness as a guy. You just get surprised by those things. And I’m sure we don’t have all the details. There’s probably more to come out, but, you know, it’s just sad that, you know, they’re dealing with that personally as as human beings and the league’s dealing with it as well. Just going back to the shot profile stuff and some of the math dynamics that you’re sorting out. Um I don’t want to make like too much obviously about like a couple preseason games one regular season. Um but the threes are down a little bit. I know you’re more concerned about like generating good shots and breaking down the defense game, but just what have you seen about the shot profile in general and how much of it has to do with like Kobe being out and and not being one of your primary guys? Well, you know, I think it’s really interesting because that was like the first thing that stood out to me in the Detroit game. You know, there was only 33-point shots and we’ve been a team that’s pretty close to, you know, 38 to 44 somewhere in that range. So that was a big dip. I think the one thing, Will, that ended up happening to us, which has been a positive since the preseason and even this game. When you get to the free throw line, it’s going to eliminate your shot attempts in those possessions. I think that’s had a lot to do with it. I think the other part in relationship to a year ago, we’ve done a better job getting to the paint. So, it’s actually created a lot more rim shots or paint shots for us. like that. The the the biggest difference I think in the game against Detroit was just analytically. We made more threes than they did. We got to the free throw line more than they did. And then the other thing too is you look at just the the the two-point shots besides the rim, whether it’s a paint two or a non-p paint two. We shot 55% on paint twos. And that’s way way above league average. So I’m not sitting there saying that we can live and die on that hill because it’s really hard to sustain that. But we finished plays in the lane. And then I think the other part of it too is the free throw line. We got to the free throw line 32 times. There was times last year we had a hard time getting to the free throw line 20 times. So sometimes when those possessions are taken away and you’re shooting free throws, the rim and the free throw line are going to take away a lot of times your told number of threes. Billy is it’s well known by now that Modis has asked to be coached tougher kind of commanding those expectations for for you. Obviously you had this long hall of fame career. I imagine you’ve had to get to that level with certain players like when when you are being asked to get to that level of tough coaching like what are you drawing on? Are there past teachers you’re thinking of? Like what are some of the experiences you’re drawing on? No, I don’t man I don’t I think the biggest thing I think the biggest mistake that anybody can make in coaching is try to be somebody other than they’re not, you know. Um I think every coach in this league is gifted with his own uniques, talents, and abilities. And I think the one thing you got to do is try to be true to yourself because I think players can tell when you’re not being authentic or being real and being yourself. I haven’t changed anything, you know, in terms of coaching modest. You know, I think when you talk to any player when they come in, especially new, whether it’s a draft pick or it’s Isaac, you always want to say, “Hey, what’s the best way to communicate, you know, what what what are the things that that I can do to help you with, you know, and for Mis was just like, listen, just stay on me. Just stay on me and and and help me in the areas that that uh I need to get better at.” And you know, again, like I I I think that when you look at the situation with Patrick Williams coming in as a rookie, with the way our team was at the co thing, you know, he really got thrusted into a situation he had to play a lot of minutes early. With the way our team was built last year with Patrick being there, Julie and different people that were maybe a more experienced, you know, it was quite honestly a lot easier taking him off the floor when he just wasn’t doing the things he was supposed to be doing. And I think there’s a fine line in the coaching. I believe the coaching is constant confrontation. It’s constant confrontation. But I think people think a confrontation is yelling and screaming. It’s not it’s not that. It’s just confronting whatever the issue is. So I think when M is, you know, if he says you I want hard coaching, it’s not necessarily me yelling and screaming at him as much as it’s about confronting the things that he has to do. And I feel like we’ve done that since he’s been here. And then you I think the word you used the other day was that you tested him last year. Is it kind of fair to say that that that test is just sort of ongoing at that? I’m not sure with the context when I said tested him tested him in which way? Uh I don’t I don’t remember the exact cont. I think it just I think uh you were talking about like how much you played him last year and fit him. Yeah, I think he got tested last year from the standpoint that there was not a very very big backyard for him to play in. you know, he was in a very very small boxed area and it was based on what are the things that he has control over and what are the things that he can do well and when he wasn’t doing those things it impacted his minutes and I’ve said this before everything that M has got during the course of the season was all what he did and I got unbelievable respect for his work ethic his commitment his perseverance his drive his resiliency you know because guys can get frustrated or point fingers or pout that wasn’t him he went back to work and tried to get better and I think he’s utilized mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow from it and there is a confidence and a fearlessness to him balanced with humility that I think has enabled him to grow at the rate he’s grown at Billy with Kobe outs and Trey got a start that night and since I have a really good chemistry with so how do you like the way he ran the offense and how how do you see the importance from him yeah I think Trey has done a really really good job he’s played exceptionally well you know since he’s been back. Um I don’t think after it’s been much of a secret after the time I had a chance to spend with him last year how I felt about him personally, not only as a person, but as a player and just as a teammate. Um you know, he’s really competitive. He’s really really smart. He knows how to play. Uh he made a a lot of great decisions coming down the stretch. I think for us, we’re going to need multiple ball handles out there, whether it’s Io and him or Josh and him or Dalen being out there. Um, but I think Trey is one of those guys that just just a basketball player. He can figure it out and function, you know, with any group on the floor. Thank you. Okay. Thank you guys. Yep. Anybody sing to you? Yes. Noah and uh my How’s it? Not bad. Pretty good uh duo. What are your birthday dinner plans? Uh just my my family’s flying in as well. So we’re just going to uh go to our house down there and just little family dinner. Uh with my wife and kids. A lot of times I’m not home or I’m on the road or somewhere else, but happens to be Orlando. Uh they happen to be off school. Um they have parent teacher conferences. They’re not in school. So we’re going to fly in and we are just going to spend together. It is pretty wild that you’re in Chicago and Orlando on your birthday. It’s like what? I know. It’s it’s it’s a interesting timing, but uh yeah, it worked out well. So they can come as well and we can be together uh for my 35th birthday, you know. So it’ be nice. We talked to you after the game the other night, but looking back at the at the tape, like you were so impactful with the trail threes early, but then you went to the floater and the twoman game late. How comfortable are you obviously in both those situations offensively? Yeah, I’m very comfortable obviously. I think one of, you know, my biggest strengths is that, uh, I’m multi-dimensional offensively. Uh, you know, I can play inside, I can play outside. Uh, I can score from different positions and, uh, I think, you know, I have good chemistry with all my teammates on the floor. And you know, it’s just about reading the situation during the game. You know, early on they were, you know, uh, in those couple of those trail threes I made, they were, you know, the big name um, got dragged down by our guards driving and, uh, it’s something we work on for me to just step into the three and, you know, knock those down and then toward the end of the game, they were pretty aggressive and, uh, the pocket opened up. until I was making those read and so um yeah I think it’s something that makes us hard to guard as well cuz you know I can shoot it sticks can shoot it Zach also you know we can all shoot it and so it’s hard I know when I have to defend a big man that can step out shoot or can also play inside you know you have you have to you know um do it all and it’s difficult to defend so worked out for us I thought we made good reads out of it and we got some good looks out of it like sort of half court player movements and that you guys have this year. It seems like there’s a lot of work. What’s that emphasis on that kind of like open up the floor a little bit and create more spaces without necessarily? Yeah, you know, I think at times um last season we we would get slowed down um in half court especially if you know if it wasn’t out of a pick and roll or handoff action, you know, we didn’t really move as well off the ball. um you know if in situations where a big catches at an elbow or if it’s a guard that you know kind of doesn’t have his dribble anymore for us to get movements out of it and it’s something that Billy and the coaching staff really put emphasis on during camp and uh we we work on a lot in practice and it’s something we talk about and I think the league in general you know uh is is doing a lot of that off ball movements um especially now with bigs being able to pass as well and stretch the floor it opens up so many different opportunities offensively so it’s something we talk about a lot. I think, you know, the additions of like Trey and Kevin last year, they’re great cutters. Ice Isaac Coral, uh, this year, you know, they’re really good cutters and, uh, that adds another dimension to our offense and, um, makes it tough for the guards. So, it’s something we talk about a lot. So, we don’t we don’t just play, you know, off the dribble cuz sometimes, you know, def teams are really going to try to take that away from us. So, we have to find different ways to be efficient. And for you, obviously, such a good make. What’s the difference been like for you? Uh how would it feel about the creating? Uh feels good. I think a lot of stuff we run um really helped me uh use my my my skill set. Um like I said, you know, inside, outside, uh playing out of pick and roll in the pops, pocket, out of elbow action, different ways that I can have the ball and be efficient and make reads. And so, uh, especially when when the guards move, um, you know, it makes it very easy for me just to try to make the right read and make the right play. Uh, but when we all move and when we all involved in the offense, uh, you know, that’s what is going to make it hardest to guard. So, we have to stick to that, continue to do that. And, uh, you know, we try to play fast, so we have to understand that teams are going to try to, you know, match that with physicality and, uh, try to slow us down, and we we have to find ways to to fight against it. The the the, uh, on the court product this week has been spectacular. Incredible games, incredible individual performances. Obviously yesterday there was some significant off the court news. What was your kind of reaction? Obviously there’s innocence until guilt, but what was your reaction just even the accusations and the charges? Yeah, it’s unfortunate uh to see that happening in our league. You know, obviously like you said, you know, innocent and proven guilty. So, you know, I’m not going to go too much into that. You know, we don’t know what’s going to happen with the investigation, but I think that in general, um gambling is a big problem. uh not only here but worldwide but I think now that it’s you know got into you know sports here a lot of people are involved in it a lot of people gamble and it’s you know fortunately a lot of people get stuck in it and it’s hard to get out um it’s available on your phone all you got to do is download the app you can just play uh we as players feel it a lot when we step on the court nowadays you hear more often like instead before you used to hear like hey v you know get a win or hey do this and that now it’s like hey my parlay is 10 rebounds pounds. I need 10 boards or hey, my parley’s 15 points or you come out of timeout. You hear people say that and a lot of times return is like 14 15 year old kids and uh honestly it pisses me off cuz it’s disrespectful to the game. Um you know we put so much work in to try to you know do the right thing to put you know product on the court and play the right way and try to win for our team and people focus on you know if I’m going to get 10 rebounds or not or for anybody else. Uh I think it’s very unfortunate but you know uh even back home uh we have big issues with that. There’s a lot of areas a lot of place you can go and gamble on sports. Uh so yeah I mean you know it’s a big problem for the world. Big big as you know it’s a big addiction for people. So it’s something that the NBA is going to have to know look at and try to find a way to fix it as much as possible. But yeah it’s unfortunate that we’re dealing with it but no we’ll see what comes out of it. You guys go through a lot of like training about that, right? Like first season. Yeah. How much is I guess like what kind of stuff? Yeah, we we have meetings every day. I mean, every every season, uh, uh, the the usually it’s the team lawyer that comes in and talks to us about it and, um, explains to us that any gambling um, uh, that’s related to the NBA is illegal, whether it’s NBA, whether it’s WNBA, GLeague, um, whatever it is, uh, related to it, we cannot do it. uh even giving out information like you know if we know that this and so and so might not play or so and so you know whatever to not uh give out those informations and I think that nowadays you have to be even more careful cuz you never know people might just come to you and ask you know like hey you know is Kobe back you know and you’re like you might say like no he’s not cuz you’re not thinking anything out of it but they might use it so you have to be more careful nowadays um it’s just the way it is but uh yeah we definitely know I think NBA does a good job trying to train us, but you know, it’s one meeting uh that you have and you know, it’s easy to get caught into it and uh you know, just the way it’s made, you know, just like casinos are. You go in there, they put all these lights, they put all these stuff, they give you free drinks, and you’re just playing and you get caught into it. And it’s not easy. You know, uh you win one or two times, you think, “Oh, now I’m going to win all the time.” But if everybody was winning, none of those would exist. So, uh yeah, it’s it’s a big problem. Uh but you know it’s you have to just be extra careful nowadays. Last one. It’s just going back to the basketball. How how do you like the way that Trey Jones chose to run the offense? It seems like you play confidently and just like how did you guys feel that sort of a chemistry? Yeah, I really enjoy playing with Trey. Uh he’s a great team player. Uh he does a lot of little things on the floor that you know don’t necessarily show up on the stat sheet. You know, defensively he’s very aggressive. He’s in passing lanes. uh he takes on you know bigger match a lot of times but you know very very uh competitive on that end and offensively just just a smart guy knows how to play uh makes a simple play doesn’t force things uh you know plays at a good pace I think him and I from the beginning got a uh we’re able to build a good chemistry pretty quick um good uh off the ball as well just smart guy you know he claims he went to Duke so that’s what helped I don’t know if that’s true but uh no I’m kidding but yeah he’s a good good player great great teammate to have and uh yeah, we’re lucky to have him. So, I ended up playing with him a lot and I think in that first game you saw towards the end of the game uh him and I had some good uh good twoman game situation that worked out for us really well. Thanks a lot. I joked with you the other night post game about the twoman game with with V. What kind of luxury is it for you? You know, he’s got the ability to be trail big early in the game and at those threes and then late in the game, you know, they’re pressing a little more so he finds the pocket and twoman game. I mean, he’s a really versatile big man to score. for him. Yeah, he’s a he’s a three-level scorer. Um, you know, he’s been around the league for a while. Uh, I think everyone knows how he plays and his game and just, you know, the level that he can score the basketball. We saw it the other night. You know, he came out early, got a couple easy back baskets at the at the rim and then he got it going from the three and he was kind of um, you know, had it going from there. But yeah, down the stretch we were able to just find him a couple times um mid-range um and then a couple floaters his go-to and you know he’s going to be big for us. We just need that play. He talked about the chemistry that he found with you pretty quickly. Do you feel that you found that pretty much with all your teammates cuz you kind of feel connected to all of them? Yeah, for sure. I think um yeah, I feel like we fasttrack chemistry uh when I got here. I don’t know. Um, I think it’s just, you know, the the IQ that that some of the guys have definitely helps us all just be on the same page. Obviously, Buch knows the game really well. Um, and so it’s easy to be on the same page with a big like that when um, he thinks the game at such a high level. How do you see the distance changing their first half like a bunch of trails and then they play a little bit more? How do you play that? Yeah. Uh like you said, um you know, he had a lot of open threes in the first half, so their their big man was hanging back and kind of trying to protect the paint. Um you know, him hitting a couple of those threes, you know, brought the big out and um opened up the paint for us guards, but also for him as well to to use a shot fake and be able to get downhill. With Kobe out for the first two weeks, do you feel more responsibility in the back? Uh yeah, for sure. I think um the responsibility falls on uh you know the entire team honestly. Um now not now one guy can you know pick up um you know the full load of what what Kobe was bringing for us and so um you know it kind of falls on all of us and you know we’re all ready to to try to just help out in any way we can. Are you having to do anything maintenance-wise for that foot injury you had last season or is that totally in the past? Nah, it’s in the past. Yeah, it’s just all How quickly did that resolve after the season or during? Uh it was about a month after um until I was feeling back to myself again. Wasn’t rushing it. Obviously was off season, but yeah. So I should I don’t like it. Um if you know, we talked to you before about the comfort level Billy Donovan has showed with you. I mean, what is it like to kind of while Kobe’s out know you’re going to be the starter? Yeah. Um, I mean it’s definitely uh a little confidence boost for sure, but um I mean for me I think being that extension of coach on the court is definitely huge uh for a point guard. Um we need that on on the team and so um continue to try to build that in my role. Um continue to try to lead with my voice um more and more and try to um talk to the guys as much as I can. Um you know when Kobe comes back um whatever the lineup is, you know, we’ll be running a lot of different lineups on the court. um you know and the the main thing is just about winning how we can help each other um you know just to set us up to to win games and so um continue to just try to do everything I can um whether it’s on or off the court um to help my team win. Billy really values having multi ball handlers in the lineup. How comfortable are you with Josh? You guys had 19 assists between you and in the first game. How comfortable are you with Josh kind of reading how to play off each other? Yeah, I think um we have really good chemistry going right now. Um, you know, we’re talking a lot off the court. Um, on the court, I think we feed off each other really well as well. Um, he’s a playmaker. Um, thinks the game at a high level and so I think we just kind of feed off each other there and try to keep the thing rolling. Thoughts on Orlando? Uh, big physical team. Um, besides that one guard they have. Jaylen S. No, the other one. Thank you. Thanks.

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, along with Nikola Vucevic and Tre Jones, speak to the media following their Friday practice. Donovan and Vucevic both answered questions about the NBA’s new bombshell gambling scandal that led to the arrests of Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier. Billups’ Portland Trailblazers allegedly tanked a game against the Chicago Bulls on March 23, 2023. Jones talks about his responsibility in a starting role while Coby White is out, and his growing chemistry with Josh Giddey.

0:00 Billy Donovan
10:18 Nikola Vucevic
19:07 Tre Jones

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