NBA News Roundup: Scottie Pippen doesn’t think Chicago Bulls are playoff ready, Mavericks’ young star wants to help team reach NBA Finals, and more | August 5th, 2022
The NBA offseason continues to provide loads of stories for fans around the globe.
Scottie Pippen recently spoke about the current Chicago Bulls team and believes they have improved a lot. The Bulls signed the likes of DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso last summer. However, Pippen doesn't think Chicago is playoff ready.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks' marquee acquisition of the offseason, Christian Wood, has big goals for next season. The 26-year-old has revealed that he aims to lead the team to an NBA Finals appearance.
Read more on these stories and other headlines around the NBA as of Aug. 5, 2022, below.
Scottie Pippen doesn't think Chicago Bulls are playoff ready
Scottie Pippen has given the Chicago Bulls credit for improving their roster last summer.
The Bulls went from being a 31-win team in the 2020-21 season to a 46-win side and made the NBA playoffs as the sixth seed. However, they struggled in the postseason, suffering a first-round exit at the hands of the defending champions, the Milwaukee Bucks.
Pippen thinks they're far from competing against the top teams in the East. Here's what he said about the Bulls during a recent interview with NBC Sports Chicago:
"Last year they definitely made some acquisitions that made them better. Throughout the regular season they definitely looked a lot better. I think (DeMar) DeRozan definitely brought them some firepower that they needed from an offensive standpoint."
Pippen added:
"I think (in the) postseason they sort of fell back into the slot that they've been in for the last 10 or 15 years. They're just not a team that's built for the postseason. They had some injuries this year, but the other teams out there are continuing to improve."
The Bulls were also dealing with plenty of injuries during last season. Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, Patrick Williams and even Zach LaVine weren't available during various stretches.
: link.chtbl.com/BullsTalk
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• Why Scottie gives back to Chicago
• The state of the current Bulls
• Settling the dynasty Bulls vs. Warriors debate
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Chicago needs a superstar-caliber player in their ranks who has championship experience to get to the next level. Kevin Durant appears to be a candidate they can push to pursue. The move would make them a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference.
Dallas Mavericks' newest recruit Christian Wood aims big in his debut season with the franchise
The Dallas Mavericks were one of the first teams to engage in a big-time trade move this offseason.
They agreed with the Houston Rockets to land star center Christian Wood. It was a strategic move from Dallas as they bolstered their options outside Luka Doncic.
Wood is motivated to achieve plenty in his debut season. The 26-year-old former Pistons star is aiming to help the team get to the NBA Finals in the upcoming campaign. He said during a recent appearance at the Mavs Academy Hoop camp (via Sports Illustrated):
"Happy to be here. It's a great opportunity for me, for this organization. Just trying to take that next step. I just want to win games. My main objective is trying to get to the finals."
#wednesdayschild
Thank you @dallasmavs for making Roderick feel right at HOME!! He even got to shoot hoops with @Chriswood_5 who was so kind to Roderick!!
What a dream come true for this child who has suffered so much in life. Can’t wait for you to meet Roderick next week! 💙 #wednesdayschild https://t.co/QD2vjOhaOL
The Mavericks reached the Conference Finals last season but lost to the Golden State Warriors in five games. Dallas lost their second-best player in Jalen Brunson this offseason, so Wood will likely need to make an instant impact as the second option on offense.
Steve Kerr believes Warriors will have their groove back with Klay Thompson playing his first full season
The Golden State Warriors entered the 2021-22 campaign with plenty of doubts.
Klay Thompson's health, their offseason moves and several other concerns led to many doubting their status as legitimate favorites to win the title. However, they defied the odds and waded through their injury struggles to claim their fourth title in eight years.
Thompson made a successful comeback from two serious injuries while Draymond Green returned as an All-Star. Jordan Poole had a breakout year and Andrew Wiggins found a role that allowed him to flourish. Steph Curry continued to dazzle and was their best player on offense.
The Dubs' success over the last decade is owed to the continuity of their system and core team players under Steve Kerr. Kerr highlighted that as a reason behind the Dubs being able to run it back. He also outlined how it will help them find their groove during a recent interview with The Athletic.
Kerr said:
"We have probably more continuity than anybody in the league with our core group. Add Wiggs and Jordan and the institutional knowledge they've gained, and we have a really strong foundation.
"We have our main six guys back, the foundational six that we know are going to be on the court for big minutes every night."
He added about Thompson:
"It feels like we've got our groove back. We'll have Klay back for a full season. Our foundation in place. While we're absolutely going to play a lot of young guys, we kind of have a core six, a foundational six players who are really the ones that make everything happen."
An offseason Steve Kerr interview. He details his coaching staff changes, the “foundational six”, James Wiseman’s role and more theathletic.com/3465697/2022/0…
Kendrick Perkins declares the LA Clippers as the winners this offseason
Kendrick Perkins has lauded the LA Clippers for their activities this offseason.
The team is expected to improve on their performances from last season. Kawhi Leonard will return after a season-long absence, while Paul George, who sustained an injury-riddled 2021-22 season, will be healthy as well.
On top of that, the Clippers have continued to bolster their squad depth. They have added Norman Powell, Robert Covington and John Wall over the last six months. LA has made those additions without losing contributing role players like Marcus Morris, Terance Mann, Ivica Zubac, Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard.
Here's what Perkins said on "NBA Today" about the Clippers:
"When you look at the Los Angeles Clippers, they won this offseason and I don't even think it's close.
"When you talk about the most important position in the NBA, the wing position, they are loaded with them. From Paul George to Kawhi Leonard to Robert Covington to Nicolas Batum - they have Norman Powell."
"When you look at the Los Angeles Clippers, they won this offseason and I don't even think it's close."
@KendrickPerkins believes Kawhi Leonard and Paul George's squad won the summer 👀
https://t.co/tRlYo9COU2
Draymond Green uses the internet as an example to explain why comparing eras in the NBA isn't ideal
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been advocating against fans and analysts comparing eras in the NBA. The former Defensive Player of the Year winner believes it doesn't make sense as the game has evolved over the years.
To explain his thought process better, Green used the internet as an example. Speaking to fellow NBA player Kyle Kuzma on "The Draymond Green Show," he said:
“I don’t understand why people compare eras, but when they do, I had a question do they take into account the difference in style. Can you compare AOL to the high-speed internet today?”
Enjoy the game twitter.com/TheVolumeSport…