![]() ![]() 14 pick in that draft, and they value what he brings to the table:ĭenzel Valentine seems to be panned by some outside the organization but can say he’s very valued within it for his leadership and work ethic. The Bulls selected Valentine with the No. This all after his right knee was red-flagged heading into the 2016 NBA Draft because of a surgery from way back in 2009. He underwent surgery on this same ankle after his rookie year, then needed arthroscopic surgery on his left knee toward the end of last season. While this injury is bad enough on its own, making it worse is the fact that it's his third surgery in three seasons. Chicago's putrid point guard situation also would've been mitigated slightly with Valentine's presence.īut now Valentine faces a long recovery and potentially a questionable future in Chicago. His shooting and playmaking are valuable, especially on a Bulls team lacking creators. The 25-year-old put up 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 27.2 minutes per game while shooting nearly 39% on 3-pointers. Valentine is a flawed player due to his lack of athleticism and poor defense, but he established himself as at least a useful guard off the bench in his second season. Rookie Chandler Hutchison is still raw and seemingly not ready for a bigger role, while shooting guard Antonio Blakeney is playing a sizable role as a microwave scorer off the bench after being a bit player last season. Justin Holiday is at nearly 35 minutes per game, by far the most of his career. Zach LaVine is sixth in the league in minutes per game in his first full season back from an ACL tear and taking on a huge usage load. Valentine shot 40.9 percent from the field, 33.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 75.0 percent from the free-throw line.The Bulls don't exactly have a lot of quality depth on the wing, making Valentine's absence loom even larger. He averaged 6.8 points per game, 2.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.2 blocks. Valentine played in 36 games during the shortened 2019-20 regular season for the Bulls (five of which he started in). But it’s hard to tell where the thought process will be at for the new look front office regime and recently hired head coach Billy Donovan. Dunn and Harrison seem much more likely to return for the Bulls heading into the 2020-21 season than Valentine. Other key free agent guards for the Bulls this offseason include point guard Kris Dunn and combo guard Shaquille Harrison. As one of the guards coming up on restricted free agency this offseason, the Bulls might try to free up a roster spot and let go of Valentine. Valentine did mention that he was “thankful he started here” (in Chicago) and that is true “regardless of what the future holds” for him. As an athlete, I want everyone to see I’m a hardworking player who deserves to play in the NBA.” “As an artist, I want people to see a side of me that nobody really gets to see. ![]() “Music has definitely allowed me to express how I feel,” Valentine said. He said this city shaped who he is as a player and an artist. Regardless of what the future holds for Valentine and his career in Chicago, the 26-year-old is thankful he started here. Here’s more on what Valentine had to say on this release and where he’s at heading into the month of October this offseason.ĭuring the uncertainty that came with the 2020 offseason, Valentine said it was essential to hit the ground running in his first summer without rehab or major surgery. He apparently had a busy offseason in his personal life up to this point, and it’s good to see him taking on some creative projects away from the game of basketball. It dug deep into Valentine’s experience within his personal life, and his hip hop album that is releasing soon. More specifically, he shared his experience with releasing his album “517 Made Me”. In a recent interview with Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times earlier this week, Chicago Bulls 26-year-old shooting guard Denzel Valentine opened up on some of his off-the-court interest and where he is at during this point of the 2020 offseason. By Andrew Miller 2 years ago Former first round pick of the Chicago Bulls in the 2016 NBA Draft, 6-foot-4 shooting guard Denzel Valentine, had a busy offseason it looks like so far. ![]()
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