5 Takeaways from Chicago Bulls exit interviews

Denzel Valentine’s rotation

I really wanted to write about Valentine seeming to have the mentality that he just enjoys cashing paychecks as one of the things that slipped into his media time was about his lack of playoff minutes, but getting playoff paychecks.

I wasn’t there to hear the context or get the verbatim, but Denzel Valentine talked about getting playoff paychecks. I assume that he was cracking a joke, but what could be scarier? Imagine a lottery pick that gets outplayed by a second-rounder, then stating that his lack of playing time in the playoffs was disappointing, but at least he got paid. Not a good look for anyone, ever.

Here’s the great part, though, about this whole situation. Valentine isn’t the man. Yet, with Dwyane Wade, Paul Zipser and Jimmy Butler all set to be back in town next season, the Gar Forman-John Paxson comedy team has told Valentine that he should expect a bigger role next season.

For the record, that’s essentially the same line that they kept feeding Taj Gibson year after year.

If Chicago can’t find a place for Denzel Valentine to emerge with the dearth of point guard talent and legitimate up-for-grabs bench minutes over Zipser or Isaiah Canaan, what’s changing next year? Is he going to absorb Canaan’s minutes – all 592 of them?

Time to read into this. Denzel is going to get point guard minutes, steal minutes from Zipser or some combination of Fred Hoiberg and Forman plans to send Wade to the bench if he opts in on his deal. Sigh.