Acquired this offseason, Jones talked about the idea of two former Slam Dunk Contest winners going at it in the ultimate dunk-off, and unfortunately completely downplayed it actually happening with himself and LaVine.
There’s always a hope for a “Rocky III” ending.
Much like Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed did at the end of that movie, maybe, just maybe, Derrick Jones Jr. and Zach LaVine will meet in some dimly lit gym with no judges, no teammates, and no fans. Just a ball and a rim. The 2020 Slam Dunk Champion in Jones against the two-time champion in LaVine. Air-defying dunk vs. air-defying dunk.
In the end, no one but Jones and LaVine would know who’s actually better.
Unfortunately, it’s going to have to stay a Hollywood script.
“That ain’t happen, I ain’t gonna lie,” Jones said on Thursday, when asked if he and LaVine had engaged in any sort of dunk-off talk. “Zach got it. He won two championships. I mean if it happens, it happens. But that’s my guy.”
According to Jones, not even his new Bulls teammates have been trying to stir that showdown up.
“Nah. Nah, we not really paying attention to dunks,” he said. “Throughout the course of practice or a workout, if we get an open lane, we dunk it. I seen him dunk one time since I been here. So I don’t think we’re going to have a dunk-off anytime soon.”
The way Jones sees it he has bigger goals to focus on. Acquired from Portland in the three-way deal that sent Lauri Markkanen to Cleveland, Jones is in the mix for a key role off the bench in the frontcourt, and until Patrick Williams is back from a left ankle injury, a shot in the starting lineup in Williams’ vacancy.
And while he has no idea how either will play out, he does know that he’s in the right place for the first time in a few years.
Jones confirmed a Sun-Times story from back in April of 2020, when it was reported that the old Bull regime was looking at the then-Miami Heat forward as a free-agent addition.
“Yeah, a few years ago, I did know,” Jones said. “Right before I signed with Portland, I knew that Chicago was heavy on me. This has always been my favorite NBA team. I haven’t told anybody in the NBA that. I’ve always been a big DRose [Derrick Rose] fan and a big [Michael] Jordan fan. Me being in this position now, I’m just so grateful. Every moment I’m out there on the floor I’m going to play it like it’s my last.”
Labrum blues
Coby White admittedly had a classic reaction when he was first told about his shoulder injury this offseason, telling reporters that the first thing he asked the doctor was, “Uh, what is a labrum?”
After laughing through his account of the story with the media, the guard said the team doctor, “did a good job of explaining to me what it was and what the process was gonna be like … at that point there’s not too much you can do about it. I just kinda took it in stride and continued to just attack rehab.”
Not the only thing White attacked this offseason.
Limited in what he could do for the past few months, White said the key for him has been taking mental reps. Which means diving into film and talking the game through with coaches.
“Me growing mentally and watching a lot of film, that’s all I really could do,” White said. “Now I just started getting back on the court. I’ve never been out this long for basketball so for me right now it’s focusing on getting my shoulder strong and just finding a rhythm on the basketball court.”
