It’s often been a part of Denzel Valentine’s ballhandling warm-up routine before games.
Crossover, crossover, and just when it looks like he’s going to attack the paint, a quick hesitation dribble to keep the imaginary defender off balance.
Basketball patience.
He’s mimicking the same routine with the Thursday NBA trade deadline approaching.
Say the right thing, don’t express the obvious displeasure he has in his current situation with the Bulls, keep trade rumors balanced between a grain of salt and hope.
All the while maintaining patience.
“No not really,’’ Valentine said, when asked if his anxiety about a deal was growing. “I feel like everything is going to take care of itself. I can’t really control what happens, so I just have to come to work every day, stay positive, and work hard.’’
An ongoing response from Valentine this season, even when it became obvious back in December that the 14th overall pick from the 2016 draft had fallen out of favor in the eyes of the coaching staff and front office.
If there’s a Bulls player that could be rocking the boat in Year 3 of this suddenly disappointing rebuild, it’s been Valentine. When given opportunity, he’s produced. Yes, he’s not the greatest athlete or a player that has a true position, but for a Bulls team that has leaned on becoming a three-point shooting offense, he is statistically the third-best long-range shooter.
Yet, before all the injuries he was barely getting any consistent playing time outside of blowouts.
Valentine expressed his frustration to the Sun-Times last month, but has never come out and insisted to the front office that they need to send him elsewhere.
“Not really,’’ Valentine responded, when asked if he’s spoken to the front office lately about his future. “I kind of let things happen as is. I’m not really pressed either way. I feel like I just need to come to work every day and try and be productive on the court.’’
That’s why when projecting trade candidates on this roster, it starts with Valentine. While there might not be a huge return for him, he’s the perfect piece in a package — say to go along with a Thaddeus Young.
After that, however, the Bulls have very few chips to play the trade game with. The likes of Kris Dunn (right knee), Otto Porter Jr. (left foot) and Wendell Carter Jr. (right ankle) are currently damaged goods, while a source told the Sun-Times that Lauri Markkanen remains all but untouchable, despite his disappointing season.
That leaves Valentine and Young as the two most attractive pieces.
Just don’t tell that to the face of the franchise in Zach LaVine.
While the guard doesn’t believe the Bulls would move him, he said no one is truly safe during this time of year.
“[Bleep], anybody could be traded, man,’’ LaVine said. “I’ll be watching. You never know with the NBA, it’s a business. Since I’ve been here that hasn’t been a whole lot of movement. It’s just the one from last year [Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis for Porter], but you know, it was one of those you could almost see it coming type of thing. We’ll see. I always have my ear on what’s going on. I go out there and do my job, if I’m here.
“I’m not concerned, but like I said, anything can happen. It’s the NBA. Paul George and [Russell] Westbrook got traded, so shoot … Shaq [O’Neal] got traded, [bleep], you know what I mean. Anything can happen.’’
Valentine sure hopes so.
