Yet another season with no true direction and high hopes for a big playoff push, the Chicago Bulls are destined to be a middle of the pack team, struggling to get a chance for the play-in tournament. With the Celtics looking to repeat, Paul George took his talents to Philly, Knicks traded for Mikal Bridges, Giannis and Milwaukee pushing to win again, Miami still in the mix, Cleveland, Indiana, and even Orlando are all on the way to being true contenders, the Bulls have plenty of work to do to even be considered a playoff worthy team for this upcoming season. Since the Michael Jordan era, Chicago hasn’t sniffed the same amount of success. There were moments throughout the years where the Bulls could’ve brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to the Windy City; due to injuries, inconsistency, going up against more superior teams, Chicago could never get over that hump again. The closest they’ve gotten was during the time Derrick Rose was leading the charge. An explosive point guard that can drive to the paint at will, while still getting his teammates involved was remarkable to see back in the day. It just wasn’t enough due to his notorious torn ACL injuries (from 2011-2012) that hindered the championship success that Chicago desperately prayed for.
All is not lost however; with solid offseason moves (trades and signings), returns from injury and brand new season to look upon, lets see what the Billy Donovan led Bulls are made of. For the past few seasons, the Bulls have been in complete rebuild mode starving for playoff success. Even when landing NBA vet Demar Derozan, trading for young stars Zach Lavine and Lonzo Ball, drafting Coby White, this Chicago team just hasn’t been able to get things done over the years. Thank God for the play-in tournament for giving teams another shot at the playoffs to compete. The biggest talked about offseason move for Chicago this time around was trading the two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Alex Caruso, to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey. The trade had many people left wondering what the Bulls management were doing by getting rid of such a dynamic defensive minded guard, who also can score when possible. Though most Chicago fans didn’t care for the move, there were some that understood that the team needed more offense for the eventual season. Giddey averaged 12.3 points per game last season, shooting 33.7% from the three with a 47.5 field goal percentage. That’s not too shabby for a 6 '8’ guard that’s only 21-years-old. With Derozan traded to Sacramento, Chicago needed another playmaker that could create his own shot playing alongside Lavine and that has Josh Giddey’s name written all over it.
As the new season slowly approaches, Donovan’s coaching will be at the helm of conversation for this new look team. Donovan’s philosophy on the offensive side of the ball is transition basketball, getting everyone involved and spacing the floor. Coby White developed tremendously under Donovan as he was in the conversation of Six Man of the Year last season. While trading for Giddey was a good pickup, adding Jalen Smith through free agency was an even bigger one. With losing Andre Drummond to the 76ers, the Bulls needed a big man that can grab boards, defend, block shots, put the ball in the hoop and Smith fits the bill. As a stretch center himself, Nikola Vucevic can’t do it all on both sides of the ball. Averaging 9.9 points, and 5.5 rebounds last season for the Pacers, Jalen brings that defensive tenacity to the team that it needs in the paint while hitting mid-range jumpers. Lonzo Ball returning to the court will also be one of the most concerns for this team. The development of players such as Ayo Dosunmu, Dalen Terry, Julian Phillips, and rookie DJ Steward is the center of reaching the ultimate goal. The playoffs is the golden opportunity to prove that a team can hang with the absolute best that the league can offer. The Bulls have ways to go but with consistency, a non-injury season and a bit of luck, things may be looking bright for Chicago.
Comments