The new-look Chicago Bulls.
There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for the Chicago Bulls‘ future. As they have struggled the past few seasons, which includes only one playoff berth in the last six seasons, this season looks like the start of something new.
Chicago made a few strides last offseason after the hiring of former Thunder and University of Florida Head Coach, Bill Donovan. The players seem to respond better to Donovan than that of previous head coach Jim Boylen, who didn’t have the greatest relationship with their best player, Zach LaVine.
Granted this was Donovan’s first year in Chicago and comparing Donavan’s relationship to the players to that of Boyland’s, isn’t exactly fair. But as of right now, Donovan is considered a good coach by many, and the players seem to have his back, which in the NBA is extremely rare and limited.
As far as their personnel goes, LaVine made his first all-star team, along with the front office making a gutsy trade for former Orlando Magic all-star, Nikola Vucevic. The Bulls missed the playoffs again for the fourth straight season. They finished their season at 31-41 and ended with the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference. Granted, that’s not exactly where the Bulls want to be heading into next season, luckily, the Bulls made a big splash in this summer’s free agency.
Chicago acquired former Laker, Pelican, and No. 2 overall pick back in the 2017 draft, Lonzo Ball. Ball, whose numbers don’t jump out at you, is still a very valuable and winning player who continues to improve that jump shot, which was his biggest knock on him early on. The guy is a pass-first, win before stats, kind of player, who continues to get better and live up to the pressure that has surrounded him his entire career.
Not long after Ball signed with Chicago, the Bulls acquired another solid piece from the Los Angeles Lakers, Alex Caruso. Caruso, another guard that can make an open three, handle pressure, make the right play, but most of all, play relentless on-ball defense. Not to mention playoff experience, championship experience, and having the privilege to play with LeBron James for a few seasons. Bringing in a winning player with that type of experience to a team that hasn’t had much success, is a great investment. Not bad for a backup guard.
The biggest acquisition of them all was the sign-and-trade DeMar DeRozan. The Bulls pulled off a sign and trade adding DeMar DeRozan on a three-year, $85 million contract in a sign-and-trade deal, which in turn sent Thaddeus Young and Al-Faruq Aminu to San Antonio. DeRozan is similar to Russell Westbrook not by style or how they play, but by how they are regarded by the general public. Everyone wants to talk about what Westbrook or DeRozan cannot do, and glosses over everything they are great at.
“He doesn’t shoot threes.” “He’s never been to the Finals.”
Now, I don’t disagree, DeRozan indeed has never been to the NBA Finals nor does he make it a point of emphasis to shoot threes. But consider this, a player entering his 13th season, who averages 20 points per game for a career, in the regular season and the playoffs. And is one of the few players who can create their own shot. How many guys in the league can do that? And of those who average that many points consistently, aren’t they regarded anywhere from good, to great players? The answer is yes, the DeRozan slander is very strange to me. Needless to say, I’m all in on Chicago this season.
What playoff seed does Chicago end up with?
There’s no question that Chicago made significant improvements to their roster. And they are in the weaker of the two conferences. But the Bulls problem is that the Eastern Conference is starting to bridge the gap with the West.
When you go and look at the Eastern Conference playoff teams from last season, unless there are some freak injuries which of course we all know is possible, they playoff teams seem fairly similar. You’ve got Miami who improved over the offseason with Kyle Lowry and re-signed their key pieces as well, they’re always in the mix.
Of course, the Nets roster is just ridiculous at this point, and they even have some free-agent additions, most notably Patty Mills, the former San Antonio Spur. The Knicks re-signed Randle to a long-term deal and added Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker to a team that was great on defense but desperately needed more firepower on offense.
Atlanta also signed Trae Young and John Collins to a big deal and extended Clint Capela. They’re essentially bringing back the team from last season, and will hopefully be able to keep Deandre Hunter healthy all season long. I’m going to throw Charlotte in there too. If healthy could be a sneaky team too, they’re young and dangerous. Not a playoff team last year but they were on their way before the injury bug ruined their chances.
A healthy LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, and strong role players like their newest addition Kelly Oubre Jr., and high flyer Miles Bridges. That’s a team who will eat your lunch if you do not come prepared, I can see the Hornets running some teams out of the gym on certain nights with their style of play. They remind me of an AAU team that has been playing together for ten years.
Now, there are some teams in the East who made the playoffs last season who I do have some concerns about.
First, the Boston Celtics. I do think the Celtics will find a way in, but I don’t think they’re going to be a top seed this season. New coach, who for all accounts is supposed to be a great basketball mind, but it’s his first job, first season, for an iconic franchise with expectations. I sense their will be a ton of pressure on him and the organization.
Second, The Philadelphia 76ers. Last year’s No. 1 seed flamed out in the playoffs and is dealing with a Ben Simmons holdout situation. They’re not going to get equal value for him, his stock is as low as it has ever been after his playoff performance against Atlanta last season. So they’re either going to be worse than last season or have a one of their core players from the previous season, not play, not practice and be a distraction to start their season.
That’s a recipe for disaster, I don’t care how good Embiid plays, that team will not thrive with that looming over their season.
Third, the Washington Wizards. It may be a little too early to cross off Washington from making the playoffs again this season. It took a nuclear Russell Westbrook performance to get them there last season. Granted they still have Bradley Beal who now is in the running for the ultimate, good stats, bad team guy, they acquired Spencer Dinwiddie who we assume is good but is coming off a major injury and doesn’t have an All-Star appearance, and a bunch of role players from last years Lakers team that everyone complained about all season.
Lastly, they’ve got a new head coach, Wes Unseld Jr. who needs no introduction, but it seems like he’s been dealt a rather unfavorable hand. The roster, the situation, I feel sorry that this is the opportunity that Wes got. It seems like a down year upcoming in Washington.
Fourth, the Indiana Pacers. First I want to start off by saying I think the Pacers will be in the playoffs and have the chance to make it to the semifinals and possibly the conference finals. However, if you told me that Carlisle doesn’t have the best relationship with the players, or Caris LeVert just isn’t working out, or Malcolm Brogdon wants a trade. I wouldn’t be surprised either. I’m a Rick Carlisle believer, and I think Malcolm Brogdon is one of the more underrated players in the entire league, but there’s a reason the Pacers were in the play in game last season, and the same goes for why Rick Carlisle was available for the Pacers job.
There’s a lot of questions surrounding that team.
I think Chicago is deep and talented enough to skip the play-in game and earn one of the eight playoff seeds. I think it will be a lower seed, just because they’re still newly constructed and talented, but not super talented. I think the 5th or 6th seed is right where they end up finishing, barring any significant injuries to their stars.
They won’t have homecourt in the playoffs but they will give that first-round match-up a tough series in my eyes. Chicago will be a team you’d rather not see if you’re one of the higher seeds going into the playoffs.