Chicago Bulls: Will this team be able to flip an uneven start to the season?

The sputtering Chicago Bulls continue to fall apart. 

Coming into the 2022-23 season, the Chicago Bulls were looking to be playoff contenders. Last year was a success, but the Bulls struggled to get past the first round of the playoffs. The Bulls looked hungry to succeed and get to the playoffs again. However, after a 6-8 start to the season, will the Bulls be able to turn around and see success, or will they continue to plummet in a stacked Eastern Conference?

After an early exit in the postseason last year, a Bulls team that is primarily healthy should excel, but they have already lost eight times this year with only six wins. Yes, they’re still without their floor general Lonzo Ball, but the team looks a lot further away from succeeding than they did last season and will need to figure out how to change things quickly because it is not looking great for the Bulls.

The bad for the Chicago Bulls 

The Bulls have two primary scorers in Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, but the two All-Stars have yet to perform up to expectations consistently. LaVine is coming off a knee injury but is looking back to form. The Bulls have LaVine on a load management schedule, and they will sit him in games where his knee may be problematic, but it’s putting pressure on DeRozan and the rest of the team.

DeRozan is playing similarly to last season, averaging 24 points a night with some impressive games over 30 points. DeRozan may be the primary scorer but has struggled to produce at times. In five of the last eight games, DeRozan has failed to score over 20 points, and this is unusual for a player of his caliber who last year scored at will.

The overall shooting for the Bulls has become a significant reason for their losing record. Even though LaVine is back and looking more like himself, and DeRozan is scoring an outlandish amount from time to time, the Bulls have no other shooters that can step up.

Other players must accept a larger role and perform if others struggle. Nikola Vucevic will have to play well, but his lack of defensive execution leads to the opposing team’s success.

The Bulls have players with high ceilings, but they have yet to show consistent play. They expected Patrick Williams to make a significant leap this season. Last year an injury held him out for almost the entire season, but now that he’s healthy, he has considerable pressure on his shoulder to succeed.

"Andre Drummond recently said on a Twitch Stream that Patrick Williams reminds him of a young Kawhi Leonard and that Pat has “a lot to his game that he’s unaware of.”"

Williams is improving, but with that year missed, he is still behind schedule with his production on the offensive end.

Coby White is reportedly on the trading block, and the Bulls didn’t sign him to an extension, making him a free agent next year. Their hope for him to become a productive scorer off the bench is hanging high and dry, and they may look to move him. Goran Dragic and Andre Drummond have been great additions, but the Bulls need more on the offensive end by all players.

The hope for the Chicago Bulls? 

Bulls fans can have some hope but shouldn’t expect anything close to a championship season. Zach LaVine is slowly looking to form from before his injury. When he is healthy, he is one of the most athletically gifted players who can score at will. He has shown every year that his scoring upside is amongst the best, and with his recent extension, he will want to prove to the organization and the city that he is worth every penny.

DeRozan may have the potential to have an MVP-caliber season, and if LaVine’s health continues to improve, it will allow fewer double teams on DeRozan, allowing him and LaVine to score at will. Both players can average over 25 points a night, but relying on them to win the game is not enough.

Lonzo Ball projects to return later this season. Ball is crucial for this team, as he offers elite defense while being a top-tier floor general. When Ball is on the court, he is a three-point shooting threat, which opens the floor for the rest of the team. Patrick Williams must continue his aggressive approach and prove to Bulls fans he was worth the early selection.

Head coach Billy Donovan may be on the hot seat if the Chicago Bulls can’t put it together in a successful season. However, Bulls fans should have hope for the rest of the season. The Eastern Conference is competitive, but the Bulls have the tools necessary to land a playoff spot. The team must turn their struggles around.

DeRozan and Lavine will return to form soon, and Coby White may be a part of a trade to return for a shooter that can help the Bulls win. Williams has to continue with his aggressive play, and once Lonzo Ball returns, this team will look dramatically improved. Until then, the Bulls have to win games and not allow teams to walk all over them.