The Bulls haven’t been great at all. They’ve had their moments but, at the end of the day, they are, at best, mediocre. In essence, the Bulls aren’t bad enough to be a lottery team but not good enough to be a playoff threat. Therefore, the Bulls will need to make moves to make sure they have an established direction.
One direction the Bulls could take could be to trade away significant pieces for draft pick, like what they did back in the 2017 offseason.
As shown on Basketball Reference, over the course of the 2016-17 season, the Bulls were okay with a record 41-41. Therefore, they decided to break up the roster by trading many players like Jimmy Butler, Dwayne Wade, Rajon Rondo, etc.
In return, they got younger players like Zach LaVine, Coby White, Lauri Markkanen, etc. Thus, their record was of 27-55 the next year.
Therefore, if the Bulls want to go into this direction, they will have to do similar acts. They’ll have to get rid of older players like Nikola Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, and maybe even Zach LaVine depending on the circumstances.
In other words, they’ll restart the rebuild that began back in 2017. From a fan perspective, these moves will likely be disappointing.
As shown on Land of Basketball, over recent years, the Bulls went through quite a few ups and downs. To only experience a few “ups” for barely half a season is devastating. From an organizational perspective, the Bulls need a lot of hope and quick action.
At this point the Bulls would rely on the draft to help build up the roster. Not only do they have to take quick action to pick the right players, but they’ll also need hope that the player develops how they want him to.
In addition, regardless of Zach LaVine being on the roster, the Bulls will need to hope they get lucky enough to get a franchise player/legend. That hope will just be amplified if LaVine is no longer there.
If the Chicago Bulls want to go in the winning direction, they’ll need to make different kinds of trades. Instead of trading their older players, they’ll need to trade their inexperienced players/future picks to improve problem areas.
For instance, one of the more glaring problem areas that the Bulls have is 3-point shooting. As shown on Sports Illustrated, the Bulls are last in the league in 3-pointers made and attempted. Thus, they’ll have to trade players like Patrick Williams, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, etc. to get 3-point shooters.
As shown on NBA.com, some of those 3-point shooters could include players like:
Joe Harris (attempted 4.5 3-pointers on 42.6%)
Luke Kennard (attempted 4.6 3-pointers on 49.4%)
Malcolm Brogdon (attempted 4.4 3-pointers on 44.4%)
Gary Harris (attempted 4.5 3-pointers on 43.1%)
In essence, all these players would be effective shooting threats for the Bulls. That’ll make it easier for DeMar DeRozan and LaVine to not only get their looks but pass it to other teammates. For example, if DeRozan decides he wants to drive in, instead of taking a tough lay-up. He can kick it out to a Gary Harris or Joe Harris for three.
If LaVine is in trouble on the 3-point line, he doesn’t have to force up a contested three. He can pass it out to a Kennard or Brogdon, and they can either take it or pass it back after the defense shifts their direction.
Similar moves would be made for their other trouble areas shown on Sports Illustrated like assists, offensive rebounds, overall offense, etc.
What Decision Should They Make
Well, there isn’t really a “right” answer to the question.
Nobody could predict the Bulls’ insane couple of years and there is no guarantee it can’t happen again.
For instance, during rebuilding, someone’s potential could be hampered by injuries. While trading for more talent, a player could have a bad season and the Bulls could remain mediocre.
Essentially, either way, there is a risk for the plan to not workout.
As an organization, you just hope you’re lucky enough for the plan to come to fruition.
Stay tuned for more NBA content, including midseason moves, contract updates, and more pieces about every team.
Featured image courtesy of nbaiphonewallpaper.com.
You can “Like” The Game Haus on Facebook and “Follow” us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from other great TGH writers!
“From our Haus to Yours”
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
