I really needed Coby White to improve like a Jordan Poole or a Tyrese Maxey this season brehs.
"Ayo I want to put the Paws on em"...- The Chicago Bulls 2022-23 Season thread.
- Thread starter cornercommission2k12
- Start date
- Status
cornercommission2k12
so this were u dudes went
Welp season over. Overall not fully disappointed. Nearly 20 game improvement, tasted 1st in the conference for awhile made the playoffs.
This wasn't a superteam. In that circumstance I would expect more. We are going to have to endure growing pains unfortunately. As I've posted before this team will be at its best when lavine, Patrick Williams, ayo , and ball are the best players on this team.
Liked derozan to begin the season but he let that demar mvp shyt go to his head and killed the offense many nights.
Vucevic has to be better, need ball back and Caruso healthy , ayo will take another step
Not so sold on pwill next season will be important for him. Might be the end of the line for coby we need consistent production from the bench
But I'm not of the belief we need to flip the roster. I believe we have talent. We need a better offensive system and retool of the depth. Maybe adding a Thad young , a couple outside shooters and internal growth will help the franchise going forward.
Interesting in who we will take at 18th.
This wasn't a superteam. In that circumstance I would expect more. We are going to have to endure growing pains unfortunately. As I've posted before this team will be at its best when lavine, Patrick Williams, ayo , and ball are the best players on this team.
Liked derozan to begin the season but he let that demar mvp shyt go to his head and killed the offense many nights.
Vucevic has to be better, need ball back and Caruso healthy , ayo will take another step
Not so sold on pwill next season will be important for him. Might be the end of the line for coby we need consistent production from the bench
But I'm not of the belief we need to flip the roster. I believe we have talent. We need a better offensive system and retool of the depth. Maybe adding a Thad young , a couple outside shooters and internal growth will help the franchise going forward.
Interesting in who we will take at 18th.
Coli is finally working for me again. 
Good season! Could have been better but ever since Covid hit mid season the team wasn't the same. Hope Zach gets his money and comes back healthy. It was a fun season. One more year together should help. Make a few moves and get better. I'm just happy we actually made moves to win this year and competed a bit.
Good season! Could have been better but ever since Covid hit mid season the team wasn't the same. Hope Zach gets his money and comes back healthy. It was a fun season. One more year together should help. Make a few moves and get better. I'm just happy we actually made moves to win this year and competed a bit.
The competitive fire just isn't there consistently with this team.
Even with our star players, the sense of urgency really never was there. I'm watching all these other Playoff teams compete HARD regardless of who's available. Chicago literally got blown out in 3 Playoff games. 2 at Home. That's inexcusable.
New Orleans, Minnesota, Denver, Atlanta, even Brooklyn looked more competitive than Chicago and they got swept.
Milwaukee loses Middleton and wins 3 straight, Bulls lose Zach and get blown out... Again. Not even getting into Xs and Os or rotations, something just isn't sitting well with how easily this squad just died this year against any team that played with any kind of intensity.
The honeymoon has to be over for guys that don't give maximum effort moving forward. This team got embarrassed way too many games this season. Billy and the leaders on this team have to come back next season with a higher expectation and standard for everyone.
Even with our star players, the sense of urgency really never was there. I'm watching all these other Playoff teams compete HARD regardless of who's available. Chicago literally got blown out in 3 Playoff games. 2 at Home. That's inexcusable.
New Orleans, Minnesota, Denver, Atlanta, even Brooklyn looked more competitive than Chicago and they got swept.
Milwaukee loses Middleton and wins 3 straight, Bulls lose Zach and get blown out... Again. Not even getting into Xs and Os or rotations, something just isn't sitting well with how easily this squad just died this year against any team that played with any kind of intensity.
The honeymoon has to be over for guys that don't give maximum effort moving forward. This team got embarrassed way too many games this season. Billy and the leaders on this team have to come back next season with a higher expectation and standard for everyone.
Tenchi Ryu
Ashtray B!tch
Season over and I don't really know how to feel
Other than Game 2....the post season was an extention to the lackluster second half of the season....really felt like we didn't even belong in the playoffs
Other than Game 2....the post season was an extention to the lackluster second half of the season....really felt like we didn't even belong in the playoffs
Tenchi Ryu
Ashtray B!tch
NBA Offseason Guide 2022: How the Chicago Bulls should approach the offseason
Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
1:36 AM UTC
The Bulls were 27-13 and held the top spot in the Eastern Conference, but injuries and a difficult second-half schedule led to Chicago quickly being forced to compete to stay out of the play-in tournament. While they were able to do that, they quickly found themselves overmatched against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs.
The downward spiral in the standings coincided with Lonzo Ball injuring his right knee in mid-January. With Ball out of the lineup, Chicago went 19-23 and saw a steep decline on the defensive end.
The Bulls now enter the offseason with the focus on getting Ball healthy, re-signing All-Star Zach LaVine and adding via the draft.
State of the team
Roster status: Playoffs, but dependent on a healthy Lonzo Ball
When the season ended last May, Bulls head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas made a short but definitive statement on what to expect in the future.
"We will not settle for mediocrity here," Karnisovas told the media.
Nets offseason preview: How Brooklyn can live up to its championship expectations
1d•Bobby Marks
The 39-21 record was a result of the offseason moves that Karnisovas orchestrated, including the sign-and-trades to acquire Ball, DeMar DeRozan and the free-agent addition of Alex Caruso.
The Bulls also had a defensive identity centered around Ball and Caruso.
"As we built out our roster, we turned the focus to defense too. Alex Caruso has been instrumental. Lonzo Ball has been a great addition, pushing the pace for us," Bulls president and COO Michael Reinsdorf told ESPN in mid-January.
Prior to Jan. 15, the Bulls ranked sixth in points per game off turnovers and No. 1 in transition field goal percentage. Ball, per ESPN Stats & Information research, ranked in the top 10 in transition assists. However, Ball had arthroscopic left knee surgery on Jan. 20 and missed the remainder of the season. Caruso broke his left wrist on Jan. 21 and missed 22 games.
With that duo out, the strong defense that helped Chicago generate that great transition offense eventually came to a screeching halt. The Bulls slid to 26th in defensive efficiency with both players sidelined and fell to the bottom (26th) in points per game off turnovers.
Per Second Spectrum tracking, Chicago ranked 28th in points per possessions allowed in transition and 23rd in points per possessions allowed on half courts.
The Bulls never recovered with Ball out of the lineup, and a roster that had championship aspirations unfairly turned back to mediocre.
Now entering the offseason, Chicago will return all five starters -- assuming LaVine re-ups with the Bulls -- but the health of Ball is paramount on how far this Bulls team can go.
Zach LaVine
Last offseason LaVine made it clear that he outplayed the four-year, $80 million offer sheet he signed with Sacramento that was originally matched by the Bulls back in 2018.
The guard was coming off his third consecutive season averaging at least 20 points, but his $19.5 million salary this year ranked 58th of all players and 11th among shooting guards.
Compete for $40,000 throughout the NBA postseason! Make Your Picks
"I outplayed my contract. I've been very loyal to Chicago. I like Chicago. I just want my respect. If that's now or later, it's something we've got to work out internally," he told Brian Windhorst before the Olympics.
LaVine was correct that his salary was below market for a player of his caliber and he should be rewarded with a more lucrative contract. However, the issue of why a new contract was not feasible stemmed from that same team friendly contract he signed in 2018.
Because of how the collective bargaining agreement is set up, LaVine was eligible for only a 120% raise off his $19.5 million salary for 2021-22. The total new money would have come to $104.8 million, $108 million less than what he is now eligible to receive this summer.
He was eligible to have his salary this past season renegotiated (meaning Chicago would have used cap space to increase it to $34.5 million) but doing that would have prevented the Bulls from acquiring Ball and DeRozan in separate sign-and-trades.
Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
1:36 AM UTC
- Bobby Marks
The Bulls were 27-13 and held the top spot in the Eastern Conference, but injuries and a difficult second-half schedule led to Chicago quickly being forced to compete to stay out of the play-in tournament. While they were able to do that, they quickly found themselves overmatched against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs.
The downward spiral in the standings coincided with Lonzo Ball injuring his right knee in mid-January. With Ball out of the lineup, Chicago went 19-23 and saw a steep decline on the defensive end.
The Bulls now enter the offseason with the focus on getting Ball healthy, re-signing All-Star Zach LaVine and adding via the draft.
State of the team
Roster status: Playoffs, but dependent on a healthy Lonzo Ball
When the season ended last May, Bulls head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas made a short but definitive statement on what to expect in the future.
"We will not settle for mediocrity here," Karnisovas told the media.
Nets offseason preview: How Brooklyn can live up to its championship expectations
1d•Bobby Marks
-
How the Atlanta Hawks should approach the 2022 offseason
1d•Bobby Marks
The 39-21 record was a result of the offseason moves that Karnisovas orchestrated, including the sign-and-trades to acquire Ball, DeMar DeRozan and the free-agent addition of Alex Caruso.
The Bulls also had a defensive identity centered around Ball and Caruso.
"As we built out our roster, we turned the focus to defense too. Alex Caruso has been instrumental. Lonzo Ball has been a great addition, pushing the pace for us," Bulls president and COO Michael Reinsdorf told ESPN in mid-January.
Prior to Jan. 15, the Bulls ranked sixth in points per game off turnovers and No. 1 in transition field goal percentage. Ball, per ESPN Stats & Information research, ranked in the top 10 in transition assists. However, Ball had arthroscopic left knee surgery on Jan. 20 and missed the remainder of the season. Caruso broke his left wrist on Jan. 21 and missed 22 games.
With that duo out, the strong defense that helped Chicago generate that great transition offense eventually came to a screeching halt. The Bulls slid to 26th in defensive efficiency with both players sidelined and fell to the bottom (26th) in points per game off turnovers.
Per Second Spectrum tracking, Chicago ranked 28th in points per possessions allowed in transition and 23rd in points per possessions allowed on half courts.
The Bulls never recovered with Ball out of the lineup, and a roster that had championship aspirations unfairly turned back to mediocre.
Now entering the offseason, Chicago will return all five starters -- assuming LaVine re-ups with the Bulls -- but the health of Ball is paramount on how far this Bulls team can go.
Zach LaVine
Last offseason LaVine made it clear that he outplayed the four-year, $80 million offer sheet he signed with Sacramento that was originally matched by the Bulls back in 2018.
The guard was coming off his third consecutive season averaging at least 20 points, but his $19.5 million salary this year ranked 58th of all players and 11th among shooting guards.
Compete for $40,000 throughout the NBA postseason! Make Your Picks
"I outplayed my contract. I've been very loyal to Chicago. I like Chicago. I just want my respect. If that's now or later, it's something we've got to work out internally," he told Brian Windhorst before the Olympics.
LaVine was correct that his salary was below market for a player of his caliber and he should be rewarded with a more lucrative contract. However, the issue of why a new contract was not feasible stemmed from that same team friendly contract he signed in 2018.
Because of how the collective bargaining agreement is set up, LaVine was eligible for only a 120% raise off his $19.5 million salary for 2021-22. The total new money would have come to $104.8 million, $108 million less than what he is now eligible to receive this summer.
He was eligible to have his salary this past season renegotiated (meaning Chicago would have used cap space to increase it to $34.5 million) but doing that would have prevented the Bulls from acquiring Ball and DeRozan in separate sign-and-trades.
Now LaVine is eligible to sign a five-year, $212 million max contract.
Per ESPN Stats & Information research, over the past two seasons, LaVine is one of four players to average 25 points and shoot 40% on 3-pointers, along with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. He also ranked in the top 10 in clutch time field goal percentage among 65 players with at least 40 shots this season (as did DeRozan)
The red flag with a lengthy contract is from a durability issue.
LaVine has played more than 70 games just twice in his career and not since 2015-16, when he played all 82 (he did play 60 of Chicago's 65 games during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season). He missed 11 games this year with left knee soreness, the same knee that he had surgically repaired in 2017.
A star guard has arrived in Dallas
• What to know about every playoff team
• Inside the world of NBA ref whisperers
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In his current contract, there was an Exhibit 3 Prior Injury Exclusion that protected the team if he suffered a catastrophic injury to that same knee. The Bulls will likely not get that injury insurance again with his next contract.
They could negotiate a games clause that would leave the $48.3 million in the last year non-guaranteed. For example, if LaVine appears in at least 60 games in three out of the first four years of the new deal, the contract in the last year is fully protected.
Considering that the financial windfall is expected for LaVine, would anything short of a fully guaranteed $212 million contract be seen as an insult?
Unlike the last time when LaVine was a free agent and the Bulls had the ability to match on an offer sheet, LaVine is free to sign with any team that has a $36.6 million max slot -- a list that currently only includes Detroit, Indiana, Orlando, San Antonio and Portland.
Nikola Vucevic
The Vucevic trade last March signaled that Chicago was going to build their roster with established players and not draft picks.
"Right from the beginning from the time we got here, we said that we're trying to get back to relevancy,'' Karnisovas said last March. "We're serious here about winning. We're serious about the culture of being very competitive, and any opportunity we get to make this team better we will.''
And although the Bulls missed the playoffs last year, acquiring the former All-Star was the first puzzle piece in putting together a playoff team.
"This trade wasn't just made for this year," Vučević said last May. "I think that it was made for the future of the franchise."
Vucevic played a role in the Bulls reaching the playoffs this season, but now the front office has a decision on whether to extend the center past next season.
He is eligible for a four year, $118 million extension -- a steep price for a player who took a step back this season.
Per ESPN Stats & Information research, Vucevic recorded an effective field goal percentage of 44.7%, fifth worst among 68 players to attempt 500 jumpers. Last year his effective field goal percentage was 52.6%. His 9% drop in 3-point shooting (from 40% to 31%) was the seventh-largest drop in the past two seasons. Only Cade Cunningham and Russell Westbrook shot worse from three this season.
Despite the offensive regression this year, Vucevic still averaged 17.1 points and 11.1 rebounds, his ninth time in 11 seasons averaging a double-double.
A two-year $40 million extension is comparable to the contract that Clint Capela signed last offseason with the Atlanta Hawks and gives the Bulls financial flexibility starting in 2025-26 when only LaVine (if he returns) would be under contract.
Offseason cap breakdown and depth chart
DeMar DeRozan $27,300,000
2. Nikola Vucevic $22,000,000
3. Lonzo Ball $19,534,884
4. Alex Caruso $9,030,000
5. Patrick Williams $7,775,400
6. Coby White $7,413,955
7. Tony Bradley $2,036,318
8. Javonte Green $1,815,677
9. Marko Simonovic $1,563,518
10. Ayo Dosunmu $1,563,518
11. Zach LaVine $29,250,000 (free agent hold)
12. Troy Brown Jr. $15,511,691 (free agent hold)
13. Derrick Jones Jr. $12,637,170 (free agent hold)
14. Matt Thomas $2,086,473 (free agent hold)
15. Tristan Thompson $1,811,516 (free agent hold)
16. Malcolm Hill $1,616,044 (free agent hold)
17. Tyler Cook $1,616,044 (free agent hold)
18. First-rounder (own) 3,006,840 (draft hold)
Guaranteed Salary $156.6M
Dead Money $3.9M
Non-guaranteed $1.6M
2022-23 NBA SALARY CAP $122M
2022-23 NBA LUXURY TAX LINE $147M
1. Bird
2. Restricted non-Bird
3. Early Bird
4. Non Bird
5. Restricted non-Bird
Chicago Bulls 2022-23 Depth Chart
PG SG SF PF C
L. BallP C. White D. DeRozan P. Williams N. Vucevic
A. DosunmuP A. Caruso J. Green M. Simonovic T. BradleyP
P: Player option
T: Team option
- ▪
2022-23: $36.6 million - ▪
2023-24: $39.5 million - ▪
2024-25: $42.5 million - ▪
2025-26: $45.4 million - ▪
2026-27: $48.3 million
Per ESPN Stats & Information research, over the past two seasons, LaVine is one of four players to average 25 points and shoot 40% on 3-pointers, along with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. He also ranked in the top 10 in clutch time field goal percentage among 65 players with at least 40 shots this season (as did DeRozan)
The red flag with a lengthy contract is from a durability issue.
LaVine has played more than 70 games just twice in his career and not since 2015-16, when he played all 82 (he did play 60 of Chicago's 65 games during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season). He missed 11 games this year with left knee soreness, the same knee that he had surgically repaired in 2017.
A star guard has arrived in Dallas
• What to know about every playoff team
• Inside the world of NBA ref whisperers
• NBA matchups: First-round results
In his current contract, there was an Exhibit 3 Prior Injury Exclusion that protected the team if he suffered a catastrophic injury to that same knee. The Bulls will likely not get that injury insurance again with his next contract.
They could negotiate a games clause that would leave the $48.3 million in the last year non-guaranteed. For example, if LaVine appears in at least 60 games in three out of the first four years of the new deal, the contract in the last year is fully protected.
Considering that the financial windfall is expected for LaVine, would anything short of a fully guaranteed $212 million contract be seen as an insult?
Unlike the last time when LaVine was a free agent and the Bulls had the ability to match on an offer sheet, LaVine is free to sign with any team that has a $36.6 million max slot -- a list that currently only includes Detroit, Indiana, Orlando, San Antonio and Portland.
Nikola Vucevic
The Vucevic trade last March signaled that Chicago was going to build their roster with established players and not draft picks.
"Right from the beginning from the time we got here, we said that we're trying to get back to relevancy,'' Karnisovas said last March. "We're serious here about winning. We're serious about the culture of being very competitive, and any opportunity we get to make this team better we will.''
And although the Bulls missed the playoffs last year, acquiring the former All-Star was the first puzzle piece in putting together a playoff team.
"This trade wasn't just made for this year," Vučević said last May. "I think that it was made for the future of the franchise."
Vucevic played a role in the Bulls reaching the playoffs this season, but now the front office has a decision on whether to extend the center past next season.
He is eligible for a four year, $118 million extension -- a steep price for a player who took a step back this season.
Per ESPN Stats & Information research, Vucevic recorded an effective field goal percentage of 44.7%, fifth worst among 68 players to attempt 500 jumpers. Last year his effective field goal percentage was 52.6%. His 9% drop in 3-point shooting (from 40% to 31%) was the seventh-largest drop in the past two seasons. Only Cade Cunningham and Russell Westbrook shot worse from three this season.
Despite the offensive regression this year, Vucevic still averaged 17.1 points and 11.1 rebounds, his ninth time in 11 seasons averaging a double-double.
A two-year $40 million extension is comparable to the contract that Clint Capela signed last offseason with the Atlanta Hawks and gives the Bulls financial flexibility starting in 2025-26 when only LaVine (if he returns) would be under contract.
Offseason cap breakdown and depth chart
DeMar DeRozan $27,300,000
2. Nikola Vucevic $22,000,000
3. Lonzo Ball $19,534,884
4. Alex Caruso $9,030,000
5. Patrick Williams $7,775,400
6. Coby White $7,413,955
7. Tony Bradley $2,036,318
8. Javonte Green $1,815,677
9. Marko Simonovic $1,563,518
10. Ayo Dosunmu $1,563,518
11. Zach LaVine $29,250,000 (free agent hold)
12. Troy Brown Jr. $15,511,691 (free agent hold)
13. Derrick Jones Jr. $12,637,170 (free agent hold)
14. Matt Thomas $2,086,473 (free agent hold)
15. Tristan Thompson $1,811,516 (free agent hold)
16. Malcolm Hill $1,616,044 (free agent hold)
17. Tyler Cook $1,616,044 (free agent hold)
18. First-rounder (own) 3,006,840 (draft hold)
Guaranteed Salary $156.6M
Dead Money $3.9M
Non-guaranteed $1.6M
2022-23 NBA SALARY CAP $122M
2022-23 NBA LUXURY TAX LINE $147M
1. Bird
2. Restricted non-Bird
3. Early Bird
4. Non Bird
5. Restricted non-Bird
Chicago Bulls 2022-23 Depth Chart
PG SG SF PF C
L. BallP C. White D. DeRozan P. Williams N. Vucevic
A. DosunmuP A. Caruso J. Green M. Simonovic T. BradleyP
P: Player option
T: Team option
Team needs
The Bulls owe future first-round picks to both Orlando and San Antonio. The pick going to Orlando is top-4 protected in both 2023 and 2024, and will convert to second-round picks in 2026 and 2027 if not conveyed in either year.
The clock to send San Antonio a first starts once Orlando receives a first from the Bulls. For example, if the Bulls send Orlando their 2023 first, the Spurs will potentially get a first-round pick in 2025. However, that pick is top-10 protected in 2025, then top-eight protected each following year through 2028.
If Chicago sends Orlando their 2024 first, the earliest San Antonio would get the pick is 2026.
The Bulls are also owed a first-round pick from Portland, which is lottery-protected each of the next six years. If the pick is not conveyed, the Bulls will get a 2028 second from the Trail Blazers.
Here's how ESPN's Mike Schmitz has Chicago selecting in June:
No. 18: Tari Eason | PF | LSU
The Bulls ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency in the regular season, and they could without question use another versatile wing defender like Eason, one of the most productive and efficient all-around players in the NCAA as a 20-year-old junior.
While likely more of a 4/3 at the NBA level (a spot currently occupied by Patrick Williams), Eason played a fair amount of small-ball 5 in college and could give the Bulls a different look with his length and foot speed, as they're used to playing in deep drop coverage with Nikola Vucevic at the 5. Eason isn't the most polished ball handler or decision-maker and had his fair share of no-show games at LSU.
But the fact that he can add value as a transition finisher, rebounder, cutter, occasional spot shooter and defender at 6-8 with a 7-1 wingspan alongside a perimeter creator like DeMar DeRozan makes him an intriguing fit in Chicago.
-- Schmitz
- ▪
A healthy Lonzo Ball - ▪
Zach LaVine signed - ▪
Backup stretch-4
- ▪
The draft: First-round pick - ▪
Own free agents - ▪
Exceptions: $10.3M midlevel and $4.1M biannual - ▪
Cash: $6.3M to send or receive in a trade
- ▪
June 29: Tony Bradley has a $2 million player option. The backup center averaged 10 minutes, 2.9 points and 3.4 rebounds. He started 10 games, averaging 5.7 points and 5.3 rebounds. If Bradley declined the option, the veterans minimum in 2022-23 is $100K more than his player option. - ▪
June 29: Two-way players Malcolm Hill and Tyler Cook will become restricted free agents if Chicago tenders either player a $50K qualifying offer. - ▪
July 7: The last day to use the $5 million trade exception that was created in the Daniel Theis sign-and-trade.
- ▪
The Bulls are allowed to trade their 2022 first, but only the night of the draft. Chicago cannot trade a future first because they owe first-round picks to Orlando and San Antonio. They are allowed to trade the 2023 Trail Blazers top-14 protected first.
- ▪
The Bulls have until Oct. 17 to sign Coby White to a rookie extension. White started 54 games in 2020-21 but was moved to a reserve role with the signing of Lonzo Ball. He averaged 12.6 points, 2.9 assists and shot 38.5% from 3. In the 17 starts this year, he averaged 16.5 points, 4.2 assists on 43.7% from 3.
The Bulls owe future first-round picks to both Orlando and San Antonio. The pick going to Orlando is top-4 protected in both 2023 and 2024, and will convert to second-round picks in 2026 and 2027 if not conveyed in either year.
The clock to send San Antonio a first starts once Orlando receives a first from the Bulls. For example, if the Bulls send Orlando their 2023 first, the Spurs will potentially get a first-round pick in 2025. However, that pick is top-10 protected in 2025, then top-eight protected each following year through 2028.
If Chicago sends Orlando their 2024 first, the earliest San Antonio would get the pick is 2026.
The Bulls are also owed a first-round pick from Portland, which is lottery-protected each of the next six years. If the pick is not conveyed, the Bulls will get a 2028 second from the Trail Blazers.
Here's how ESPN's Mike Schmitz has Chicago selecting in June:
No. 18: Tari Eason | PF | LSU
The Bulls ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency in the regular season, and they could without question use another versatile wing defender like Eason, one of the most productive and efficient all-around players in the NCAA as a 20-year-old junior.
While likely more of a 4/3 at the NBA level (a spot currently occupied by Patrick Williams), Eason played a fair amount of small-ball 5 in college and could give the Bulls a different look with his length and foot speed, as they're used to playing in deep drop coverage with Nikola Vucevic at the 5. Eason isn't the most polished ball handler or decision-maker and had his fair share of no-show games at LSU.
But the fact that he can add value as a transition finisher, rebounder, cutter, occasional spot shooter and defender at 6-8 with a 7-1 wingspan alongside a perimeter creator like DeMar DeRozan makes him an intriguing fit in Chicago.
-- Schmitz
Trapperman Dave
Basil Fawty
nikkas played one good game and said Ight we did our part 
Coby is who he is, not a reliable microwave at all. Once Caruso and Ball got injured it seems we adopted this too cool for school attitude and never stopped. The lack of fire point is so evident.
we need a actual fukking 4, maybe pwill can make that leap. Donovan needs to find out how to run an offense or gtfo. Vuce was dogwater this year and I cant see ddr replicating his crazy year.
idk brehs
we need a actual fukking 4, maybe pwill can make that leap. Donovan needs to find out how to run an offense or gtfo. Vuce was dogwater this year and I cant see ddr replicating his crazy year.
idk brehs
Well... We did better then expected early, then came back down to earth. BD is gonna have another year but we definitely need something else from him. Zach being at 50% does make sense but how long will recovery be after the surgery
beenz
Rap Guerilla
Here's the latest from the athletic:
Bulls roster breakdown: Zach LaVine’s contract, Nikola Vučević’s fit highlight major offseason decisions
Darnell Mayberry
Apr 28, 2022
20
If we learned anything about the Bulls in their 116-100 elimination loss in Game 5 at Milwaukee on Wednesday it’s how truly thin they are.
No one expected the Bulls to come out victorious while playing against the defending champion Bucks on the road without Zach LaVine (health and safety protocols), Alex Caruso (concussion protocol) and Lonzo Ball (meniscus surgery recovery). But with each missed 3-pointer — there were 37 out of 52 attempts — the Bulls only showed how flawed the roster remains.
Only three players have ironclad cases for sticking in Chicago. Three more are virtual shoe-ins despite some questions. The rest are iffy at best.
So as the Bulls head for five months of vacation, here are some early predictions on who’s gotta stay and who’s gotta go.
Lonzo Ball
It feels inevitable for the front office in the coming days to cite Ball’s absence since the middle of January and stress how big of a loss he was. They’ll be preaching to the choir. At this point, it’s understood.
Ball’s importance to the Bulls became unequivocally clear after he went down with a torn left meniscus. He’s a legitimate defensive stopper whose versatility gives the Bulls an enormous advantage in their first line of defense and great flexibility thanks to his deftness at defending different positions. Ball’s 3-point shooting quietly was equally impactful. He launched 7.4 3s per game and made a career-best 42.3 percent after proclaiming in the preseason that he’s one of the best shooters in the league. He was on his way to proving as much, and his floor-spacing ability alleviated loads of pressure from the Bulls’ halfcourt offense.
Without Ball in the lineup for the final 42 games, the Bulls ranked 22nd in 3-point percentage at 35.2 percent after ranking first at 38.5 percent through the first 40. Ball also was an expert transition facilitator. His throw-ahead passing and fast-breaking with the ball in his hands often helped the Bulls perform at their best. But he appeared in a career-low 35 games and has never played in more than 63 contests in a season. It’s becoming a concern, particularly going into next season since Ball never recovered in time to return to action and might require a second surgical procedure this summer if discomfort persists.
The Bulls, however, didn’t acquire Ball on a four-year, $80 million contract last summer to turn back at the first sign of trouble. Ball is as safe of a bet as there is to be back.
Stay or go: Gotta stay.
Tony Bradley
He was a low-risk, high-reward acquisition targeted when the Bulls were in desperate need of frontcourt depth. One could argue nothing’s changed. And that sums up Bradley’s first season in Chicago.
Bradley was a serviceable backup big man who had flashes of impactful play but other frustrating moments when he played himself off the floor. His minutes plummeted from 11.1 per game over 45 contests before the All-Star break to 4.9 per game in only 11 games after the break.
At best, Bradley is a serviceable backup, capable of providing quality minutes in small doses. But the Bulls can and must search for an upgrade. At worst, Bradley is a viable emergency, third-stringer, someone who can be counted on more than his predecessor, former Bulls center Cristiano Felicio. That’s whose role Bradley should mirror next season. He has one more year on his contract at just over $2 million, so he’ll likely stick solely because of that. But it would primarily be a financial decision.
Stay or go: Gonna stay but gotta go.
Troy Brown Jr.
In theory, Brown is a multi-faceted swingman who the Bulls could plug and play at numerous positions. He possesses playmaking skills in a 6-foot-6 inch frame, is a solid defensive rebounder and can hit open 3s. Brown’s issue with the Bulls is he has yet to show any of those skills consistently in 1 1/2 seasons in Chicago.
From the season opener at Detroit, when he was benched after being whistled for three fouls in his first four minutes, Brown struggled to make his case to be a mainstay in the rotation. His defense was lacking, his shooting was spotty and his playmaking wasn’t good enough to warrant guaranteed minutes. Over the season’s final 1 1/2 months, Brown was out of the rotation. And when the final year of his contract expires in a couple of months, Brown figures to be moving on to his next opportunity.
To some extent, it’s a shame. Brown turns just 23 in late July and could blossom into a solid contributor if he develops any level of consistency. He had 79 games to show something in Chicago. He never did, and now the Bulls absolutely must go in a different direction.
Stay or go: Gotta go.
Alex Caruso
The pinnacle of this season’s “Carushow” came on the second day of December. The Bulls were in New York taking on the Knicks. Ball and Zach LaVine were both in the lineup, so Caruso still was coming off the bench.
In a game in which he missed 5-of-7 shots, scored only six points with six rebounds, six assists, four steals, four fouls and four turnovers, Caruso was the best player on the court. He finished as a plus-21 in 31 minutes and thoroughly dominated the Knicks.
Caruso is far more than a fan favorite and so much more than a critical sixth man. He’s the Bulls’ glue guy, the one who connects all, makes everyone else’s job easier and inspires teammates to play just a little harder. While he lacks raw ability relatively, Caruso’s all-around play is vital for the Bulls if they’re thinking of winning big anytime soon. He’s as irreplaceable as complementary players come.
Stay or go: Gotta stay.
Bulls roster breakdown: Zach LaVine’s contract, Nikola Vučević’s fit highlight major offseason decisions
Darnell Mayberry
Apr 28, 2022
20
If we learned anything about the Bulls in their 116-100 elimination loss in Game 5 at Milwaukee on Wednesday it’s how truly thin they are.
No one expected the Bulls to come out victorious while playing against the defending champion Bucks on the road without Zach LaVine (health and safety protocols), Alex Caruso (concussion protocol) and Lonzo Ball (meniscus surgery recovery). But with each missed 3-pointer — there were 37 out of 52 attempts — the Bulls only showed how flawed the roster remains.
Only three players have ironclad cases for sticking in Chicago. Three more are virtual shoe-ins despite some questions. The rest are iffy at best.
So as the Bulls head for five months of vacation, here are some early predictions on who’s gotta stay and who’s gotta go.
Lonzo Ball
It feels inevitable for the front office in the coming days to cite Ball’s absence since the middle of January and stress how big of a loss he was. They’ll be preaching to the choir. At this point, it’s understood.
Ball’s importance to the Bulls became unequivocally clear after he went down with a torn left meniscus. He’s a legitimate defensive stopper whose versatility gives the Bulls an enormous advantage in their first line of defense and great flexibility thanks to his deftness at defending different positions. Ball’s 3-point shooting quietly was equally impactful. He launched 7.4 3s per game and made a career-best 42.3 percent after proclaiming in the preseason that he’s one of the best shooters in the league. He was on his way to proving as much, and his floor-spacing ability alleviated loads of pressure from the Bulls’ halfcourt offense.
Without Ball in the lineup for the final 42 games, the Bulls ranked 22nd in 3-point percentage at 35.2 percent after ranking first at 38.5 percent through the first 40. Ball also was an expert transition facilitator. His throw-ahead passing and fast-breaking with the ball in his hands often helped the Bulls perform at their best. But he appeared in a career-low 35 games and has never played in more than 63 contests in a season. It’s becoming a concern, particularly going into next season since Ball never recovered in time to return to action and might require a second surgical procedure this summer if discomfort persists.
The Bulls, however, didn’t acquire Ball on a four-year, $80 million contract last summer to turn back at the first sign of trouble. Ball is as safe of a bet as there is to be back.
Stay or go: Gotta stay.
Tony Bradley
He was a low-risk, high-reward acquisition targeted when the Bulls were in desperate need of frontcourt depth. One could argue nothing’s changed. And that sums up Bradley’s first season in Chicago.
Bradley was a serviceable backup big man who had flashes of impactful play but other frustrating moments when he played himself off the floor. His minutes plummeted from 11.1 per game over 45 contests before the All-Star break to 4.9 per game in only 11 games after the break.
At best, Bradley is a serviceable backup, capable of providing quality minutes in small doses. But the Bulls can and must search for an upgrade. At worst, Bradley is a viable emergency, third-stringer, someone who can be counted on more than his predecessor, former Bulls center Cristiano Felicio. That’s whose role Bradley should mirror next season. He has one more year on his contract at just over $2 million, so he’ll likely stick solely because of that. But it would primarily be a financial decision.
Stay or go: Gonna stay but gotta go.
Troy Brown Jr.
In theory, Brown is a multi-faceted swingman who the Bulls could plug and play at numerous positions. He possesses playmaking skills in a 6-foot-6 inch frame, is a solid defensive rebounder and can hit open 3s. Brown’s issue with the Bulls is he has yet to show any of those skills consistently in 1 1/2 seasons in Chicago.
From the season opener at Detroit, when he was benched after being whistled for three fouls in his first four minutes, Brown struggled to make his case to be a mainstay in the rotation. His defense was lacking, his shooting was spotty and his playmaking wasn’t good enough to warrant guaranteed minutes. Over the season’s final 1 1/2 months, Brown was out of the rotation. And when the final year of his contract expires in a couple of months, Brown figures to be moving on to his next opportunity.
To some extent, it’s a shame. Brown turns just 23 in late July and could blossom into a solid contributor if he develops any level of consistency. He had 79 games to show something in Chicago. He never did, and now the Bulls absolutely must go in a different direction.
Stay or go: Gotta go.
Alex Caruso
The pinnacle of this season’s “Carushow” came on the second day of December. The Bulls were in New York taking on the Knicks. Ball and Zach LaVine were both in the lineup, so Caruso still was coming off the bench.
In a game in which he missed 5-of-7 shots, scored only six points with six rebounds, six assists, four steals, four fouls and four turnovers, Caruso was the best player on the court. He finished as a plus-21 in 31 minutes and thoroughly dominated the Knicks.
Caruso is far more than a fan favorite and so much more than a critical sixth man. He’s the Bulls’ glue guy, the one who connects all, makes everyone else’s job easier and inspires teammates to play just a little harder. While he lacks raw ability relatively, Caruso’s all-around play is vital for the Bulls if they’re thinking of winning big anytime soon. He’s as irreplaceable as complementary players come.
Stay or go: Gotta stay.
- Status