NBA PREVIEW : SEASON OF UNCERTAINTY. HOW WILL CHICAGO BULLS FARE?
The Chicago Bulls will enter the 2023-2024 season with a great amount of uncertainty. Given how the team brought back the same core from last season’s underachieving squad, it will be interesting to see if the Bulls will be able to make the necessary improvements in order to make some noise in the Eastern Conference. According to a report, the upcoming season will be a make-or-break campaign for this team and could decide their future as one of the league’s premier franchises.
As the summer of 2023 rolled around, Bulls fans held their breath, hoping for significant roster changes that could elevate the team’s status. However, the offseason passed with minimal activity, leaving many surprised. The Bulls, despite being among the teams in need of a makeover, opted to retain their core players.
Nikola Vucevic, an unrestricted free agent, chose to stay in Chicago, signing a three-year, $50 million deal. This decision reflects his value to the team, even as he enters his 30s and faces the possibility of a gradual decline.
The Bulls also extended contracts to young guards Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White, who have shown potential as rotational players but have yet to establish themselves as star contributors.
One unfortunate piece of news during the offseason was the official announcement that Lonzo Ball would be sidelined for the entire 2023-24 season due to persistent knee issues. This setback raises concerns about Ball’s future in the league and his ability to contribute to the Bulls in the long run.
Having suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee during the 2021-22 season and been making slow progress in rehabilitation, Ball hasn’t played for the Bulls in any game since January 14, 2022. He is unlikely to come back in the 2023-24 campaign and the team seems ready for it.
It has been two seasons since DeRozan joined the Bulls on a sign-and-trade deal. He, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic led the team to the playoffs during the 2021-22 campaign but were eliminated in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks. That was the Bulls’ only postseason appearance since the 2017-18 campaign. Moreover, the last time they entered the Eastern Conference Finals was in the 2010-11 season, when Derrick Rose was named the youngest NBA Most Valuable Player in history.
That’s how long the Bulls have struggled. When they put up the new Big Three of DeRozan, LaVine and Vucevic in summer 2021, the team clearly wanted to return to the top race in the East. Nonetheless, they missed the playoffs again last season instead.
In summary, the Chicago Bulls are heading into the 2023-24 season with a sense of déjà vu, as they retain their core roster from the previous season. While the team has the talent to secure a spot in the AT&T Play-In Tournament, they have yet to make a significant splash in the offseason. The possibility of a shakeup looms, but as of now, fans should expect more of the same as the Bulls aim to run it back.
When DeRozan, LaVine and Vucevic joined hands two years ago, one of the major concerns was over the Bulls’ defense because none of the three has ever been known as good defenders. By contrast, each of them was seen as a star caliber on the offensive end. DeRozan, LaVine and Vucevic averaged 24.5, 24.8 and 17.6 points respectively and combined to deliver 12.5 assists per game during the 2022-23 season. Moreover, they played 1,642 minutes together, more than any trio in league history, which deflected their consistency.
Nonetheless, the Bulls had the seventh-worst offensive rating of all 30 teams, but the NBA’s fifth-best defensive rating, even without their starting point guard Lonzo Ball, who can switch to guard three positions. The team was held back by their poor 3-point shooting performance, which was at the bottom in both production and attempts.
As the Chicago Bulls embark on the 2023-24 NBA season, the team faces a familiar landscape. Led by stars Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic, they aim to build on last season’s performance, despite limited offseason changes. With the return of key players and some young talents in the mix, the Bulls are ready to compete in a league where surprises are always in store.
While the offseason didn’t bring the major roster shakeup some fans hoped for, the Chicago Bulls are still in a position to contend for a playoff spot. The decisions to retain core players like Vucevic and extend contracts for promising guards Dosunmu and White suggest a commitment to long-term growth. However, the future remains uncertain, and the possibility of trades or other adjustments looms on the horizon.
As the season unfolds, Chicago Bulls fans will be watching closely, hoping to witness the team’s resurgence in the Eastern Conference. With the power-packed trio of LaVine, DeRozan, and Vucevic leading the charge, there’s no shortage of excitement in the Windy City.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Patrick Williams
We say it and the franchise itself also states it. At 22 years old, they need the forward to hit the table to take on a main role on the team. He was a big bet in the 2020 draft and is currently out of contract beyond next summer. His time has come. Since he was a rookie, his progression has been nothing more than slight to average 2022 points, 23 rebounds and 10,2 assists in 4 minutes per night in the 1,2-28,5 campaign. We don’t expect him to become a star, but we do expect him to be a real support for a team that is not convinced of wanting to offer him another contract. Maybe this situation fuels this boy trained at Florida State University.
STAR WATCH
Nikola Vucevic, one of the league’s premier centers, commands respect in the paint. His soft touch, combined with an ability to knock down mid-range and three-point shots, makes him a multifaceted offensive weapon, averaging 17.6 points and 11.0 rebounds per game last season. On defense, his size and IQ make him a formidable anchor.
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