The Bulls have been mired in sub-mediocrity for the past three seasons, finishing with middling records a shade below .500 but failing to advance out of the play-in tournament each year.
Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscriber link) takes stock of whether or not Chicago has an actionable strategy for lifting the club out of its plight long-term.
Cowley calls out president Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley for having “no real plan” for bringing in an All-Star-caliber player this summer, either through free agency or a trade.
There’s more out of the Windy City:
- On January 24 this season, the Bulls will retire the No. 1 jersey of former 2011 MVP guard Derrick Rose, who called it a career last summer. Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic asserts that the oft-hurt Rose is worthy of such an honor, despite only spending eight seasons — although he missed all of 2012/13 and all but 10 games in 2013/14 with injuries — in Chicago. Lorenzi observes that Rose, a Chicago native, will be just the fifth Bulls player to have his jersey retired, along with Michael Jordan‘s No. 23, Scottie Pippen‘s No. 33, Jerry Sloan‘s No. 4, and Bob Love‘s No. 10.
- In lieu of landing an established star, the Bulls are counting on 2025 All-Rookie Second Team forward Matas Buzelis to emerge as their star of the future, observes Lorenzi.
- Just a year after being signed to a five-season, $90MM deal, Bulls forward Patrick Williams finds himself in a tenuous standing with Chicago. The club’s lone trade this summer, for another defense-first young forward in Isaac Okoro, could make Williams somewhat expendable.
Bulls would love to trade Williams if somebody took over his bad contract.
To the blazers for R Williams for their pick back plus a unprotected from Chi. Would save them 59 million over 3 years.
Allow me to “take stock” as well: No.
Mediocrity is the new name for the Bulls. Could be that JR still owns them.
Play the kids, might strike good in the draft. Although Jerry may take the next Sam Bowie or Patrick Williams in said draft. I do like that Buzelis kid a lot. He’s got some game, just needs court time.
Good for Williams for getting paid. But fire that GM.
Sub-mediocrity the last three seasons? That doesn’t fully show how horrible the franchise has been. It would’ve been more succinct to say “never finished higher than 6th in the East for the past 10 years”
Not that it matters anymore, but obligatory mention that Okoro was drafted one spot behind Pat Will.