Chicago Bulls Preview 2014

Jul 18, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls new players Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol pose for photos after a press conference at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Well Chicago Bulls fans, this is not your Daddy’s Chicago Bulls. Right now, this is not your little baby’s Chicago Bulls. There have been massive changes of the roster since  last year. Not only players in general,  but what these players bring to the table that changes the dynamics throughout the roster as well. There are questions about Tom Thibodeau and how he plans to put all of these elements together for a championship run. Pippen Ain’t Easy takes an in-depth look.

Player changes.

The Chicago Bulls made a very unpopular deal last year last year trading away long time Chicago Bull and Thibodeau favorite, Luol Deng to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a draft pick and Andrew Bynum. This was an obvious cost cutting move as Bynum was waived almost immediately.

What this move symbolized was the movement into the future. In the offseason, the Chicago Bulls moved their chips in to make an all out effort to sign Carmelo Anthony. We all know now that his love of New York (and $120 million plus contract) was too much for the Bulls to overcome.

The Chicago Bulls also tried to make a run at Kevin Love, the power forward who spent his entire career in Minnesota. Try as  they might, Love wanted to play with  LeBron James in Cleveland. Strike two.

But the Bulls did not strike out however. No, some might call it a home run being hit in the offseason. The Chicago Bulls front office first took care of some business that had been held  up for a couple of years. They FINALLY used their one time amnesty provision on  Carlos Boozer, ending one of the most polarizing eras for quite some time. Amnestying Boozer opened up even more salary cap  space to use in the offseason.