The Chicago Bulls have started the season strong, with an overall record of 10-6. Some Pippen Ain’t Easy writers talked about the biggest storylines of the season thus far, and what it means for the Bulls.
So… yeah. That happened.
About one fifth into the NBA season, and the Chicago Bulls are… officially the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
How did this happen? Better yet, can the Bulls hold on to this spot?
Chicago got here thanks to it’s newest free agent acquisitions. Dwyane Wade has been a fantastic player and mentor who suddenly became an awesome three-point shooter. Robin Lopez has been a great defender and rebounder, helping the Bulls become the best offensive rebounding team in the league, at 13.9 per game.
Even Rajon Rondo, who hasn’t been anything special so far, has been a strong playmaker, dazzling us with the occasional beautiful pass.
Many people were quick to point out this summer that the Bulls and the “Three Alphas” system would fail due to a lack of chemistry and poor three-point shooting.
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The opposite has happened.
The Bulls chemistry appears to be much stronger than it was all throughout last season, and the Bulls are a respectable 19th in three-point shooting right now, even with Doug McDermott out the past few games with a concussion.
Chicago’s strong start has been characterized by going 4-2 on their annual circus road trip; something that has happened only a few times since the Jordan Era.
What happened during the Jordan Era? In the 1995-96 season (the year the Bulls went 6-1 on the circus trip), Michael Jordan won the MVP and the Bulls won the championship.
So that means Jimmy Butler and the Bulls this yea…
I kid, I kid. We’ll be realistic. But, Chicago’s strong start is definitely a nice sight, and we hope that they can continue to win games.
Here’s our December roundtable at Pippen Ain’t Easy, consisting of contributors Alex Kirschenbaum, Ryne Prinz, Hunter Kuffel, PAE Co-Expert Michael Whitlow, and moderator Matthew Price.
Can the Bulls actually keep on winning?
Matthew Price: The Bulls are 10-6 at this point, good for third place in the Eastern Conference. Do you buy the Bulls as playoff contenders, and if so, where do you think they’ll end up?
Alex Kirschenbaum: I don’t buy their current roster as being anything better than runners-up to the Cleveland Cavaliers. And this is a shame, because Jimmy Butler is playing like an MVP. The Bulls’ big holes at point guard (both their starter and his immediate backups) and their thin wing depth would be exposed over a seven-game series against Cleveland. I like their chances against all other comers, though, because they would have the best player on the floor in any other matchup, and that can cover up a lot of roster flaws.
All U Can Heat
I think they’ll end up anywhere from a 2-seed to a 6-seed, and escape the first round of the playoffs. The Eastern Conference is really a diluted toss-up outside of the 1-seed (the Toronto Raptors still need a power forward, and if they don’t get one… they’re toast), the Bulls could make it all the way to the Conference Finals if they can steer clear of Cleveland before then. They could also implode with miserable point guard play in the second round.
Michael Whitlow: That’s the hilarious thing. The Bulls are in third place in the Eastern Conference. This team makes no sense, so of course they could definitely make the playoffs. I still don’t buy how good they are right now. It just doesn’t seem sustainable. Jimmy Butler is out of his mind in the early going. Dwyane Wade can’t miss from deep. Rajon Rondo hasn’t thrown a fit yet. They’re catching everyone on the second game of back-to-back sets it seems.
Nothing means nothing, Matthew. Having said that, yes … the Bulls can make the playoffs. But no, they probably don’t go far if they do.
Hunter Kuffel: What do we mean by contender? I would be shocked at this point if the Bulls missed the playoffs — they’ve won enough games without worrying about shooting 3-pointers and I think that should continue enough. I’m not ready to put them in the upper echelon of the East though. Keep in mind, four of the Bulls’ 10 wins have come against teams on the second night of back to backs, two more have come against the Blazers without Al-Farouq Aminu and the Jazz without George Hill, and two more have come against the Nets and the Sixers (without Joel “The Process” Embiid). The Bulls have started off to a pleasant surprise, but let’s wait until mid-December until we think about playoff contention.
Ryne Prinz: Prior to the beginning of the season, I was very much skeptical of the Bulls’ playoff chances, and I’m still not entirely sold. Their schedule thus far hasn’t been challenging to say the least. Out of their ten wins, they’ve beaten the Sixers, Lakers, Wizards, Heat, Nets and Magic, all of whom project to miss the playoffs. That being said, I’d imagine the Bulls will find a spot in the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, probably falling behind Boston, Charlotte and Atlanta come the postseason for the fifth seed. I’m not holding my breath.
Where does Jimmy Butler rank among fellow NBA stars?
MP: Jimmy Butler had an awesome November, averaging 27.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Where would you rank him amongst fellow NBA stars?
AK: As I mentioned, Jimmy G. Buckets is a borderline top-10 NBA player right now. Which makes it all the more frustrating that the Bulls beat out nobody but themselves for that $15 million Rajon Rondo contract with a totally pointless $3 million player option for next season. They are taking a $15 million flyer on a backup point guard who can’t shoot or defend and doesn’t like to pass unless it’s for a direct assist.
But yeah, these are the top 10 players in the NBA in my estimation:
1. LeBron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Kawhi Leonard
4. Stephen Curry
5. Russell Westbrook
6. Blake Griffin
7. Chris Paul
8. James Harden
9. Kyle Lowry
10. Jimmy Butler
A note on Anthony Davis: he’s a great player, and he’s saddled with a mess of a team outside of Jrue Holiday. But I’m going with the guy on the 10-6 team over the guy on the 7-12 team, sorry AD.
MW: Fantastic question. Right now, he’s a top-10 player in the Association. The key words are “right now”, but he is.
Here are the categories that Jimmy Butler ranks inside the top 10: Free throws made and attempted, points per game, player efficiency rating, offensive rating, offensive win shares, win shares per 48 minutes, box plus-minus, value over replacement player … shall I keep going?
There’s no telling how long Butler’s rise to superstardom goes. He’s been a star, but he’s becoming a superstar this season. Will it last? For the Bulls’ sake, it needs to if they want any chance at putting playoff revenue in Jerry Reinsdorf’s pocket.
(The simple answer for discussion sake: He’s better than Klay Thompson and Paul George. Not Kawhi Leonard though, because Kawhi is an alien.)
HK: Butler is playing like a top ten player this year, and I think the stat we should really look at is what he’s done to his free throw attempts per game. Butler is getting to the line 9.4 times per game, up almost two attempts per game from last season and good for fifth in the NBA. Like everybody else, I was a little worried during the summer that Jimmy would have to take a back seat yet again to another ball-dominant star, this time with Dwyane Wade. So far, though, Jimmy has the highest usage rate on the team, and the world is as it should be.
RP: Right now, Jimmy is definitely in the top-12, and a case could be made for a spot in the top-10. You have your superstars in LeBron, Durant and Curry, followed by the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Chris Paul and Anthony Davis. Who’s to say Jimmy couldn’t fall into the next tier of players? He’s having a better season than Paul George so far, he’s a much better all-around player than Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard. Butler falls to eighth in my Uhh, I Really Hope I Didn’t Forget Anybody NBA Player Power Rankings.
Robin Lopez > Joakim Noah?
MP: What are your thoughts on the Robin Lopez addition? Has he been better than Joakim Noah was for Chicago last season?
AK: Assuming he plays in more than 29 games and keeps making that sky hook and guarding the rim like a champ, then yes, of course he has. This is coming from a writer who owns a Joakim Noah jersey. The trade of Holiday and Rose for Lopez and Grant was great, even if it deprived us of a decent sniping bench wing. We got a defensive center on a suddenly below-value contract, in his prime, and an exciting young off-guard prospect in Jerian Grant who might be better than the genius we’re paying $15 million.
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MW: I’ll answer the second question first because it’s the easiest one. Yes, Lopez has been much, much better than Noah last year. It’s an easy question because Noah hardly played last season and when he did, he was bad.
Sure, Noah sacrificed more than anyone when Pau Gasol came in before the 2014-15 season, but the injuries were a gut-punch and he just wasn’t effective when he was on the floor (except at times defensively where he made his name in his good years).
As for Lopez, he’s been awesome. He’s not an All-Star, but he’s an All-Star for the Bulls. He does the dirty work. He sets good screens. He can step out and hit a mid-range jumper within the flow of an offense. He’s not as mobile as Noah was and it shows at times, but he’s a solid rim protector and a smart player. The Bulls did well in getting him back in the Rose trade.
HK: Robin Lopez is great, and I’m glad knowing that the mascots can be afraid along with the opposing players when the Bulls come to town. The best thing Lopez can do to be better than Noah was last year is to stay on the court all season long, but the Bulls don’t seem to be missing Noah’s passing, and Lopez is killing it protecting the rim and eating up offensive rebounds. Put me decidedly on Team Lopez.
RP: Joakim Noah was my favorite Bull during his nine-year tenure in Chicago, but even the biggest Jo fans must admit how poorly he fell off in the last couple of seasons. Injuries had much to do with his poor play, but it was poor play nonetheless. Robin Lopez has been exceptional for the Bulls, especially considering the value at which they have him. The Bulls owe him around $13 million dollars for the next three years. For context, Ian Mahinmi is making about $2 million more a year to come off the bench for the Wizards. (No disrespect to Ian, though.) Lopez’s numbers aren’t flashy at all, but he does so much for the Bulls on both sides of the floor.
What about Wade and Rondo?
MP: Let’s continue with the “how’s he been” discussion, this time, with Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. What are your thoughts on those two thus far?
AK: Buckle up for a too-soon hot take: D-Wade is the best Bulls free agent acquisition of all-time (ALL TIME). Rondo is… not. Seriously though, think of all our big money free agent acquisitions. Pau Gasol? Carlos Boozer? Ben Wallace? Ron Mercer? If we can get 65+ games and playoff health from D-Wade for at least this season and the next, and we can get a competent starting point guard, this team could do some serious damage again. In GarPax we trust?
MW: Dwyane Wade’s addition runs deeper than just box score and advanced numbers. It may be an overreaction, but I think Wade being in Chicago has done wonders for Jimmy Butler’s flaming-hot start. It appears the two really share a good bond that’s benefiting the rest of the roster. His game will probably take a drop at times throughout a long season (and he’ll probably have scheduled rest days), but he’s been a positive on and off the court for the Bulls.
Hoops Habit
I think I speak for a lot of Bulls fans, writers, bloggers, critics, etc. when I say that Rajon Rondo isn’t very good. He’s not. You have to do more than just hand out a bunch of assists to be an effective point guard in the NBA and outside of dribbling the air out of the ball in sets and making a few nice passes a night, what does Rondo really give you? He’s not a good shooter, teams are sagging very hard off of him in the half-court, and his defensive effort at times is downright horrendous.
HK: I’ll be perfectly candid: I was in no way on board with these signings when news broke about them over the summer. I thought the offense was going to be a train wreck with so many ball dominant guards and so little shooting, and at best Jimmy and Wade would settle into a “your turn, my turn” iso-ball offense that would catch teams off guard every now and then.
At this point, I’m willing to admit that I was wrong…about Dwyane Wade. I should have known that Wade was capable of adapting his game after watching the Lebron Heat teams. He’s settling in nicely to a #2 or at least #1A role and he’s even shooting 38.5 percent from 3. Rondo, however, seems to be continuing his recent trend of making his teams better when he’s off the court. If the Bulls want to maximize their chances of success this season, that means minimizing Rondo’s role
RP: I was, like many other Bulls fans, not thrilled at the prospect of signing an aged superstar in Dwyane Wade and two years beyond being washed Rajon Rondo. After trading Derrick Rose, it seemed the Bulls were looking to reboot and build around Jimmy Butler with younger talent, and if there is one thing that both Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade aren’t, it’s young.
Through the first few games, Bulls fans were pleasantly surprised with the two guards’ play. The lack of spacing, especially in the starting lineup, was a concern, but the Bulls made up for it with transition offense and unexpected burst of 3-point shooting from Wade.
Since then, the means have been regressed to, and the true impact of both players have been realized. While Rondo can lure you in with his brilliant passing, he still hunts for assists and struggles to play good defense. Dwyane continues to be an awesome basketball player despite his age and seems to be the perfect mentor for Jimmy Butler as he enters his prime.
Bobby Portis or Cristiano Felicio: Who ya got?
MP: There’s a lot of debate amongst Bulls fans between Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio, who are both earning similar minutes (11.4 to 9.5). Who’s the better prospect?
AK: Felicio. Beyond just the raw on- and off-court numbers (which clearly favor the burly Brazilian), there is the eye test: Portis has looked absolutely overwhelmed on both sides of the ball. He’ll occasionally spread his legs too wide and keeps his hands down while defending, he has no sense of where the rebound is coming from, and he lacks the confidence to shoot much. Felicio plays totally in control, he can run the floor, he’s a solid but not great defender, and he can make jumpers and put-back dunks. I’m not saying he necessarily projects as much more than a great back-up center, but Portis’s floor is way, way lower.
I appreciate that the hypothetical ceiling for Portis is as one of these next-gen 3-and-D power forwards, but he has shown so little evidence of that to this point that I am just frustrated with his adverse impact on the Bulls this season, to the point where I’m going to downgrade him as a prospect in favor of Felicio.
Fred Hoiberg also stubbornly plays Portis at backup center a lot, sometimes in lineups with Nikola Mirotic, despite all evidence pointing to the fact that Bobby Portis is not a backup center at all! Rather, he and Mirotic are both perimeter oriented power forwards who don’t like defending down low.
MW: It’s easier to say Portis because he’s young, learning and actually playing, but if Felicio steals some minutes as the season goes along, I think people will be surprised as to how well Felicio can not only get up and down the floor, but that he has good touch around the paint, he’s a good pick-and-roll defender with his hedging at times, and he can roll to the basket on the other end as a screener.
So, to clarify my answer: Portis is probably the better prospect, but I think Felicio can definitely change that with more playing time. (Also, #FreeFelicio.)
HK: I won’t say much on this as I wrote a whole post about it, but just to summarize: Felicio needs way more minutes than he’s getting. Because of the loss of Doug for the last ten games or so, Hoiberg has been playing Bobby Portis at center to try and recover some modicum of spacing, but it’s not working, and Portis is even more of a sieve than usual at center. Meanwhile Felicio has recorded 5 DNPs. It seems that Portis’s development is being prioritized over Felicio’s, and while I don’t think Portis is completely hopeless, I do think that Felicio has the potential to be the better prospect. He needs to play, even if that mean Portis sits more.
RP: Besides points, Cristiano edges OG Bobby Portis is every category per 36 minutes. I’m a big fan of Portis, but he still seems uneasy in game situations. Felicio seems more comfortable and aware of what his role in both protecting and rolling to the rim.
Best season highlight?
MP: And finally, let’s end with a bang. What has been your favorite highlight of the season thus far?
AK: The D-Wade throat slash. Chicago (fine fine, Robbins)’s native son showed he wasn’t done yet with a fine-producing gesture to cap off a bravura debut performance for his Bulls in a surprise win over the Celtics, who don’t intimidate me at all as a Bulls fan now, but sure did a month ago.
MW: I like this question. There’s some good ones. Dwyane Wade’s dagger on Opening Night was solid. Two Bull defenders running into each other during a Derrick Rose layup in his return to Chicago was funny.
Oh, you meant good highlights?
RP: Dwayne Wade puts Bojan Bogdanović on skates.