Chicago Bulls Executive VP of Basketball Operations, John Paxson, discusses the present and future of the franchise, with a steady focus on the next phase of the process…
Bulls vice president John Paxson spoke with an air of relief and optimism, as he responded to reporter questions during the Bulls end of the season press conference. The relief came from the fact that a trying 2017-2018 season is now complete. The optimism stemmed from the development of his young roster, and the Bulls’ potential position in the upcoming draft.
Said Paxson of the team’s losing ways this season, “It’s not a situation that any of us ever want to be in again. It goes against everything as a competitive person that you believe in. But it’s the way the system’s set up.”
I was able to attend the presser in person at the Advocate Center. Below are a few of Paxson’s key thoughts from the proceedings:
On the Draft…
"“I think we need to look at the wing position. That would be an ideal spot. Size and length…a shooting component and a defensive component would be an area we would like to improve. But depending on where we draft, it’s hard to overlook talent, even when you’re looking at a specific need. We have a lot of work to do. You need versatility…We’re confident we’ll find two players that we like.”"
On the Overall Roster…
"“When we redefined our direction, our hope was that we put out a team that played hard, and one where we developed our players. As we go forward, I think is as important a summer as we’ve had in a really long time…We have key components in place that are gonna be here. The majority of this roster is gonna come back, because we feel we’re headed in the right direction. We understand that growth and internal development helps us become a better basketball team. It doesn’t mean we’re not going to be looking for ways to get better, but a lot of it’s going to come internally. We need to Zach Lavine to be a better basketball player…We need Kris Dunn to have a great summer and come back a better player. On down the line… they [all] have to put in the time, and we’re confident that they will…”"
On the Coaching Staff…
"“I think Fred and his staff set the culture correctly last year in the summertime with the work they put in with our players. Our staff dealt with some real hurdles. We had injuries that were uncommon to some key players. We made the decision at the All-Star break to play our younger guys, with the belief…that it was the right thing to do for our future. [The coaching staff] deserve a lot of credit for the way they consistently dealt with tough situations, but kept at it with their work, to get the best out of our players…Fred will be back. Absolutely.”"
On Lauri Markkanen…
"“He is a cornerstone. We loved him in the draft…but we didn’t know what we had. I’m incredibly impressed with the poise that he plays with…When I assess Lauri’s game, he obviously proved he can play on the perimeter…He needs this summer to work on his body, to get a base to him. He’s gonna need to tighten up his handle, where he can take one or two quick dribbles, and pull up…With his size and his ability to shoot the ball, he should be able to get to areas on the floor where he can really dominate a game. But he’s a young man…and at least from my seat, he exceeded expectations. We believe we have a good one there, and a foundational piece for everything we want to be, and the way the game’s being played.”"
The front office confidence in Markkanen is clear from Paxson’s comments. What’s also clear is that the Bulls intend to retain Zach Lavine as a core component this offseason. With two picks in the first round, the Bulls look to supplement through draft as well.
In losing to the Pistons Wednesday night, the Bulls finish the season in a tie with the Sacramento Kings for the 6th best position in the draft lottery. There will be a tie-breaker on Friday to determine who solidifies that 6 spot. If the Bulls lock it down, they’ll then have an 18.2% chance of picking in the top 3 of the draft.
The Bulls also hold the Pelicans’ pick from the Niko Mirotic trade. There will be a tie-breaker Friday for that selection, with the pick potentially landing as high as 20th.
Here is a link to the full press conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY7OoDThA30