The Chicago Bulls turnaround is happening sooner than expected. So that makes us wonder… Whose team is it?
Last summer, when the Chicago Bulls traded Jimmy Butler for Zach LaVine & Kris Dunn, it looked like they were headed full speed into the rebuild. Then, they drafted Lauri Markkanen and lost 55 games, their most in nearly 15 seasons. And that’s when it should have become clear to any honest Bulls’ fan that it would be a while before they were a legitimate contender again. But now, I’m not so sure that’s the case.
The Bulls are quietly putting together a young, athletic team that, believe it or not, will be very interesting to watch next season. Lauri Markkanen’s impressive first season, capped off with an All-Rookie first team selection should have fans excited, and Zach LaVine’s new contract suggests the 2-time dunk champ is going to be a focal point. Kris Dunn isn’t bad either.
I will admit though, adding Jabari Parker was risky. He’s had 2 ACL injuries and missed 145 games in just his first four seasons. But if he is able to keep his health intact he should really help the Bulls with some much-needed scoring. In 31 games last season, Parker put up double-digit points in 22 of them on his way to averaging just under 13 points per game while shooting 48 percent from the field. He also posted a season high 35-point, 10-rebound stat line against Denver on April 1st and for a team that ranked 26th in scoring last season and came in dead last in field goal percentage (43.5%), that type of production will be much needed.
Who gets the last shot?
Since Michael Jordan’s iconic “Last Shot,” the Bulls have mostly been a scrappy team that was one bonafide star away from being a serious championship contender. Derrick Rose looked to be a suitable successor, and he was for a while. The GOAT himself spoke very highly of a young Rose, but nagging injuries plagued the youngest MVP in NBA history early in his career and those days were short-lived.
Then, Jimmy Butler emerged as a budding star, but locker room disputes between him and Coach Fred Hoiberg eventually led to him being shipped to Minnesota. And now, the Bulls are a team with no real star, despite having multiple lottery picks on the roster, struggling to figure out what kind of team they’ll be and who’s going to lead them.
Dunn, LaVine, and Markkanen are all viable options. All 3 finished among the top 5 for the Bulls in scoring last year and were top 10 in PER and usage. Jabari Parker is, too, and is probably the most realistic option if you ask me. He’s finished in the top 10 for the Bucks in scoring, PER and usage every season since being drafted 4 years ago, and his combination of athleticism, quickness and scoring ability, at that size, is something you can’t exactly teach. But Parker being a Bull now means that somebody’s usage has to go down, which could be a problem for whoever has to suffer.
Only time will tell how good this Bulls team can be and who’ll wear the crown, but one thing’s for sure, if they want to avoid a repeat of the Jimmy Butler situation they’ll want to make it clear who has what role early on.