Pippen Ain't Easy
Fansided

Chicago Bulls: A ‘State of The Team’ address one third into the season

By Abe Rotbart

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 13: Lauri Markkanen #24 of the Chicago Bulls and Denzel Valentine #45 of the Chicago Bulls fight for the rebound against the Charlotte Hornets on December 13, 2019 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 13: Lauri Markkanen #24 of the Chicago Bulls and Denzel Valentine #45 of the Chicago Bulls fight for the rebound against the Charlotte Hornets on December 13, 2019 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Questions need to be asked.

When the Bulls acquired Young, was their intention to play him with Lauri at center in a small ball lineup? If so, was that a miscalculation since Lauri does not appear able to defend the five-spot?

Why did it take so long for Gafford and Valentine to see the floor on a nightly basis?

Why was the injury to Otto Porter’s foot not diagnosed immediately and why is his timetable so unclear if we now know he suffered a small fracture?

Why hasn’t Boylen tried playing a big lineup with Thad at the small forward, considering how badly the Bulls have been beaten on the defensive boards all season? Is it because three bigs wouldn’t be quick enough to handle the “trapping up high” defensive scheme or because Thad really can’t play the three spot?

One thing is clear though. The season has been a disappointment so far.

Chicago Bulls fans and Media have called for the firing of Jim Boylen.

Paxson and Gar Forman are not in much better standing. Chicago has won three more games than at this point last season, but winning at the current 33.3 percent rate translates to only 27 wins over an 82 game season. In other words, they would have a great shot at again getting the 7th pick in the 2020 draft.

The disappointment in the team is most evident in fan attendance at the United Center. Last year, despite the losing, the Bulls still managed to be second in attendance, after leading the league for nine straight years. This year however, they rank only 11th in attendance per game and are 23rd in percent of capacity.

A recent article from Dan Bernstein at “670 The Score”,  highlights a comment made by Rick Hahn, GM of the White Sox, the other Reinsdorf owned team in town.  He was quoted at the recent Major League Baseball winter meetings as saying “But at the same time, there’s more than one conversation every week when he (owner Jerry Reinsdorf) reminds us how old he is and wondering how much longer he has to wait to get to the promised land. He’s ready to get to the winning stage.”​

You kidding me?!!

Does that urgency also apply to the Chicago Bulls?!  After seeing what has transpired during the Gar Forman era, one has to wonder.

Assuming though that Reinsdorf is bothered enough by all this to make changes at the top, whoever he has managing the team must consider making drastic roster changes if there is going to be any shot of the United Center becoming the promised land before Jerry gets too old.

A few suggestions follow.

Home/Bulls News