Chicago Bulls: Expectations for the new look roster

After what most Bulls fans can say was a very productive trade deadline day, it’s now time for the Chicago Bulls to look forward with their new-look roster.

But with the race for last playoff spots in the Eastern Conference looking more and more hectic, and with teams around the Bulls also strengthening during the deadline, what can fans expect from this improved roster, both this season and for years to come?

Chicago Bulls 2020-21 Expectations

After cashing in both Wendell Carter Jr. and two first round picks (among others) to get Nikola Vucevic and Daniel Theis, it is clear that the Bulls are pushing their chips into the middle of the table.

And with newly named All-Star Zach LaVine entering a contract year next season, it would make sense for the Bulls to make moves now that can help him win in Chicago and convince him to stay. The front office clearly sees an opportunity for Chicago to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. But the goal shouldn’t end there.

For the first time in NBA history, the association has implemented a play in “tournament” for teams that are seeded in the seven-to-10 range. As explained by the NBA on their official website:

"At the conclusion of the regular season but before the first round of the playoffs, the team with the 7th-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the 8th-highest winning percentage in a Play-In Game (the “Seven-Eight Game”). The winner of the Seven-Eight Game in each conference will earn the No. 7 seed. The team with the 9th-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the 10th-highest winning percentage in the “Nine-Ten Game”. The loser of the Seven-Eight Game will host the winner of the Nine-Ten Game in a Play-In Game, and the winner of that game in each conference will earn the No. 8 seed. (NBA.com)"

At the beginning of the year, a realistic goal for the Bulls to work towards would be qualifying for this play-in game, to at least give themselves a chance to make the playoffs. However, with another All-Star and some more depth in much-needed areas, the Bulls should look further than just a play-in game.

With only three games (as of March 26) separating them and the fourth seed in the East, the Bulls should look to make a run for it. And while it might be a little too much to ask for them to go and get the fourth seed, it would be reasonable to assume Chicago can grab a fifth or sixth seed in the East.

But for how fun it would be to see the Bulls take down a higher seed in the first round, that’s a little bit of a stretch. Though Chicago did address some of its issues at the deadline, there are still glaring problems on this team – mainly in the frontcourt defensively.

So reeling it in a bit more, it would be more rational to think this Bulls team can keep it competitive with any first round matchup, and just gain some valuable playoff experience this season, for players on this Bulls roster who lack any (mainly Lavine, Williams, Markkanen, and White). The Bulls 2020-21 goal this year should be to make the playoffs without the need of a play-in, and keep it close with any team they match up in round one.