An interesting set of end-of-season player press conferences and interviews did help to shed some light on how the Chicago Bulls are feeling heading into the offseason. After missing the postseason for the fourth straight year, the Bulls have a lot to work on heading into the summer months.
That includes executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley getting this roster together to finally end that postseason drought next year. An area where the Bulls can look to build up the roster this offseason is by finding the right supporting cast for the star duo of shooting guard Zach LaVine and center Nikola Vucevic.
LaVine made it clear this season that he wanted to make it to the postseason for the first time in his career. In this, his seventh year in the NBA, LaVine was not able to end that streak of years without making it to the postseason.
While LaVine didn’t have the best teams to make a postseason run, between his time with the Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, it looked like this could be the year. And he fell just shy of leading this team to at least earning a spot in the play-in tournament.
Zach LaVine: “I love it here in Chicago.” Said he’s very excited for future.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) May 17, 2021
Zach LaVine’s feelings on his future with the Chicago Bulls
Nonetheless, there still looks to be a brighter future for this Bulls team heading into this offseason than there was last year. LaVine has a legit star running mate in Vucevic, and they have a very potent rookie forward to keep as a key part of this core in Patrick Williams.
LaVine stated in his end-of-season press conference that “I love it here in Chicago”. He also noted that he’s excited for what the future holds for him with the Bulls.
There’s not much to unpack here, as the Bulls need to effectively build around their budding star duo of LaVine and Vooch. If the Bulls can put the right supporting cast around those two, and maybe even find one more star to form a Big 3, then the future should be very promising in Chicago.
LaVine himself had a solid 2020-21 campaign with the Bulls, where he garnered his first career All-Star selection. Prior to landing with the Bulls at the trade deadline from the Orlando Magic, Vooch got the second All-Star nod of his career this year.
The Bulls wound up finishing up the 2020-21 regular season with a record of 31-41 following their May 16 win at home at the United Center over the divisional foe Milwaukee Bucks. They have a busy offseason ahead after missing the postseason again.