Chicago Bulls’ second-year head coach Billy Donovan has a lot to figure out ahead of the start of the upcoming 2021-22 regular season. Training Camp and the preseason will show a lot about how Donovan and the Bulls are planning to sort out this rotation heading into next season. And the Las Vegas NBA Summer League already showed a lot about what the Bulls could get from some of the younger players in the mix ahead of next season.
All of the change that the Bulls front office enacted through the offseason thus far by nature will present a lofty challenge for Donovan to scheme up with this roster at hand. Donovan and the Bulls have a much better roster at this point of the offseason, without a doubt, but that’s not the only piece to the puzzle to become a true postseason contender next season.
It won’t all come easy for Chicago Bulls HC Billy Donovan next season
The difference between the Bulls getting the seven or eight seed next year and barely slipping into the postseason picture, or solidifying first-round home court advantage as a four seed largely hinges on Donovan’s ability to mesh these different skill sets.
Last year, the Bulls nearly got the final spot in the play-in tournament. But Donovan and the Bulls wound up falling just a couple of games shy of the Charlotte Hornets for the last spot in the play-in tournament.
Next year will be big for the Bulls not just to end the postseason drought, but get a seed higher than the play-in tournament. The Bulls made the necessary moves to get the roster in a position to do so. It’s now up to Donovan and his staff to convert on the new talent on hand.
But the challenges he will face could be sizable. Here’s a look into three of the Bulls players that could be the most problematic scheme fits for Donovan next season.