With only the final stretch run of the season lying ahead for second-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls, there is plenty for the fans in the Windy City to be excited about. Heading into the All-Star Break this week, Donovan and the Bulls sit in first place in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 38-21.
The Bulls are also riding a five-game winning streak heading into the All-Star Break following their win over the Sacramento Kings at home at the United Center on Feb. 16. There is a real shot for the Bulls to contend for the top seed in the East down the stretch during the regular season.
Chicago Bulls players that will benefit the most with Tristan Thompson now in the mix
There was also a big piece that executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley added to the roster for the Bulls post-trade deadline. The Bulls got to add some valuable frontcourt depth this week with the addition of the former Kings and Indiana Pacers big man Tristan Thompson.
On Feb. 16, it started to become apparent that the Pacers were going to be reaching an agreement with Thompson to buy him out of the rest of the contract. And that’s when the reports started coming in connecting the Bulls to the 30-year-old Canadian veteran Thompson.
The Bulls are getting a valuable addition in the one-time NBA Champion and 2011-12 All-Rookie Team selection Thompson. It looked like the Bulls were seeking out frontcourt help via the buyout market this year. And that’s what they’re going to get out of Thompson.
With that in mind, here’s a look into three Bulls players that will immediately benefit from the addition of Thompson down the stretch this season.