The Chicago Bulls are entering the postseason as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and will be without starting point guard Lonzo Ball, which proved to be a big problem for them down the stretch.
The team’s fall from grace was quick and painful for Chicago. Once upon a time, the Bulls were on top of the East, then they went on five-game losing streak in the beginning of March that began their downward spiral. Injuries and poor role player production have been the root of their problems in their late-season slip. The injury to Ball, in particular, was the biggest blow to Chicago’s season. Ball was the Bulls’ best defender and their floor general.
One glaring issue has been the lack of a backup behind Ball. Nobody’s been able to effectively run the offense, which has resulted in stagnant possessions, or play competent defense.
Next year, the Bulls need to prepare themselves and deepen the bench with a capable point guard who is either a solid all-around player or particularly proficient on offense or defense. And with free agency in a few months, we have a good idea who the team should target.
These 3 point guards could be Bulls’ targets in free agency
3. Ricky Rubio
The Bulls season went down the toilet the second Ball was out of the lineup. Zach LaVine’s and DeMar DeRozan’s weaknesses as facilitators became glaring, as the role players who were once thriving were nowhere to be found.
It’s clear that Ball is a valuable piece to the team, but he shouldn’t have been this big of an X-factor. The Bulls need someone who can anchor their offense while not compromising their defense. One guy who has been that throughout his career is Ricky Rubio.
He was the key piece in bringing the Utah Jazz out of the gutter post-Jerry Sloan. Once the Jazz moved off Rubio, he went to Phoenix and gave them the momentum to become the team they are today.
His season in Phoenix was the first year that Devin Booker was scoring high numbers (and the Suns were actually winning games!). Deandre Ayton was out for most of the year due to violating the league’s drug policy and the Suns still finished over .500. That year, they would’ve made the playoffs in the Eastern Conference and would’ve been in the play-in tournament if it had existed.
The biggest letdown is that the Suns went into the bubble and didn’t lose a single game. They missed the playoffs due to a technicality. If the league hadn’t been suspended due to COVID-19, the Suns very well could’ve made the playoffs with Rubio … and without Ayton.
He then went to Cleveland and became their leader. His play gave the young Cavaliers the confidence to make a run and they were 20-14 before he went down. They managed to make the playoffs as the No. 7 seed.
Rubio is a winner who cares about making his team better. He isn’t hung up on being starter and wants stability and a chance to compete. He can get that in Chicago. And he will give Chicago the backup point guard they need along with the leadership they are missing.