With Media Day set to officially take place on Monday, September 26, an offseason of uncertainty is nearing its end for the Chicago Bulls. With high expectations for the 2022-23 season, the team will make themselves available to take questions on the topics at the forefront of the fanbase’s mind.
After only making marginal moves to improve during the draft and free agency, questions linger on how the Bulls can continue improving to be taken seriously as contenders in the Eastern Conference. Although winning 46 games last season was a huge step in the right direction for this franchise, it still wasn’t anywhere near enough to be a serious threat in the playoffs.
Media Day is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. CT, with coverage live on NBA TV and highlights to be posted on the official Chicago Bulls YouTube channel.
The Chicago Bulls must address the questions on everyone’s minds at Media Day.
1. Who will be the starting point guard?
Although the news that Lonzo Ball would require another surgery to help his left knee heal is unfortunate, I don’t think the Chicago Bulls were caught with their pants down on this one. Signing Goran Dragic in free agency looks now more than ever like it was a predetermined effort to shore up the backcourt rotation precisely if this were to happen.
That being said, it remains to be seen if Dragic will be the one to get the call to start. Back in July, Dragic told Slovenian sports site Sportsman that he expects to play 20-25 minutes per game. However, Bulls fans have overwhelmingly voted that they wish to see Ayo Dosunmu get the call to start. This is something Billy Donovan should shed some light on, provided there’s not an open competition still running for the job.
2. How often will Dalen Terry see the court as a rookie?
Entering the 2022 NBA Draft, the Bulls had a clear need for a versatile two-way player on the wing. Unfortunately, the most obvious fits to fill that role — Jalen Williams (drafted 12th), Ochai Agbaji (14th), and Tari Eason (17th) — were all off the board by the time Chicago could make their pick. The Bulls would end up selecting Dalen Terry, a playmaking guard with a frame long enough to play small forward if he can pack on a little size.
I for one have big hopes for Terry’s time in Chicago, but I understand why some may be a little hesitant to give him the go-ahead right away. The front office clearly feels the same way, as they’ve brought back Derrick Jones Jr. to presumably shore up the forward rotation off the bench alongside Javonte Green. Whether or not Terry will get the chance to make a name for himself, or instead get buried in the rotation remains to be seen.
3. Is Patrick Williams ready to break out?
When the Bulls reached during the 2020 NBA Draft to select Patrick Williams fourth overall, the clock immediately started ticking for the rookie. Chicago desperately needs a ceiling-raiser to elevate this team to title contention, and the most obvious candidate for that role is Pat. We’ve seen hours and hours worth of promising footage of Williams in practice, private workouts, and friendly scrimmages. Entering his third NBA season, the Chicago Bulls need Williams to assert his presence and prove he not only belongs with the starting unit, but that he can also one day lead it.