After two crushing defeats, the Chicago Bulls are once again in trouble. Coach Billy Donovan’s new offense is met with little approval and the stars complain publicly. How long will things last in the Windy City?
If everything had gone according to plan, the Bulls would still be unsuccessful after three games. but thanks to the ineptitude of the Toronto Raptors Chicago at least has a win on its side. But that doesn’t change the mood around the Bulls; after just three games, the unrest within the team is noticeable.
A players’ meeting after the devastating opening defeat against OKC Probably unique in the history of the Association, a few days later there was another double-digit defeat in Detroit, although Zach LaVine, plagued by back problems, scored 51 points. The Pistons were the perfect opponent; Chicago had not lost to their division rivals since March 2019 (15 wins in a row).
“This is our third year together and we all know the business,” said LaVine after the defeat in Detroit with regard to the Big Three around him, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. “We like each other, DeMar is one of my best friends and we talk all the time, but we have to finally find solutions to make it work.”
Chicago Bulls: New offense, new problems
That hasn’t happened yet and the voices that have been critical of the Bulls for a while are loud again. How good can this “Big Three” really be? Did Chicago miss the chance to make a real new beginning this summer? The opportunity was certainly there, Vucevic was an upcoming free agent, DeRozan was more than tradeable after a strong season and a contract that only runs for one year.
Chicago decided against it, extended Vucevic, and brought in more veterans with Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig. On paper, these are all sensible additions, but the absence of Lonzo Ball remains particularly serious. The Bulls’ half-court offense has been a disaster in their first three games; only Portland and Toronto have been worse, according to Cleaning the Glass.
The focus should be primarily on the offense. “How is it possible that we have three such good offensive players and yet were only 24th in attack?” Coach Billy Donovan asked rhetorically at Media Day. The Bulls had some catching up to do in terms of shot quality, too few attempts from downtown and too few free throws. This is also why Coby White became the starter at number one and not defensive specialist Alex Caruso, who is the much better player.
The ball should be moved more, the three stars should operate more in the flow of the offense, in Detroit there were just 16 assists. “We’re all frustrated because it’s not working the way we think it should,” LaVine said. “We haven’t been as consistent as we would like,” DeRozan added. “None of us are stubborn and are looking for solutions on how we can work together better.”
Chicago Bulls: The stars don’t want the system
Not everyone seems to like Coach Donovan’s approach. Vucevic complained against OKCthat he didn’t receive enough postups against the slight Chet Holmgren. After the Detroit game, it was LaVine who indirectly criticized Donovan’s approach. “We’re trying this new thing where everyone in our offense has the same opportunities. (…) In the first few games, DeMar and I were often in the corner. Now we have to see how we can get more touches.”
After just three games, it smells like an identity crisis, even though the preseason was so positive. Team building was a priority, which is also why the franchise chose a training camp in Tennessee so that trust could be further built.
Not even a week after the start of the season, much of this seems to have been forgotten. Patrick Williams is being criticized again after he only took three shots in Detroit and didn’t score any points. Donovan already had to answer the first questions about a lineup change. It feels like this offseason hasn’t been the fresh start we were hoping for; instead, the problems have just shifted a little.
Chicago Bulls: The roster at a glance
Chicago Bulls: Negotiations with DeRozan are tough
As Shams Charania (The Athletic) reported, talks with DeRozan (34) led to nothing about a possible contract extension. There should be a big gap in both length and money. His future in the Windy City is up in the air and it doesn’t take a professor to understand why oddsmakers have the Bulls as the favorites to land James Harden’s services after the LA Clippers.
Of course, LaVine is also a trade candidate, but the injury-prone guard will receive $129 million over the next three years and also has a player option for $49 million. According to ESPN, some teams inquired about the shooting guard, but were turned down due to the Bulls’ high demands.
So if the Bulls want to do something, it would probably be DeRozan, who also has some value for Contender. However, the past shows that the front office around Arturas Karnisovas was very patient, especially with their own dream players – see Vucevic. Donovan should also not be up for debate, even though he was still selected by the old regime.
Chicago Bulls: Is there still a turnaround?
The approach of playing less one-on-one is not a wrong one, but to a certain extent the player material is missing. There is no true point guard on the roster (will Ball ever be able to play again?), instead Donovan just brings the best player so far, Caruso, off the bench. There is still room for improvement, although not as much as Bulls fans are probably hoping.
Last year it was the defense (5th place) that pulled the coals out of the fire; it was the foundation for Chicago thanks to All-Defense guard Caruso (and later Patrick Beverley). Now Donovan is relying on more offense, which hasn’t paid off yet. There isn’t much time to find the right balance here in traditionally restless Chicago, especially not after LaVine’s very clear statements. “We’re trying to do something that doesn’t work.”
LaVine was referring to the new offense, but in the third year with this composition there is only one playoff win and a lot of mediocrity. LaVine’s words could not only be limited to the offense, the time of the Bulls big three could soon be coming to an end.
Chicago Bulls: Upcoming games
2023-10-30 09:21:00
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