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There may not be a franchise in the NBA in as bad of a spot as the Chicago Bulls. Their attempt to go all-in a few offseasons ago looked like it was going to help push the team to the top of the Eastern Conference.
The additions of Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan, following a deadline deal to acquire Nikola Vucevic from the Orlando Magic, gave them one of the best cores in the league. All-Star Zach LaVine was the centerpiece and there was a ton of optimism for forward Patrick Williams, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft oozing with upside.
Fast forward to the present day, and ultimately nothing has gone according to plan. When Ball was healthy, the Bulls were amongst the best teams in the NBA. However, since a knee injury suffered in January 2022, we haven’t seen Ball back on the court. He will also be sidelined for the entirety of this season.
Despite having ample opportunities to start a much-needed rebuild, the Bulls doubled down this offseason. Vucevic was re-signed and no trades were made involving LaVine or DeRozan. The results, as many have expected, are underwhelming.
At 4-7 and with no light at the end of the tunnel, the Bulls sound like they are ready to accept the harsh reality of rebuilding. Change is on the horizon in the Windy City, as Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic revealed that a source told him Chicago won’t have the same roster a month from now.
One league source told me this week the Bulls won't have the same roster in a month. Change feels imminent in Chicago. https://t.co/9BTVLnx6VM
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) November 14, 2023
As Mayberry noted, one of the players to keep an eye on is LaVine. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium also reported that LaVine and the Bulls are both increasingly open to exploring trade options.
In addition to the trade rumors, Charania shared that contract extension talks between DeRozan and the team are far apart. If that doesn’t change, a trade involving the six-time All-Star makes a lot of sense.
On top of the player news , Charania is reporting some disconnect between the roster and head coach Billy Donovan. The players on the team, led by Vucevic, are unhappy with the offense being used and are expressing frustration.
Latest on the Bulls from @ShamsCharania:
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) November 14, 2023
∙Bulls, Zach LaVine both increasingly open to exploring a trade
∙ Bulls players led by Nikola Vucevic have expressed frustration with offense
∙Bulls, DeMar DeRozan remain apart on an extension
Things got off to a brutal start when a player’s only meeting was held after an opening night loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. That was an ominous sign of things to come, as frustrations were mounting right out of the gate.
The Bulls are now a team everyone in the NBA will be keeping an eye on. A firesale before Christmas looks to be a real possibility, as they could change the landscape of the league with a few trades.
More must-reads:
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- The 'First Team All-Defensive Team' quiz
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