Reasons Why the Bulls Future is Bright
With the 2nd year of the rebuild wrapping up, the Bulls have a bright future ahead of them. Let’s examine a few reasons Bulls fans should be optimistic for the 2019-2020 season.
The Core
The most important part of a rebuild is establishing your team’s core players, the Bulls have done that and it’s a pretty talented group, one that could be a force to reckon with in the East if everything falls into place. Those 4 players are
Photo: @chicagobulls
Otto Porter Jr.
Acquired a day before the trade deadline from the Washington Wizards, Otto was a seamless fit with the Bulls, he gave them the legitimate starter at small forward that they so desperately needed. He’s a two-way player, his sharp shooting from deep, spaces the floor for the Bulls, and his defensive ability should help the Bulls improve their struggles on that end of the floor. Look for Otto to lock up the opposing team’s best wing player, and be a defensive anchor alongside…
Wendell Carter Jr.
The rookie big man had his season cut short with a fractured thumb, but he showed flashes of being a solid player for the Bulls. He displayed a soft touch around the basket, and his defense was out of this world for a 19 yr old rookie. The Bulls should give him the green light to show off his shooting range, rather than keeping him tied to the low post on offense. That not only will space the floor even more for the Bulls but will give opposing teams nightmares of facing a frontcourt consisting of Carter and….
Lauri Markkanen
The Finnisher started the season slowly, thanks to missing the entire training camp, as well as the Bulls first 23 games. But Markkanen was still able to improve on his fantastic rookie year, he averaged 18.7 pts, 9 rebs, and 2.3 3-pointers, which puts him in rare company, as just the 5th player in history to average those numbers for a season. His play in February proved he can become a dominant force in the NBA, and gives the Bulls a solid 1-2 punch with…
Zach LaVine
He was the Bulls most consistent player for this season, putting the team on his back, with Markkanen and other players missing time due to injuries. Lavine is in the conversation for MIP as he hit career highs this season in points, rebounds and assists. Lavine has shown signs of becoming one of the best shooting guards in not only the East, but the NBA. He’s stated he will continue to work on his defense as Boylen envisions Zach becoming a 2 way player. Zach talked the talk of being the man for the Bulls and this season he definitely walked the walk.
Draft Pick
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The Bulls were able to lock up the 4th worst record in the NBA, giving them a 12.5% chance at the # 1 pick in this years NBA draft. The consensus amongst Bulls fans is hoping the team picks 1st or 2nd, taking either Zion Williamson or Ja Morant. Either of these players would be a great addition to the aforementioned core. The Bulls have had success in the last two drafts at # 7 selecting Carter and Markkanen. They should be bringing a solid player into the fold, even if they don’t hit on Zion or Morant.
Playoffs
Photo: chicagobulls.com
Yes, Bulls fans should look forward to the team making a return to the postseason. Zach Lavine stated that if the Bulls are healthy, they are automatically a playoff team. Otto Porter agreed with that statement, there’s no reason why the Bulls shouldn’t accomplish this. They have a talented core, they’ll have a top draft pick, and they will look to improve the caliber of their bench during the offseason. An improvement that could include…
The Return?
Photo: @clutchpoints
The Bulls want to bring in a veteran point guard, and that point guard could be former Bull Derrick Rose. Rose’s agent BJ Armstrong(also a former Bull) said they would definitely listen if the Bulls reached out to Rose in free agency. Lavine and Porter both made statements saying they would love to play alongside Derrick if he were to rejoin the Bulls. Could we see a Rose bloom in Chicago once more?
Can you imagine a Bulls team including Zach Lavine, Lauri Markkanen, Otto Porter Jr., Wendell Carter Jr., Zion Williamson/Ja Morant, and Derrick Rose?
There’s a real possibility that could happen, and Bulls fans should be counting down the days till the draft lottery. One thing for certain, Bulls Nation should be in for a very exciting 2019-2020 season.
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