NEWSLETTER
I’ve never been so happy to hear those words.
Good morning! We have a game today ☺️
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 27, 2021
• Someone needs to give me the contact information for Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, because I’ve got an Edible Arrangement with their name on it. I truly want the Chicago Bulls front office to know how ecstatic I am that they began to re-invent this roster at the trade deadline. Not only have their changes given the Bulls a legitimate chance at cracking the playoffs this season, but it has given fans something entirely new to look forward to. For the past several seasons we watched a young core underachieve and repeatedly fail to stay on the court. I don’t blame the players for any of that, but it got to a point where it was simply time for a change. The front office gave it to us as soon as they could, and now we get to watch a (hopefully) competent and competitive basketball team! YAY FOR COMPETENCY! I mean, that’s about all Bulls fans have asked for in recent years.
All the New Bulls Should Be Available for Saturday’s Game (Except Daniel Theis)https://t.co/Mf0piRCxmV
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) March 26, 2021
• If you like poetry, you’ll like this: The Bulls first game with their revamped roster will be against the San Antonio Spurs – the same team they blew a 23-point lead to on March 17th. That loss spiraled the team into a 4th-quarter collapse against the Nuggets. Both games turned on to be two of the ugliest losses of the season, and after a quick victory over the East’s last-place Pistons, the Bulls continued to stumble with a blowout loss to the Utah Jazz and a concerning effort against the Collin Sexton-less Cleveland Cavaliers. This matchup tonight feels like a perfect opportunity for the organization to reverse the curse. Nine of the next 10 games are on the road, and half of those games are against current playoff teams. This new Bulls team must get off to a strong start.
• I’m stupidly excited to see Zach LaVine play alongside a fellow All-Star, especially one that compliments his skillset so effortlessly. Vucevic is one of the most prolific scorers in the league, and he also happens to be one of the best screeners around. Vucevic is 7th in the league in screen assists, and he is also one of the league’s best big men in pick-and-pop situations. According to Synergy Basketball, Vucevic leads the league in pick-and-pop scoring, and he is shooting a beautiful 55 eFG% on catch-and-shoot attempts this season. Anyway, we talked more about Vucevic’s fit with LaVine – and overall – in our post below:
You Already Know Nikola Vucevic, But Let’s Discuss His Fit with the Chicago Bullshttps://t.co/KwWgQSSNXG
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) March 26, 2021
• Once again, I do want to remind everyone that things take time. Vucevic, along with every other new player, isn’t going to all of a sudden mesh perfectly with everything the Bulls try to do. There will be an adjustment period for everyone involved, especially because this condensed schedule has left the Bulls with a severe lack of playing time. Game action is about the only time for this coaching staff to really get a taste for what kind of rotation they should run. With that said, if anyone does have the possibility of a rather seamless transition, it should be the experienced and versatile Vucevic.
• If the moves at the deadline told us anything, it’s that this front office is currently committed to Zach LaVine. Not only does Vucevic feel like a smart pairing, but every move made on Thursday made the team immediately better and put them in a position to fight for the playoffs over the next several seasons. Clearly, that means this front office bought into LaVine’s upside, which also means they will likely look to extend him in the near future – whether it be this offseason or when his contract expires one season from now. The good news for Bulls fans is that LaVine appears to have every intention of staying in Chicago. The 26-year-old told reporters on Friday that he has never thought about leaving the Windy City, and that he hopes to do everything he can to stay with the organization for the long-haul.
"… Adding someone like this and being more attractive in the free-agent market to bring more players here is always a bonus for any player."
— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) March 26, 2021
• Vucevic helps the Bulls now … and later. Don’t believe me, ask Kevin O’Connor.
The Bulls made the most surprising move at the trade deadline. Is Chicago ready to take the next steps? @ChrisVernonShow and @KevinOConnorNBA debate on #TheMismatch.
Presented by @fdsportsbook. #ad pic.twitter.com/xrYC11d9FP
— The Ringer (@ringer) March 26, 2021
