NEWSLETTER
Shoutout to everyone who sent in questions! We had a very solid submission rate, so sorry if I didn’t get to your question this time around. I’ll plan to do another one soon, especially with training camp only a little over one month away.
What is the ceiling for Zach LaVine, as well as the ceiling for the Bulls team, as a whole? – @realsonicbaby
Just a prediction question.. where do you think Zach LaVine will end up in terms of all-time great Bulls? -@nparts588
I thought it would be best to combine these two questions. After all, if Zach LaVine reaches his ceiling (aka full potential) then it would have a direct impact on his standing among the Bulls’ all-time greats. What is that ceiling exactly? I would say a multi-time All-Star and All-NBA guard (probably Third Team). In other words, a max-worthy player with the capability to be the No. 2 players on a championship team. I think if he reaches the sheer peak of his athleticism and long-range shooting (and also becomes a borderline average defender), he could enter the top-20 player rankings pretty easily.
We already know he can score at all three levels, but the efficiency in which he did it last season was mesmerizing. His 60.0 percent effective field goal percentage ranked in the league’s 90th percentile. LaVine was one of only three players who averaged 26+ points per game while shooting better than 50 percent from downtown and 40 percent from behind the arc. The other two players were Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, and both played fewer games than the Bulls’ All-Star (I’ve shared this stat a lot, but I think it best illustrates how dominant he was on that end).
If LaVine continues this ridiculous scoring, he should make at least one or two more All-Star games. In fact, I think his points per game and shooting clips can drop a bit, as long as the winning record follows, and this can still be the case.
As for where he might end up among the all-time Bulls, I am admittedly hesitant to say. This can change a lot depending on whether he re-signs and how he performs over the next several seasons.
With that said, he is already one of the team’s best pure scorers in franchise history. Michael Jordan owns the top 11 spots for points per game in a single season, but LaVine is the first Bull to appear next with his 27.4 average this past year. LaVine is also currently 5th in 3-point makes and holds the franchise record for most and second-most 3-point makes in a season. Just as impressive, his effective field goal percentage (59.6) in 2021-22 is the organization’s third-best clip in a single season behind HOF center Artis Gilmore, per Basketball-Reference.
Assuming LaVine totals at least 1500 points again (as he did the past two seasons), he will also pass Norm Van Lier for 13th in Bulls-career points (right behind Horace Grant), per Stathead. So, yeah, LaVine could be on track to be a top-10 Bulls player of all time.
What are the main ways Patrick Williams benefits from Zo and DeMar. Does he get to completely focus on defense now that we have 75~ ppg from our big four and turn into an amazing defender? Does his offensive game take a huge leap? – @RJackie21
To be honest, this is probably something I’ll dive deeper into as training camp inches closer, so I’ll keep this relatively surface level (speaking of which, you can check out the official regular-season schedule here).
Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan will take a pretty significant burden off the back of Patrick Williams. Don’t get me wrong, this organization will still need him to blossom to take another substantial competitive step, but some immediate weight has been lifted off the 19-year-old’s shoulders. While I expect to see him play a more aggressive offensive role this year (maybe they stagger him into the second unit to get more buckets?), DeRozan and Ball will have the basketball in their hands far more often.
Both are also high-level playmakers (DeRozan in the halfcourt and Ball in transition), which I think will make life that much easier for Williams on the offensive end. He has more guys who can hit him for catch-and-shoot 3s, find him on cuts, and even chuck him some lobs. If he can move well off the ball, he should have plenty of easy buckets.
With that said, defense will still easily be where Williams makes the biggest impact. I expect to see him continue to guard the opposing team’s best player on almost a nightly basis.
We thought Lauri will be a franchise player by making the 1st all rookie, and some promising talent. but ended up like this. who’s fault? himself? the coach? garpax? – @SeeRedFan
Yes. Is that an appropriate answer?
Look, sometimes things just don’t work out, and that is currently where I’m at with the Lauri Markkanen situation. I don’t think we can point fingers in one direction, especially considering all the changes this organization has gone through since his arrival.
Several coaching swaps and a poor player development staff from GarPax both likely played a role in his decline. At the same time, so did Markkanen’s natural lack of aggression and physicality. Is there a world where Markkanen still thrives in another environment? Absolutely. The guy is just 24 years old and has a gifted shooting stroke for a seven-footer. Things just did not happen here for him in Chicago. It is what it is.
Do you think the bulls can pull a similar turnaround to last year’s sun’s, going from 10th to title contenders? If not what do you think the missing piece is for this bulls team. – Jared H.
While I would love nothing more than to see Chicago experience this awesomeness … the answer is no.
The Bulls did not add a player as impactful as Chris Paul. The 36-year-old is one of the best to ever play the point guard position, and he was arguably the perfect veteran leader for that young Suns roster. The closest thing the Bulls added to Paul would be DeRozan, and while I love what the experienced forward can bring to the table, he isn’t Paul (duh).
Now, if there is anything similar that can happen, I think it would be the development of certain players into winning pieces. Mikal Bridges, Cameron Thomas, and (of course) DeAndre Ayton all took massive steps in the right direction last season. I think we could see similar strides made from Lonzo Ball and Patrick Williams. And, hey, maybe a guy like Troy Brown Jr. also develops into a rock-solid bench guy.
The missing piece to turn the Bulls into title contenders would probably be … well … a true superstar. Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James/Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry/Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Tim Duncan, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant … need I go on? Those players represent each of the past 12 NBA Champions. Either someone on this Bulls team will have to develop into a true superstar (*looks at Zach LaVine*) or they will need to eventually trade for one.
To be clear, that does not mean the Bulls should not go the route of competing at a high level. The only way to add/find that superstar is to win games.
Will we be a top 5 team? – Alex B.
Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley sure hope so.
I think the Bucks, Nets, and 76ers make up the top three teams heading into next season. The next tier would probably be the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and Atlanta Hawks. If the cards fall in the Bulls’ favor, I could see them right in that mix for a 4-5 seed.
Who would you target to fill out the roster? Any remaining wings or big guys left that are feasible pickups? Shane M.
Here are some names who are still available in the free-agent market:
Paul Millsap
Bismack Biyombo
James Ennis
Jarred Vanderbilt
Stanley Johnson
JaKarr Sampson
Bulls need to add depth at power forward, specifically if Lauri Markkanen doesn’t return. Speaking of which, the Markkanen situation could still be a means of adding talent through a sign-and-trade.
How’s your summer been? Done anything cool? We’re a playoff team now right? RIGHT?!? – Stephen H.
Good.
Eh, not really.
Hopefully.
I said, “HOPEFULLY!”
