Have you ever wondered why there aren’t two full days a year designated for celebrating the Chicago Bulls’ greatness? Well, you’re in luck!
Bulls Fest 2022 officially got underway this morning at the United Center. The next two days are full of fun Bulls-themed shenanigans, and I plan to check it all out this afternoon. If you happen to see a lanky six-foot-three man in a “Chi Slama Jama” Obvious Shirt, that will likely be me. If that man is also downing a Goose Island and humming “Sirius” to himself, then it’s definitely me.
Hello, darkness my old friend …
One of the worst things about this Lonzo Ball news is that we basically saw it coming. I tried to hold out as much hope as possible that the starting point guard could start the year fully healthy, but a little voice in the back of my head kept saying, “you sucker, he’s going to break your heart!” The most positive news we got about Ball’s offseason rehab was that he was “progressing.” We never knew by how much or how quickly. The details were as absent as his defense and playmaking in the second half of last season, and it alluded to the very news we received on Friday.
Plus, it’s not as if health has ever been Ball’s friend. As Bobby Marks pointed out yesterday, Ball has missed 137 games since his rookie season in 2017. The most games he’s ever played came in 2019-20 when he appeared in just 63 contests. While there is still hope that his career can level out a just 24 years old, this is also a concerning amount of injury trouble for someone so young and so talented. The Bulls will have to proceed with tremendous caution whenever he does finally show signs of returning.
Will makes a very important point:
The Bulls banked on continuity and health this offseason. Now, we still have to see what can come of that choice, but the roster upgrades of several East teams mixed with this Lonzo news reminds us how risky that decision can be. The NBA doesn’t stop changing. You always have to keep up with your competition, and the Bulls may have failed to do that this summer.
The Goran Dragic signing always seemed to imply that this front office felt uneasy about Ball’s early-season availability, and I think that’s now confirmed. The veteran point guard said he came to Chicago because of the potential playing time, specifically mentioning that he expected 20-25 minutes per game. I now expect to see him take on that kind of role immediately to start the season off the bench, while Ayo Dosunmu likely gets the nod in the starting lineup.
If we do want a positive spin on this Ball news, it’s that Dosunmu will have an even greater opportunity to show what he’s learned this offseason. He did a pretty tremendous job for a rookie when playing in relief of Ball last season, and he’ll now possibly have a full training camp to get comfortable as this team’s primary facilitator.
Arguably even more pressure is now on Alex Caruso’s shoulder. Not only will he have to carry an even greater defensive load in the backcourt, but the Bulls will need him to improve some of his offensive contributions. Showing an ability to knock down more 3-point shots, in particular, would be a welcomed sight.
Speaking of Caruso, he gave a fantastic interview with BasketballNews’ Ethan Fuller. He pulled back the curtain to talk about why he’s turned into one of the league’s best POA defenders:
Knowing the Knicks, they’ll be right in the mix before quickly fumbling the bag.
These Looney Tunes jerseys are *chef’s kiss.*
Meh.
Fine. I’ll do it.
NEWSLETTER
