NEWSLETTER
This weekend my friends and I plan to do an end-of-summer bar crawl. While there is a bottomless mimosa brunch planned (I know, always a dangerous way to start), the rest of the day will be dictated by a whole lot of nothing. There is no clear goal besides having a good time, which is precisely why the Chicago Bulls aren’t invited!
- Arturas Karnisovas and Co. need to approach this season in the exact opposite fashion of how I’ll approach my weekend activities. In other words, no going with the flow or playing it by ear. There needs to be an established objective heading into this season, and this objective should be made as clear as possible at Media Day in a few short weeks. Unfortunately, whether or not that will be the case is up in the air. And Adam Amin practically said as much on a recent episode of Stacey King’s Gimme the Hot Sauce podcast.
“We don’t really know what the goal is. If it was all guys in their first or second year with Josh Giddey as the lead ballhandler, you’d go all right they’re probably going to lose 50 games. They’re probably going to be in the mix for a top 10 pick. Maybe they’re going to get lucky and the lottery bounces your way …
But when that doesn’t necessarily translate as the clear goal of this particular season, then I’m curious what it’s going to be like. I do think they can surprise some people if the goal is to win a lot of games, right?”
- Even Amin and King seemingly agreed that surprising people is a scary thought. Sure, the Bulls could possibly use Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic to surpass the 30-plus win mark again this season, but what the heck is the point of that? Again, the Bulls simply can’t go where the wind takes them due to the top 10 protection on their first-round pick. Handing over a lottery selection to the San Antonio Spurs one summer after starting a youth movement would be a borderline disaster.
- To be clear, I don’t expect Karnisovas or Marc Eversley to publicly say that they’re tanking. But if the words “playoffs” or “play-in tournament” are spoken ahead of Oct. 23, this organization is only going to continue to be a laughing stock in the East. If they avoid using those words, then it should be an indication that the intent is to keep the pick and emphasize player development.
- Also, yes, I recognize that at least some pick is headed to San Antonio eventually. If the Bulls do the right thing and keep it this year, the Spurs will be entitled to the organization’s 2026 first-round pick with a top 8 protection (this would also roll over to 2027 before finally turning into a second-rounder in 2028). But that’s fine. This 2025 draft is considered to have a pretty tantalizing lottery, which is obviously highlighted by Cooper Flagg. Considering where the Bulls’ roster is at, this is a draft class they should be sprinting toward.
- In his conversation with Adam Amin, Stacey King asked about what might happen if both Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic begin to buy in and play well in the new-look system. While I believe complete buy-in will not be a concern, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t also thought about this. With how unenthusiastic the Bulls have seemed about a rebuild in the past, I certainly worry that they’ll relapse into mediocrity at the first chance they get. However, if LaVine or Vucevic begins to play well, the Bulls can’t view this as a possible saving grace. They must take advantage of that on the trade market and go all-in on the youth movement. This all goes back to setting a clear goal at the beginning of the season and sticking to it!
- I’m going to miss watching DeMar DeRozan cook …
- ESPN released their latest WNBA rookie rankings, and I think Angel Reese will be happy. The Chicago Sky’s forward currently sits ahead of superstar Caitlin Clark. Does this mean she’s destined to take home the ROY award? No, but it does speak to just how impressive Reese’s first year as a pro has been. While she may not be a perfect player, there is no denying she has immediately exceeded expectations.
- Speaking of rookies, Kamilla Cardoso is starting to put it together …
- This feels like a sneaky good signing for the defending champs, especially this later into the offseason.
- So who else is still looking for a new home? Spotrac’s Keith Smith ranked the best free agents left at each position. Honestly, there are some really solid wings left on the board.
- Too little too late?
- This is what we like to hear!
