Well, the Bulls are starting to look like who we thought they were.
Last night’s 11-point loss to one of the West’s worst teams, the Portland Trail Blazers, was Chicago’s fifth-straight loss and three of those came against bottom-five teams in the NBA. While it’s frustrating in real-time to watch, it’s likely what’s best for the franchise long term.
Arturas Karnisovas has sat on his hands for three straight trade deadlines now, and it wasn’t out of the question he could do so again if the Bulls were hovering around .500. But now with this five-game losing streak, it’s becoming more and more apparent that Chicago is headed down a road to nowhere with a ceiling maybe being at the 10-seed in the Play-In Tournament.
Chicago has some assets to move at the deadline that can get them some future assets. Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball should attract interest. For some reason, Zach LaVine’s market still appears to be dry, but that could also change as he continues to impress. Can I interest anyone in a gently used Patrick Williams perhaps?!
With how the Bulls have looked this season, especially in their last five games, Arturas Karnisovas should be open for business and attempt to gather as many future assets as possible. It’s time to FINALLY start the rebuild.
This week’s schedule doesn’t get much easier, by the way. After struggling against some of the league’s worst, the Bulls visit the Clippers and Warriors before heading home to take on the 76ers, who are still always dangerous. It honestly wouldn’t shock me if by when Philly comes to town on Saturday night, we’re talking about a seven-game losing streak and A LOT of trade rumors.
Meet the Bulls’ Opponents
- 1/20 at Clippers: Hope you like 9:30 starts!.
- 1/23 at Warriors: Maybe just have Nikola Vucevic switch locker rooms when we get there?
- 1/25 vs 76ers: Probably don’t expect Joel Embiid in this one.
Bulls Projected Lineup
- Coby White
- Josh Giddey
- Zach LaVine
- Patrick Williams
- Nikola Vucevic
Opponent Projected Lineup
Los Angeles Clippers
- James Harden
- Norman Powell
- Amir Coffey
- Derrick Jones Jr
- Ivica Zubac
Golden State Warriors
- Steph Curry
- Dennis Schroder
- Andrew Wiggins
- Trayce Jackson-Davis
- Draymond Green
Philadelphia 76ers
- Tyrese Maxey
- Eric Gordon
- Ricky Council IV
- Kelly Oubre Jr.
- Adem Bona
Unavailable/Injured (at the start of the week)
- Bulls: Coby White QUESTIONABLE (ankle), Adama Sanogo QUESTIONABLE (knee), Torrey Craig OUT (leg)
- Clippers: Kawhi Leonard OUT (knee), P.J. Tucker OUT (not with team)
- Warriors: Steph Curry QUESTIONABLE (ankle), Jonathan Kuminga OUT (ankle), Draymond Green OUT (calf), Brandin Podziemski OUT (calf), Kyle Anderson OUT (hip)
- 76ers: Joel Embiid OUT (knee), Caleb Martin OUT (hip), Kyle Lowry OUT (hip), Andre Drummond OUT (toe), Paul George OUT (groin), Guerschon Yabusele OUT (knee)
What to Watch For
- Bulls: Play. The. Young. Kids. There’s no reason for Matas Buzelis and Julian Phillips to not be getting 20+ minutes a night. There is also little reason to start Patrick WIlliams, who has played some of his worst basketball in recent weeks. Let’s just try and see what we have in our younger players and let them learn on the fly. It’s time to take the training wheels off for Matas Buzelis!
- Clippers: The Clippers have surprised many with their well-rounded play this season. James Harden remains a strong primary facilitator, while Norman Powell has become one of the league’s best long-range threats. Add in a cast of high-energy and versatile role players, and this Los Angeles team has a scrappy and likable identity. For the Bulls, keeping this one close will hinge on keeping their hands on the basketball. The Clippers score the second-most points off turnovers a night, and the Bulls are fresh off losing this department 19-13 to an inferior Trail Blazers team.
- Warriors: It’s audition time, Nikola Vucevic! The big man has been on the Warriors’ radar, and a strong night at the Chase Center could certainly help bolster the front office’s interest. If one thing is for sure, the Bulls will need their starting center to capitalize on his opportunities down low. The Warriors allow the second-fewest points in the paint per game, but Vucevic should still have the size advantage in the post.
- 76ers: Philly remains one of the East’s worst teams. Of course, a big reason for this has been the consistent injury trouble for Joel Embiid. And he will be sidelined for their meeting with the Bulls on Saturday. However, this group also lacks any sort of offensive identity and has struggled immensely to score efficiently. They own the second-worst assist percentage in the league and the 7th-worst effective field goal percentage. Having said that, Tyrese Maxey is quick enough to blow by this Bulls’ backcourt, while Paul George is crafty enough to give their wings trouble. Those two alone should be enough to keep this one interesting.