The Chicago Bulls upgraded the roster around Zach LaVine the last year and a half. It began ahead of the 2021 NBA trade deadline when they acquired Nikola Vucevic from the Orlando Magic, providing the franchise with an All-Star duo as the team’s foundation.
During the offseason, they upgraded the roster even more. DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball were both acquired in sign-and-trade deals from the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans. Alex Caruso was signed away from the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.
For most of the season, things were great in Chicago. The team was winning and they were near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, but then injuries hit. They lost key players for large chunks at a time and they slowly began falling down the standings.
Ultimately they finished the season 46-36 and in sixth place in the conference. That was a nice bounceback, but the franchise is in a tough spot. They struggled mightily against the upper echelon teams in the NBA and are locked into their core.
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To keep up with those teams, some more changes need to be made. One NBA scout that talked to NBA Analysis Network believes the biggest change should occur at the center spot.
“I think with how you have to solve for Giannis and Embiid in the East, you need a rim protector to anchor the defense. The spacing that Vucevic brings is important, though. Andre Drummond brings size but is not a rim protector. It’s just hard to find a stretch five that can protect the paint. Myles Turner comes to mind as a fit. They would be wise to make a run at him next summer if a trade isn’t feasible.”
At the time when Vucevic was acquired, he was a good fit for the Bulls. But, he struggled with consistency at times last season as the third option, so finding a new home for him could make sense. He and Andre Drummond don’t bring a lot on the defensive side of the ball, which would make Myles Turner an excellent target.
He has the Unicorn skill set that teams are dreaming of when it comes to the center position. He can knock down 3-pointers on offense to help space the floor and is an elite rim protector.
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Committed to the win-now approach, Chicago has to make another move sooner than later or they will be passed up by more teams in the highly competitive Eastern Conference.
“The East has gotten much stronger since when the Bulls decided to push their chips in the center of the table. They chose to commit to winning now. They got to see what works and what doesn’t with their core group. They need to make a move soon. Lonzo Ball’s injuries complicate things but at least they got Goran Dragic to add some depth. Like I said, a stretch-five that can rim protect would be a great fit.”
The Bulls will struggle to reach their potential without Lonzo Ball in the lineup. Getting him healthy is the most important thing for the team as they were not the same last season without him. When he played his final game of the 2021-22 season, Chicago was 27-13. Without him, the team limped to a 19-23 record the rest of the season.
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Adding a stretch-five, that offers rim protection as well, to the mix would certainly help raise the ceiling of the team. But, until they get their starting point guard back in the mix, it will be tough to find their footing. Goran Dragic is fine as a depth piece but he doesn’t offer the same impact as Ball does as a two-way player.
