Chicago Bulls land in the lower half of the preseason power rankings

It's not an optimistic look at the Bulls off-season so far.

The Chicago Bulls have had a decent off-season, picking up a couple of high-motor, accurate-from-deep players who can help address some of the team's deficiencies, especially involving three-point shooting. However, one analyst doesn't value these moves as good enough to raise the Bulls' ceiling for next season.

Solid additions

Starting point guard Lonzo Ball isn't going to be walking onto an NBA court anytime soon, so it was imperative for the team to find a guard worthy of replacing some of the production that the Bulls have missed over the last season and a half. Enter former Milwaukee Bucks guard Jevon Carter, who not only plays relentless defense, but also is a deadshot from the outside.

Chicago then added Torrey Craig, another rugged defender who's fully capable of lighting it up from long range. However, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report doesn't think these deals move the needle for the Bulls. Hence, Chicago was ranked 23rd in his preseason power rankings.

"The additions of Jevon Carter (perhaps a cheaper facsimile of Ball) and Torrey Craig are decent fringe moves, but they certainly don't guarantee an escape from mediocrity. That might require a big move to unload one or all of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic (who just re-signed for three more years) and some patience to wait out a full-scale rebuild," Bailey wrote.

Hesitant to push the reset button

Fans and experts have been clamoring for the Bulls to push the reset button for this roster and embrace a full-scale rebuild. However, the team's decision-makers have been hesitant to do so, and Bailey wrote why:

"Chicago's hesitance to go that route is understandable, though. Since Michael Jordan's last season with them in 1997-98, the Bulls are 25th in the league in win percentage. Most of those two-and-a-half decades have felt like a long, largely unsuccessful slog. Even a glimmer of hope, which the big scoring nights of DeRozan and LaVine can provide, must be tough to let go."