What moves should the Chicago Bulls make if they miss the postseason?
With a 31-37 record, making it to the postseason for the Chicago Bulls remains uncertain. This situation is far from what the team envisioned heading to this season, especially after a return to the NBA Playoffs last year, where they fell to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bulls are currently in 11th place, half a game behind the 10th-place Washington Wizards and the last spot in the play-in tournament.
The Bulls have a tough stretch of games ahead of them that include going against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Miami Heat, and the Philadelphia 76ers, which does not bode well for their chances of making the playoffs. So, if the Bulls fail to advance to the postseason, what moves can they make to improve their roster and propel them back into contention next season?
Decide on the point guard position
With the news of Lonzo Ball’s forthcoming surgery, the Bulls are now aware that they won’t have him back for the foreseeable future. This leaves part of the point guard position duties in the hands of young guys Ayo Dosumnu and Dalen Terry. Dosunmu has been manning the position for most of the season and has done a solid job, averaging 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. However, his three-point shooting clip of 31% leaves much to be desired.
Terry, a rookie out of Arizona, has impressed on the defensive end and brings energy each night, but is still developing on offense. Before making a decision, the Bulls must figure out which direction they want to go in: win now or build for the future? If it’s the latter, then perhaps giving the reins to Dosunmu and Terry full-time is the best decision. If it’s the former, then a veteran point guard could be brought in to help lead the way until the younger guards are ready to take over.
Collect assets
This season has brought a clear picture to both the fans and management alike: the “Big Three” experiment of DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, and Zach LaVine isn’t working—not without Ball. And that is why the Bulls should look to move DeRozan to collect assets for their rebuild.
Though he’s getting up there in age, Deebo remains one of the NBA’s deadliest scorers. A midrange master who can be counted on in the clutch, DeRozan still has one year remaining on his current deal, which means the Bulls can use him as an asset to acquire the pieces they need.
