The Bulls Are FINALLY On the Path to Being Above .500

Speaking of Chicago, last thing I want to hit you with is that because we are in Chicago, I wanna talk for a minute about the Bulls who at the very least, seem like they have some direction.

Like for like the last 7 years or so.

They've just been like this team that's been trying to make the playoffs every year.

And, and that's not like you might expect that from a New Orleans or you expect that from a Memphis, uh, or smaller market team that doesn't have the history of success, but this is freaking Chicago.

This is the city that Michael Jordan brought to bear.

Like this, these are the Bulls.

And to see them over the last few years make all these moves just to get like the 7th seed or the 8th seed or get in through the play-in was Really wild.

So they make all the change in the offseason.

They, you know, Arturi, uh, Karnisovich is out.

Billy Donovan, uh, exits.

You bring in Bryson Graham, who's got a good reputation from his days in Atlanta.

You take Tiao away from Portland.

Good run in Portland.

Blazers wouldn't pay him.

So here comes Chicago, who isn't known for, Bulls aren't known for paying a ton either, but like they obviously paid more than what, um, what Portland's willing to do.

So like, at the very least, ET, like I like that the Bulls have some direction.

I love it and, and.

Like I said prior too, I'm starting to pay attention to like the five-out situation or a small ball.

Like, whoever has a dangerous small ball, I love it.

Like, and your small ball right now starts with a 6-6 Josh Giddy, a do it all.

Josh Giddy is 23 and in year 6, I think.

Like he's been a pro since he was 17 and unbelievable.

He can really play.

He can really, uh, I think with the team he has, so when you sit there, he gets off the board, kick it up to Norman Powell.

Norman Powell, NBA All-Star.

Yeah, 20+ points per game, 40% from the 3.

He knows how to fit into a new team, right?

Goes to Miami, plays at an all-star level.

Just a hired gun.

Like, you know what I mean?

Uh, you go further, let's do Montas.

When you sit there, I know Montas is still developing us.

On the ball, playmaker, whatever, but just even getting out in, in open transition and looking back in the day, not like it's Lamar or Zach Levine, but to have that freedom when a healthy Alonzo was pushing.

That was unbelievable.

I think Caleb Williams is going to be very, very good in that situation.

And then when you look at Nick, Nick Classen as a starter, you have, uh, I thought Buddy Hill was a pretty good add-on, but the number one thing that occurs is their small ball, but then also defensively what they could be able to do.

Yeah, I think they could be very, very dangerous.

And in this situation where it becomes a matchup problem or you have a young team that's like, what's, what's the most dangerous about them?

They have endurance and it's like you might not be able to catch them.

They're gonna get out and run.

The only thing that throws me off every single year is almost like, uh, They get to a point around December and January and they're always saying, well, we tried our best and, and, and we do this and we do that, but I think it's, it's about time, uh, you know, they have a standard, they have demands, and they try to go out and, and make the most of it.

And I think this offseason signing has really set it because they, they got a pretty good 8 or 9.

It's just the East is so deep.

Yeah, and I, I think with this group, you don't wanna have too high expectations.

Like I think it's not exactly a reset because a lot of the guys are still there, but It's gonna take Caleb a while to figure it out.

Like he, he's gonna have great games, but he is young.

He has been, like he is gonna take some bumps along the way.

Um, I like his potential and I think it's gonna be really interesting to watch like 5 years from now.

Like if you could redraft that top 4, what do you do?

Because it was so Peterson, Boozer, uh, De Bansa, like what do you do?

I think Caleb is, is one of those guys that, uh, he could wind up being the best guy out of that crop.

I want to compare them right now because I don't know how you feel after they lost him, but We kinda have energy towards The Charlotte Hornets.

What's the difference between the Charlotte Hornets and And the Bulls, aren't they kind of similar in that sense?

They're kind of similar.

I mean, the, the Hornets took a deliberate step back.

Um, I think they sold high on LaMelo Ball.

They obviously sold high on Miles Bridges, um, and they're building now around Knipple and Brandon Miller.

So they're, they're kind of in that same spot right now.

I think for the Bulls, a couple of things that I'm curious about this season and beyond.

One is you mentioned Buzalli.

Like, what is he?

Like, is he the guy that can be the #2 option on your team, or is he better equipped as 3 or 4?

He had a breakout year last year.

He, he was fantastic, but Like, is he going to be the number 2 guy on your team, scoring the ball, playing power forward?

Is he like gonna be that guy?

I feel as though that starts with being intentional even more in regards to like the system and the lineup.

I think he did a great job last year.

Uh, they were running stuff through him, but more so running sets for him.

That's where I started looking at, is he the number 2 guy, meaning like, hey, it's gonna be a 20% usage rate and we're going to run.

4 or 5 plays a quarter, maybe 4 or 5 plays a half for him as opposed to the little cutesy kid stuff where we know we're getting our head beaten and he's pulling up 25 just cause.

That's where I start realizing like, yo, how serious are the Bulls taking it for that next level in its development and what they think about him because The skill set, the size and everything else, like after you get that much run, I mean, I'm kind of, I wanna see what it is now.

Like, period, point blank, because you're gonna be a couple of steps away from signing a bajillion dollars dollar contract.

And for the Bulls, that's the thing too, like I wanna see, is he worth, is he the guy you build around as your like number 2?

Yeah, and the Bulls have to, they have to be serious about that because all we keep doing is hearing about it and, and keep lollygagging.

It's like, hey.

Our number one is Giddy or is Norman Giddy's on a great contract.

Giddy, like, I mean, that's, they got him at a good year, uh, for what he produces.

But he's not, you don't look at him as number one.

Like he's the playmaker.

He's the table setter.

Yeah, but he just has the ball so damn much that like when I'm like, sometimes I'm watching TV, I'm like, God damn, like Giddy, they gotta go through Giddy to start.

Like, like, you know what I'm saying.

Sometimes I'm like, he's, he's always going to be involved.

So I'm not mad at Norm Powell being your number one because he's somewhat been proven, but in that situation, it is a, a crapshoot on it.

But for the defensive manta, you gotta, you gotta invest in that in, in more ways than, than one to figure it out because you're not gonna help him just be like, yo, roll the ball out and go get it.

And it's like, Uh, he, he's up against a set 5 offense or guys don't know what's going on or, or maybe him and Caleb Wilson started picking and chucking, but if, if we're gonna win and start turning that corner, little things like that, have to know because we don't know who our, our new players, our identity.

Like Norm Powell is our identity.

Like you know what I mean?

Like, That there has to be a give and take for that.

I think Wilson will eventually emerge as the #1 on that team.

Might take 2 or 3 years, but I think he'll eventually be that #1 guy.

I think Giddy is kind of fine as a 3 option on a, on a, on a really good team.

It's like, I just, again, I can't, where am I penciling in Buzeli in that mix?

The other question I have about this team , and maybe it's an already answered question, but like, what is Patrick Williams?

Like what, what are you gonna get?

He's Entering year seven.

Y 7.

They owe him like, what do they owe him, like 50 to $60 million over the next couple of years, next few years on this contract, like 4th overall pick in the draft back in 2020 and just has not panned out.

Like you look at him, like all the physical tools, like some games he plays, like, wow, this guy can be like a stretch big and he's, he, he can handle the ball a little bit.

Like, you, you, you just can't put it together.

Is, is he just like, uh, he didn't get into the game in the opener until I think the 3rd quarter, um, and like Tiago Splitter has been praising him like in terms of like the general generic praise, but like he hasn't defined his role with this team yet and there's a pretty good chance he doesn't have a role, you know, with this team this year.

Like, are we just like at the point where we're waving the white flag on Patrick Williams?

I, I think so for the sake of it because when you're saying year 7, like damn it.

As a former pro, you're like, bro, you were able to get that long in the city.

Like, you know what I mean?

He got a $90 million a couple of years ago.

I think that was an overpay under the most, the most optimal circumstances in the last couple of years that has looked grotesque.

Yeah, I, I love Pat as a guy.

I understood where he was trying to come from, but he had never for lack of a better phrase, pissed the drop.

So I think, um, You got to use him and appreciate him as an extra body.

You comprehend what he's good at.

Like you said, he has space and capabilities.

He's a big body to defend.

So as those younger guys get, Used to it like Caleb Wilson, he'll be a They got to maneuver for Caleb Wilson to back up on or being like, hey, when we're trying to win, like we need to throw a thick body in there right now and figure it out from there.

But nothing against Pat Williams.

Yeah, it's a very expensive big body, but shoot, that, I mean, That's what you get when you have a front office that had been bullshitting for 4.

Like they shout out to Billy Donovan, but they re-signed Billy.

Billy was like, Are y'all gonna fire me yet?

And they gave him an extension.

One of my friends was on the staff, and he's like, Oh no, we got signed again.

I'm just like, Man, that's a, like that's a Chicagoan.

That's a goddamn shame.

You should not, you should not be here.

And then that Billy walked from a head coaching job, and I know Billy wanted the Orlando Magic job too, but that to take an assistant coaching job in San Antonio, like.

I'm good.

He's like, I'm, no, y'all ain't gonna, y'all ain't gonna drive me in the early.

He could have been the GM of that team too.

You remember hearing, uh, Reinsdorf, Michael Reinsdorf saying like, you know, Billy's gonna have an input into, I, I, I, I love everybody to death, bro.

I swear to God I do.

Just, you got the greatest player of all time that hates you.

Like they, the Bulls ain't do shit right.

Like, I love Billy Donovan to death, a dog, but to be like, yeah, he's gonna have input on, like he was he.

We wasted 7 or 8 years on shit.

Like, you know what I mean?

It's just a Bulls fan.

Like I love Billy Donovan and death, to death, unbelievable.

I don't have any, whatever the hell they said, bro, please shut, like just shut up, bro.

Like, like you had Michael Jordan, that's why we're great.

You don't like, I don't even believe they know what the hell they're talking about.

We, we literally, the past 4 seasons, they just quit in the middle of the season.

And, and, and band-aid bullet holes.

Yeah, and, and, and then the best thing you say is Billy Donovan's gonna have input.

That's like when you fire somebody, you rehire internally.

Like how, how lazy can you be?

Like, and and that's just stupid.

Like love Billy Donovan to death, but like damn, like, Pat Williams get 90 like this shot.

I mean, yeah, just whatever like we just talked about Sam Preston.

It has to be a standard.

Or Ryan Sto saying, yeah, he's gonna do that like shut, like love you to death, Ryan Store, elite.

I don't even wanna tell you shut the hell up, like send your hitters after him, but just shut up, bro.

Like y'all won 36 games talking about here go our gold.

Like, you're very lucky.

I just love the logo, bro.

Like I, like I, I love the Bulls, bro, so it pisses me off, but we're talking about Billy like.

Pat, Patrick Williams sucked at, like, people were rushing me out of the city and I was playing well.

Like, somebody got to stay in this beautiful motherfucker for 8 years and not piss a drop.

Like, nah, like not burn it, but shit, but like, Exile that front office, like do something, like tax the front office, like, you know, and um Miss the Kraus family, shout out to y'all.

Much love to y'all.

Y'all never really get the credit you deserve, but shit, yeah, that was crazy.

They, they, uh, look, they made a lot of mistakes in the last 7 years, a lot of mistakes, and I think that this new administration.

Has got some runway.

I think they've got to, like, I mean, if Patrick Williams isn't the guy, maybe you can find a way to move off him, get a smaller contract back in return, get to free agency with some cap space, and hey, you're still Chicago.

You're still the Bulls.

You're still an appealing destination for free agents.

Like you've, that's how you rebuild this thing.

I think they've got the guys.

I think Giddy is a guy.

Buzeli is a guy.

Caleb Wilson is a guy.

Like you've got a nice little nucleus there.

You just got to add pieces, the right pieces along the way.

You gotta sell it, and, and sell it and.

I don't know, like you look, you look up the street, man, like you go back to back in the day, look how long Chris Middleton and Giannis had to develop.

Like so long to the point where it's like Chris Middleton, it's like, even by year 6, you're like, is he good or not?

Like, and he's still able to continue to take off.

Look at Giannis, you didn't By year 3, Giannis was obviously turning a corner , but he, you didn't know what he was, but you knew for sure they, they bought into those two being corner pieces.

And, and, and say you're gonna be here and, and one thing you always understand about stars, them being able to get that rep, those reps in is, is invaluable.