Since the Chicago Bulls drafted Derrick Rose back in 2008, they made the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons, before finishing ninth last season under the guidance of first year head coach Fred Hoiberg.
The roster that was assembled around Derrick Rose was good, but was missing a shooting guard to take the team to the highest level.
The hiring of coach Tom Thibodeau in 2010 kept Chicago at or near the top of the eastern conference for years to come. A team of defensive-minded players with 2011 MVP Derrick Rose made enough noise to be considered championship contenders on several occasions.
After Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng all suffered career-changing injuries, the incompetence of the Bulls’ front office came to the fore.
It had been well documented that Coach Thibodeau and the front office were at a disagreement, with Gar Forman and John Paxson controlling who’s on the roster, who is drafted and who plays in the starting line-up. And while Tom Thibodeau was the only thing keeping the franchise afloat, Forman and Paxson fired him to hire a younger, inexperienced coach with the promise of an up-tempo offense and greater team chemistry.
The only problem was that Coach Hoiberg’s system needs three point shooting and athletic players, and Forman and Paxson recruited Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. They are both high profile veterans that are slow and shoot a low percentage.
This was purely a business decision.
After the team’s struggles in the previous season, fans were becoming uninterested in the same regime, so by bringing in Chicago-native Wade and former all-star Rondo to team up with Jimmy Butler, the team was destined to sell tickets. Which it has.
But the Bulls have very few, possibly no, young assets, and are not primed to win a championship in the next two or three years.
So what direction are they headed in? Years of finishing in the middle of the eastern conference and getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs if they are lucky to get that far. But as long as they are selling tickets and making money, Jerry Reinsdorf, Gar Forman and John Paxson are happy.
Bulls fans are getting frustrated that management does not care about wins. So much so that they have organised a protest in early March when Chicago play the L.A Clippers at home. A petition has been made on change.org, and fans are voicing their displeasures on all forms of social media.
Beyond that, there is a rift in the locker room between the young players and the veterans, and the head coach and the veterans. While the logical outcome for the team’s struggles would be to fire Hoiberg and start a-fresh, that will not be happening due to the length of the deal he signed.
So as front office take advantage of one of the most loyal fan-bases in sport, the Chicago Bulls continue to spiral in the wrong direction. And with an owner ignorant of what needs to be done, and a front office who couldn’t run the local B team, times do not seem to be changing any time soon for the Chicago Bulls.
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
Kings like to think they are a mess but even they are looking normal this year compared to the boys out East.
Justin Ahrns
Roar Guru
You're right. It doesn't get much worse than the Knicks!
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
James Dolan say's Hi. Bulls are being stupid at the moment but at least they are not the Knicks.
Justin Ahrns
Roar Guru
Ahh I just got it. My bad!
Swampy
Guest
Sorry I should have put the sarcasm button on
Justin Ahrns
Roar Pro
From the perspective of a team with a likely top 5 pick, I wouldn't take anything less than Butler. Rondo's production is way down from the past few seasons, and the Bulls don't really have any other young players to get that sort of deal done. As much as that would be great for the Bulls, I think it is unrealistic.
Swampy
Guest
In no way would I suggest trading butler. They should just trade with the Knicks again - I'm sure the Knicks will free fall to a high pick now and it is their destiny to trade it away for, I dunno, Rondo and MCW!
Justin Ahrns
Roar Pro
The problem is when money comes at the expense of winning, when the two should be able to go together. Of course if a team is losing money that'd a problem, but the people who are put in charge of forming a roster owe it to the fans and the rest of the organization to put a plan in place that can compete for a title. And I don't see that in Chicago. The Knicks are another example, and there are many others, in all sports
joe
Guest
All owners are in it to make money,don't kid yourself into thinking anything otherwise.Its a business, plain & simple.The players know it & only completely delusional fans think the team/ownership is out to win at all costs or "win a title for ......(fill in blank with a city)!" Don't get me wrong,its nice to win,no owner is going to opt for losing if given the choice.But the #1 priority is the bottom line,making money.If winning comes along with that,it just sweetens the deal.
Justin Ahrns
Roar Guru
Reinsdorf has a bad history, what he's doing with the Bulls is what he did with the White Sox a few years back. As for the current roster, you're right in saying that it's not bad, but it's not going to win a championship in the next 2-3 years, and beyond that, they don't have enough young talent to build around. Mirotic and McDermott have really struggled this year, while Portis and Valentine haven't been able to get minutes (which is saying something.) Felicio has been the bright spot off the bench, as well as MCW, although he fell out of the rotation for some reason. I love the idea of trading with Boston for Brooklyn's top pick, but the only way that could be done is to lose Butler and probably a guy like Valentine or Grant as a sweetener. But what Ive heard from NBA GM's is that Lonzo Ball isn't the type of player a franchise should build around, making trading away Butler extremely risky. Their best option I think is to build around Butler as best they can and hope for the best. Theyve already dug themselves a big hole, they just have to get out of it now. Thoughts?
Swampy
Guest
This is not the first time Chicago has faced such decision making. Jerry Reinsdorf has been instrumental in changing the course of the franchise for worse on a number of occasions - most significantly when he broke up the mid-90's Invincibulls. I don't mind the Bulls roster though, they just plainly lack a knockdown 3pt shooting point guard. Mirotic struggling with the 3-ball has hurt them a lot and Douggie McBuckets is the streakiest of streaky scorers. At this stage the Bulls would be served well to try and position themselves high in the upcoming draft and get someone like Lonzo Ball. This could only be done via trade. Who to trade though?