TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 13: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls goes to the basket against OG ... [+]
The Chicago Bulls were hoping to take a step forward in Year 2 of their rebuild, but things went haywire from the very start of the 2018-19 season. The Bulls suffered through an ugly 60-loss campaign, even dealing with a near-player mutiny shortly after Jim Boylen took over for Fred Hoiberg as head coach.
However, the Otto Porter Jr. trade in February brought a glimmer of hope during a dim season. Now, Chicago is thinking playoffs after a stellar summer.
Which teams look like contenders, and which look like pretenders? Check out Forbes’ full NBA season preview, with best-case scenarios and worst-case scenarios for all 30 teams.
What’s New
The Bulls knew they needed an upgrade at the point guard position after Kris Dunn’s development stagnated last season. Chicago addressed that in multiple ways in the summer, first drafting Coby White with the No. 7 pick of the 2019 NBA Draft and then acquiring Tomas Satoransky in a sign-and-trade deal with the Washington Wizards. Satoransky’s deal with the Bulls is for three years, $30 million.
Satoransky is set to take over as the starter at point guard, but White should still see plenty of playing time. The 19-year-old is a work in progress at the point, but he can also play off the ball as a 2-guard and has already made an impression in preseason.
Chicago also upgraded in the frontcourt, agreeing with Thaddeus Young on a three-year, $41 million deal right at the beginning of free agency. The Bulls then acquired a stretch 5 in Luke Kornet on a two-year, $4.5 million contract.
Chicago added a big man in the draft as well, selecting Daniel Gafford out of Arkansas with the No. 38 pick. Gafford is an athletic, rim-running center who will bring energy in his minutes, though he’s set to be the No. 3 center behind Wendell Carter Jr. and Kornet.
Furthermore, the Bulls will be getting a familiar face back after he missed all of last season due to ankle surgery: Denzel Valentine. The 25-year-old will bring more shooting and playmaking to the roster if he can stay on the court.
Best Addition: He’s not going to put up prolific numbers, but Thaddeus Young is going to be a major help both on and off the court. Not only will Young bring stellar two-way play, but he’s already taking on a key leadership role in the locker room as Chicago works to establish a winning culture.
Biggest Loss: The only notable loss over the summer was Robin Lopez, who joined his twin brother on the Milwaukee Bucks. Lopez was a steady presence in the middle who brought his quirky brand of veteran leadership to the table.
What’s Coming
The Bulls are hoping to make a huge jump to get into the playoff mix. To do that, they’re planning to roll out a much-improved offense that’s more in line with the modern NBA. Jim Boylen had Chicago mucking up the game for a good chunk of last season, so things are going to look way different after the club finished 29th in the NBA in offensive rating and last in 3-pointers made in 2018-19, per NBA.com.
We saw a glimpse of how potent the Bulls’ offense could be after the Otto Porter Jr. trade, with Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen leading the way in February. Boylen poached Chris Fleming from the Brooklyn Nets to be the lead offensive assistant, and the impact has been noticeable during preseason. Chicago is pushing pace and launching 3-pointers at a high rate as it looks to take advantage of a talented young core.
The Bulls will also need to take a step forward defensively. Wendell Carter Jr. should play a key role on this front as long as he stays healthy. Carter had his rookie season cut short by wrist surgery before he underwent core muscle surgery in the offseason and then got banged up to start preseason. If he can stay on the floor, the 20-year-old center will be the defensive anchor and try to help improve a defense that finished 25th in defensive rating last season.
Kris Dunn embracing a defensive role off the bench would also help, but Chicago will likely continue to look for a trade for the 25-year-old guard. The Bulls have plenty of depth at point guard with Ryan Arcidiacono also in place deeper on the roster, and trying to upgrade the wing depth will be a priority.
Team MVP: Zach LaVine had a career season in 2018-19, and if preseason is any indication, he’s in line to take another step forward. LaVine is gunning for his first All-Star appearance, which would be fitting since the All-Star Game is in Chicago in 2020.
Best Value: Lauri Markkanen is still making just $5.3 million in the third season of his rookie contract. Like LaVine, Markkanen will take aim at an All-Star appearance, and there’s even potential for the 22-year-old Finnish big man to be the team MVP.
X-Factor: The Bulls looked like a totally different team with Otto Porter Jr. last season. They need Porter to continue his strong play and to stay healthy, especially with the shaky wing depth behind him.
Best-Case Scenario
The Bulls stay relatively healthy and boast one of the more explosive offenses in the NBA. They use this to make a jump of 20-plus wins and earn a spot in the playoffs, followed by a hard-fought first-round series.
Worst-Case Scenario
The injury bug strikes again, and Jim Boylen flops in his first full season as head coach, leading to another sub-30-win campaign.
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