The Chicago Bulls made it clear after the season ended that they were going to make some changes this offseason, and so far they have. There is still plenty of time left in the offseason, but they have already made some changes, and while the fan base has not liked some of them, it can still be seen as a positive that management is trying to make some changes. The Bulls have been in a down period for far too long, and this fan base is ready for Chicago to get back where it belongs.
Last season was another disappointing one for the Bulls, and by the end it was clear that something wasn’t working. Chicago has had better luck than other teams in recent years, but it’s been nothing more than mediocre. They can compete for a playoff spot and occasionally find a way to get in and lose in the first round, but they haven’t shown anything to suggest that anything better is coming.
For the second consecutive season, the Bulls lost in the play-in tournament against the Miami Heat and ended the season. The Bulls finished in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and failed to advance to the postseason.
The offseason came around and the Bulls have made some moves since then. They traded Alex Caruso and signed Josh Giddey from the Oklahoma City Thunder, signed Jalen Smith from the Indiana Pacers and also lost DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade deal. They received Chris Duarte, two second-round draft picks and cash.
Chicago also had a relatively quiet NBA Draft, as it only had one pick, but it did get the player it wanted, as Matas Buzelis is now with the Bulls. Many people thought the team would have to move up in the draft order to get him, but they fell to Chicago at pick No. 11.
One thing is for sure: Bulls fans have not been happy with everything the team has done during the offseason, despite begging management to make some changes for years. Not everything has been perfect, and this is the biggest mistake the Bulls made.
Losing DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan seemed to be the player who kept everything under control last season in Chicago. When things weren’t going well for the Bulls, he found a way to make something happen to turn things around. DeRozan was the team’s best and most consistent player last year, and now he’s with the Kings. It makes sense that the Bulls made this move, but trying to keep DeRozan would have been a good idea.
The Bulls appear to be building a young team and DeMar DeRozan is getting older, but he would have been the perfect veteran to keep him around and have the young core learn from him. There are few players in the NBA with the heart and determination that DeRozan has. He never wants to be taken out of the game and cares more about winning than anyone else. He averaged 24 points per game last season and also came up just short of winning Player of the Year at a crucial time.
DeRozan doesn’t have much time left in the NBA, but he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. He’s a player the Bulls could have used in the future.
