The Chicago Bulls had plenty of hope and excitement coming into this season. They made changes to their front office by hiring Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley. Billy Donovan was then hired as the new Bulls head coach. The Bulls also made a huge trade at the deadline by acquiring Nikola Vučević. Unfortunately, there were some health issues and injuries to key players that caused them to miss the playoffs.
What hurt most was when All-Star guard Zach LaVine missed 11-straight games due to health and safety protocols and a right ankle sprain. As a result, they have now missed the postseason for the fourth consecutive season. Despite missing the playoffs, the season was still good for them. The fans saw some excitement in the new group that they haven’t seen in a while. The players played hard for coach Donovan, and that was something they never saw last season.
Make sure to check out all of our other NBA Team Season Recaps.
Team Performance
As a team, the Bulls weren’t great on the offensive end of the floor this season. They ranked 21st in points per game (110.7). While their percentages were good, they did not take good care of the basketball. They ranked 27th in the league in turnovers per game (15.1). If they can take care of the ball, that will give them a better shot of winning. It’s why they really need to address the point guard position this summer. Defensively, they were basically average. Chicago gave up 111.6 points per game and their opponents shot 35.6 percent from downtown. Considering the value of three-point shooting in today’s game, they did a good job in contesting three-pointers.
Team Award Winners
MVP – Zach Lavine
Chicago’s record would be worse without him on the floor. The Bulls’ best player took his game to a whole another level offensively. He set new career-highs in points (27.4), rebounds (5.0), assists (4.9), field-goal percentage (50.7 percent), and three-point percentage (41.9 percent). While he has his limitations on the defensive end, he made some strides on that end of the floor. Lavine also made the all-star team for the first time this season. He will likely be in consideration for one of the All-NBA teams. Lavine will be entering the final year of his deal next season, which means he’s eligible for an extension. If both sides cannot agree to an extension, then Lavine will become an unrestricted free agent in 2022.
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Defensive Player of the Year – Thaddeus Young
While Young was a trade target for most teams, the Bulls decided to keep him for his leadership. Young is one of the best versatile defenders in the league. His ability to guard multiple positions is why the Bulls are ranked 14th in opponent points per game. Young isn’t a free agent but only $6 million of his $14.2 million contract is guaranteed next season. He is coming off a productive season where he averaged 12.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Don’t be surprised if he’s back in a Bulls uniform next season.
Most Improved Player – Zach Lavine
When you post career-highs in five different categories of the stat sheet, you most definitely have improved a lot. He also finished fifth in voting for the award, which was won by New York Knicks forward Julius Randle. As mentioned earlier, he’s made some strides on the defensive end of the floor. Now, the next goal will be trying to perform as an All-NBA defender.
Sixth Man of the Year – Thaddeus Young
Although he has his shooting struggles, Young’s versatility was important for the Bulls. The Bulls often had him posting up smaller players and cutting to the basket for easy buckets. His playmaking was a huge part of his game. It’s an area he’s certainly improved on as he’s averaged a career-high 4.3 assists per game, and it was also a key part of the Bulls offense. Without a true point guard on the floor, the Bulls often depended on Young’s playmaking.
Biggest Disappointment – Lauri Markkanen
After starting the season as one of the Bulls’ cornerstone players, his future with the team is now in question. He lost his starting job back in April and has been the fourth big in the rotation behind Vučević, Young, Daniel Theis. The Bulls even tried him out at small forward for some games. However, he lacks the lateral quickness to stay in front of quicker forwards. Markkanen is expected to be a restricted free agent this offseason. It’ll be interesting to see how his market plays out. If there’s a team that signs him to a lucrative offer sheet, the Bulls may not match.
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What’s Next
Now the Bulls’ focus will be centered on improving the roster this offseason. The great news is that Chicago could clear up some cap space this summer, which should make things interesting. But first, they must address their own free agents. Nearly half of their roster is set to come upon a player option or hit free agency in some form, whether they are restricted or unrestricted. The good news is that their four most important players will be locked in for next season. That list includes Lavine, Vučević, Patrick Williams, and Coby White.
Outside of their own free agents, the Bulls need to surround their all-star duo with a better supporting cast. Their top priority should be bringing in a point guard. The point guard position has been a question for the team ever since Derrick Rose went down in the 2012 NBA playoffs. Will they go after Lonzo Ball again? That remains to be seen. But we’ll see how the team moves forward a couple of months from now.
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