The Chicago Bulls have had a weird season. Internally, they feel as though their mid-season turnaround after a 5-14 start saved their year. Externally, the fans desperately want the team to hit the reset button and abandon the roster that they have clung to for the past three seasons. It’s an odd battle.
On the one hand, the emergence of Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu as stars has been amazing. On the other, Zach LaVine is likely to be traded this summer and Nikola Vucevic has taken a clear step back. If the Bulls fizzle out in the Play-In Tournament, which seems fairly likely, then the team’s goal of making the playoffs will not have been met.
That could lead to some difficult offseason discussions about the direction of the team, but Billy Donovan said that those haven’t been broached yet. (H/t Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times)
“I have not had any discussions [about that], but I think our guys have done a really good job with what’s been thrown at them and what we’ve had to overcome,” Donovan said. “And I believe in my heart that there’s enough in the locker room to find ways to get wins and results. The part of expectations of competing, you’re supposed to do that, it’s all of our jobs, right? But I think we can get results. But the reality is there’s $70 million that’s not playing. That’s just a reality.”
The Bulls are going nowhere fast, and the front office seems content.
