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The Chicago Bulls are predicted to win 37 games next season
The Chicago Bulls didn't make any earth-shattering moves during the offseason. Instead, they brought back essentially the same core from last year's underwhelming squad, re-signing big man Nikola Vucevic along with guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. The team also made some minor moves, adding reserve guard Jevon Carter and forward Torrey Craig. The moves, while notable, hardly move the Bulls up on the Eastern Conference ladder, and Andy Bailey predicted the team would rack up just 37 wins this upcoming season.
Still no court general
When the Bulls were dominating in the East at the start of the 2021-2022 season, Chicago had a true floor general in point guard Lonzo Ball. With his injury and uncertain return, the team has yet to find a steady replacement, which could hamper their campaign next season.
"After playing just 35 games in 2021-22 and missing all of 2022-23, it looks like Lonzo Ball is going to miss another entire season dealing with a knee injury," Bailey wrote.
"And while the Chicago Bulls have plenty of offensive firepower from DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, they've often looked directionless on that end with Ball there to organize everything. Last season, they finished 24th in points per 100 possessions and put up an uninspiring 113.4 (which ranked in the 39th percentile) when all three of the above played," Bailey explained.
Fringe Play-in team
This makes the development of either Coby White or Patrick Williams critical to the team's success. White just signed a three-year deal with the Bulls and has the chance to grab the starting point guard slot with a stellar showing in training camp. On the other hand, Williams has shown glimpses of his potential, and a leap in year four could be tremendous for the Bulls' offense. However, these are two variables that are by no means certain.
"Barring a big leap from someone like Coby White or Patrick Williams, it's hard to imagine a team that's mostly the same suddenly being a lot better on that end of the floor," Bailey added. "Still, talent is talent. And this roster has some nice gap-filling players like Alex Caruso, Jevon Carter, Andre Drummond, and Torrey Craig. The Bulls may not look much better than a fringe play-in team, but they can exceed that over/under."
