Preseason Reflection: Chicago Bulls
With the beginning of the NBA regular season this week, it is time to see how much work teams have put in this offseason.
The Chicago Bulls are starting their regular season on a two game road trip to Miami and Washington, before heading back to the United Center on Saturday to take on a newly assembled Cleveland Cavaliers.
With a solid 3-1 showing in the preseason, the Bulls are going into the regular season with momentum and confidence. Despite point guard Lonzo Ball out for the Bulls after his September arthroscopic knee surgery, Bulls fans have a reason to be optimistic about the team’s performance this preseason. The team’s two main scorers, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, shined as expected, but other players were able to see more time on the court due to the nature of preseason. With that, we were able to see how our bench performs together and how deep our roster will be.
Throughout all four preseason games, there have been some key takeaways and observations. First, Andre Drummond provides the Bulls with an opportunity for a big lineup, a far cry from last year’s guard heavy lineup. Javonte Green plays bigger than he is, acting more as a power forward, and has great off ball movement. Nikola Vucevic’s two man game is strong, and there has been an improvement in his confidence and around the basket finishes. Dalen Terry’s dog mentality provides Chicago with much needed energy and fire off the bench. Lastly, Alex Caruso is the core of the Bulls’s defense and is crucial in late game moments. I am intrigued to see how Billy Donovan and the rest of the coaching staff determine playing roles this season, given these players’ performances in the preseason.
With Lonzo Ball out, second year Ayo Dosunmu will be taking over as the Bulls starting point guard. After a breakout second half of the season last year when Ball was injured, it is time to see if Dosunmu can continue his unexpected quick growth and development despite his lack of experience. Dosunmu put in the work this offseason in the weight room to “get [his] body better” while also working on his jump shot and ball handling. His work in the offseason seems to be translating to the court. Looking comfortable and confident, Dosunmu seemed to be taking everything in﹘asking questions, listening to veteran teammates, and just consuming as much information as possible. His young age was apparent at times, but it comes with experience, and Dosunmu is rapidly improving.
This offseason, the Bulls signed 18 year veteran Goran Dragić to a one year contract. His experience is one the Bulls need. With many young players, Dragić’s knowledge is something that the young players will need to lean on. Dragić is not just a stability man, but adds depth to the Bulls guards. His smooth handles and crafty finishes are still some of the best in the league, and work well with the strengths of the team.
As a group, the Bulls’s tight chemistry and versatility stood out, leaving us optimistic about the second group. Work in the offseason translates and helps build a much needed strong foundation that serves as the base in stressful situations that are bound to occur in the regular season. Last year’s duo of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine is one that we should look out for again this season. During the preseason games, a few more players emerged as promising duos for the team including Alex Caruso and Goran Dragić, Dalen Terry and Patrick Williams, and Andre Drummond and Nikola Vucevic.
Another young player, Patrick Williams, was one to watch this preseason. The 2021-2022 season was expected to be a big one for Williams; however, after suffering a dislocated wrist in the fifth game of the season and subsequently needing surgery, Williams was finally able to return to the hardwood for the Bulls in March of 2022. These four preseason games highlighted his pure talent and promising abilities. Williams’s quickness, athleticism, and composed finishes at the rim was not underscored by his typical hesitation. Williams has commented on his confidence woes, admitting that for him, “it’s more mental than anything” and he has to “learn how to control [his] mentality and to really dial in 100% mentally”. When Williams is playing with the second lineup, he shines, and plays with no pause; but when with the starting group, he plays more timid and begins to overthink, which is something to definitely take note of.
During this preseason, the Bulls got out in transition and pushed the ball up the court, serving as a flashback to last season when the Bulls were playing with a healthy Lonzo Ball and were one of the best teams in the league. This is something the Bulls need to capitalize on and use their quickness out on the floor. Similarly to last year, the Bulls’s biggest factor inhibiting their success this season is their health. With an ever changing lineup last year, the Bulls need to stay healthy if they want to succeed this season.