Fans of the Bulls heaved a sigh of relief following their win over the Heat the other day. It wasn’t simply that they triumphed on the road after having suffered setbacks in their previous four matches (and in seven of their last nine). Neither was it just because they went against highly regarded (and well-rested) opponents boasting of four straight victories. For the most part, it was due to the way they won: with a clear intent to be better collectively.
Considering that the Bulls largely brought back the same roster that finished 46 and 36 en route to an outright postseason berth in the previous season, not a few quarters figured they would make an even bigger impact throughout their 2022-23 campaign. Instead, they struggled from the get-go, and, after a middling November, appeared to be in a swoon heading into the holidays. The other day, however, they showed their potential, and how.
To be sure, the Bulls’ concerns won’t be disappearing anytime soon. Given that DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, their top two scorers, need the ball to be effective, the offense has been a my-turn-your-turn experiment that yields failure more than success. To top it off, they’re typically less than engaged at the other end of the court. Which, in a nutshell, explains why they have a significant net-negative rating when they burn rubber at the same time.
It’s fair to argue that the Bulls will have to take a long, hard look at their pool of talent and see if they can effect change — any change — in order to infuse dynamism to their sets. The fact that starting point guard Lonzo Ball, superior at ball distribution and on-ball coverage, remains on the injury list hasn’t helped. Meanwhile, head coach Billy Donovan, fresh off a contract extension, seems unable to frame a strategy that enables DeRozan and LaVine to play off each other well.
Whether the Bulls will be active in the trade market at the deadline remains to be seen. They should, at the very least, explore the possibilities. Else, they’ll be one and done once again in the playoffs — that is, if they even get there.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
