Pre-Draft Outlook
The Bulls had a 1.7% shot at the top pick and an 8.5% chance of hanging onto their first-round pick at all, but at No. 11 it ended up conveying to Orlando as partial payment for the Nikola Vucevic trade from 2021. That was just the latest disappointment in a season that saw Chicago back-pedal from sixth in 2021-22 to 10 this season. They were a few minutes from closing out Miami in the AT&T Play-In Tournament, but even that wouldn’t have papered over concerns that this team has maxed out with its current roster. Unless management is willing to break up the core of Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, it’s hard to see much ceiling beyond chasing a lower seed.
The Way To Go
This team needs 3-point shooting, but first and foremost it needs a reliable point guard. Lonzo Ball’s brutally long and ongoing absence with a problem knee hurt Chicago in almost every way imaginable, including the defense he played alongside Alex Caruso in the Bulls’ pesky backcourt. (Ironic that it forfeited the second-round pick this year as penalty for jumping the July 1 gun in signing him two summers ago.) It’s unlikely boss Arturas Karnisovas will break up the core to deal for a high pick, though the team curiously was interviewing prospects at the Chicago combine. Heck, Bulls fans still are waiting for recent picks Patrick Williams and Ayo Domunsu to fully deliver on their promise.
— Steve Aschburner
Here’s a quick look at who the Chicago Bulls have under contract, who is a free agent this summer and who they added in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Under Contract
G: Lonzo Ball
G: Alex Caruso
G: Carlik Jones
G: Zach LaVine
G/F: DeMar DeRozan
F: Terry Taylor
F: Dalen Terry
F: Patrick Williams
C: Marko Simonovic
Free Agents
G: Patrick Beverley (unrestricted)
G: Ayo Dosunmu (restricted)
G: Javonte Green (unrestricted)
F: Justin Lewis (restricted)
G: Coby White (restricted)
F: Derrick Jones (player option)
F: Terry Taylor (two-way)
C: Andre Drummond (player option)
C: Nikola Vucevic (unrestricted)
> 2023 Free Agent Tracker
Last Year’s Draft
2022: Dalen Terry (18)
* = acquired via trade
** = traded in draft-night deal
*** = traded in offseason deal