Solutions for Chicago Bulls' Biggest Flaws
The 2013-14 NBA season has quickly become a nightmare for the Chicago Bulls. Derrick Rose's season-ending injury eliminates their championship hopes.
How should the Bulls respond to the flaws they now possess in Rose's absence?
One thing is for sure: They have flaws. Unfortunately, some of their inadequacies are not curable by simply making a few precise adjustments. Chicago's personnel issues present it with challenges that are too deep to overcome.
With that said, the Eastern Conference is undeniably weak, and the Bulls could still be one of its top four teams. The following solutions should enhance their pursuit of this.
Trade for Isaiah Thomas
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Kirk Hinrich is aging and inefficient on the offensive end, and Marquis Teague still doesn't look ready for steady NBA minutes.
Chicago's point guard situation is decidedly problematic. ESPN's Amin Elhassan (subscription required) recently listed six potential trade options for the Bulls, and Isaiah Thomas is one of them.
Thomas is amid his third NBA season, playing all three campaigns with the Sacramento Kings after being the last overall pick in the 2011 draft. He has raised eyebrows since his rookie year, but he's really emerging in 2013-14.
He's currently tallying 17.9 points per game and 4.6 assists per outing. He's also shooting respectable percentages, including 46.0 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from distance.
What's more, this is all coming in just 28.3 minutes per game. His per-36 numbers ascend to 22.8 points per game and 5.9 assists per game, per Basketball-Reference.
Thomas would give Chicago the offensive jolt it currently needs. He would fulfill a similar role to what Nate Robinson did during 2012-13, except Thomas' potential is even higher. He's younger and is a more reliable on-the-ball defender.
If the Bulls nab him, they could claw their way to the third seed in the East, even without Rose.
There are questions regarding Thomas, though.
First of all, what would it take to land him? The Kings will likely look to deal him, as he'll be a restricted free agent over the summer, and they may be unwilling to match an offer sheet. But is he worth a first-round pick? This could be the only way to lure him.
Secondly, even if the Bulls get him, he could play so well that his market value skyrockets. The Bulls could then struggle to match any offer come next offseason, making him a 2013-14 rental.
The bottom line is that Thomas would dramatically help them this season. He's a phenomenal short-term solution who would fill a clear void in their attack. But is he worth it in the long haul?
Ride the Booze Cruise
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Chicago's defense will always be gritty under coach Tom Thibodeau, but its offensive options are growing slimmer and slimmer.
Even last year, Nate Robinson and Marco Belinelli provided spark in this regard, but they have ventured elsewhere.
Carlos Boozer is the primary offensive threat now, and he should assert himself regularly. Twenty points and 10 boards needs to become the norm for Boozer.
If he disappears or labors through contests, the Bulls will mightily struggle to get buckets. Where else will they consistently come from? While Luol Deng did just have a beastly night against the Detroit Pistons (27 points on 11-of-17 shooting), these types of showings won't happen regularly.
Boozer is off to a stellar start, averaging 16.8 points per game and 9.2 rebounds per game. The Bulls must ride the "Booze cruise" and hope he tallies monster performances frequently. There's no reason why his touches should ever be reduced.
The pressure's on him to produce, because the Bulls likely won't be conjuring up enough points from other figures.
Maximize Luol Deng's Worth
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Deng's worth should be maximized for a couple of reasons.
First of all, he is their other featured offensive weapon with Rose out. While he's not a smooth offensive creator, he can still generate some scoring opportunities.
Plus, who else should have the ball in their hands on the perimeter? As highlighted on the Boozer slide, the options are limited.
The Bulls may arguably have the weakest set of shot creators in the league. Deng is the lone wing who can at least find a mid-range jumper or slash into the lane and hopefully get fouled.
He'll carry a heavy responsibility in Chicago's offensive schemes, and he should be absolutely exhausted after every game considering what he always exudes on defense.
The second reason why Deng's worth should be maximized is trade value. If he can perform at an All-Star level again in the first half of the season (particularly like he did in their recent win against Detroit), some squads may be willing to overpay for him come the trade deadline. He could be deemed as a team's missing piece to a playoff push.
Therefore, deepened involvement from Deng not only helps what Chicago can accomplish in the short term, but it could also have a way of netting the Bulls a promising element to their future if they choose to trade him.
Rely on Defense Even Further
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A worry for Chicago is if the team will grow emotionally depleted after another significant Rose injury.
Last year, the Bulls rallied the troops and won 45 games before ousting the Brooklyn Nets in the first round. They played with purpose and resolve all year.
Can they muster up this intensity again? It's easy to wonder if their emotion tank will hit empty in the coming weeks. In fact, it already looked this way in their recent loss to the NBA's worst team, the Utah Jazz.
If the Bulls are going to remain competitive, they'll need to reinvigorate themselves with the grit and intellect that's a staple of their defense. If this wanes, they likely won't even make the playoffs.
They'll actually need to rely on their defense even further this campaign, because their offense (barring a trade for an individual like Thomas) is less reliable than the 2012-13 Bulls.
If they embrace a mentality that scraps and physically imposes its will upon opponents, then they can remain a top-four squad in the East.
The key here, though, is that their defense is going to have to cover up a plethora of offensive limitations, more so than it ever has. This is possible under Thibodeau, and they still have bodies (i.e., Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler once healthy, Deng, Hinrich) who can defend at this level.
But how will this bunch not grow weary after seeing their superstar go down again?
Or Should They 'Embrace the Tank'?
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I'll be the first to admit that even if the aforementioned solutions go perfectly, Chicago is still just a slightly above-average team that doesn't stand a chance against the Miami Heat or Indiana Pacers.
So, how should the Bulls handle this year? Is it worth focusing on the short term? Is a ride to the second round before being throttled by Indiana or Miami really that much fun?
The Bulls should recognize that while they can chase solutions that will strengthen their short-term outlook, the most sensible solutions to their current troubles point in the direction of "tanking," or whatever you want to call it.
If the Bulls choose to trade the likes of Deng, Boozer and Hinrich, they'll quickly fade from the playoff picture. They could even consider dealing Noah if they could snag a decent young player and/or a quality draft pick.
Hitting the reset button and moving on from a core who has contributed a great deal to Chicago's recent success isn't easy, but consider the team's outlook if it goes this route.
1. The 2014 draft is loaded, and if the Bulls are bad enough, they could strike gold with a high selection. They'd really have to be atrocious to be worse than teams like the Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings. Yet, as long as they're in the mix of the top 10, you never know where they might land. Remember how Rose fell into their lap? Envision if this dynamic repeated itself with Jabari Parker, who attended the same high school as Rose.
Yes, I'm dreaming, but the depth of talent in this draft is rich, and it'd sure be nice to have more balls in the lottery. Plus, if they depend on a backcourt of Teague and Tony Snell for most of the season, they won't win many games, even if Noah and Gibson stabilize the frontcourt.
2. They possess a protected Charlotte Bobcats pick (top-10 protected for the 2014 draft). With the improvements the Bobcats have made, this could be the year when the Bulls receive it. This should be a pick in the teens that also nets a player of value.
3. The trades involving Deng, Boozer, Hinrich and potentially Noah should yield something. Boozer and Hinrich will likely only acquire scraps, but Deng and Noah could especially bring back some desirable assets.
Noah, in particular, is an All-Star center on a reasonable contract. While he may be worth keeping, the Bulls should certainly listen to offers because there would be interest.
4. Foreign stud Nikola Mirotic is likely coming over next season, and the impressions he has made in the Euroleague leave us with a convincing proof that he should be a force.
5. Trading away their veterans and their salaries would also improve their financial outlook, creating more flexibility for the upcoming summers.
In view of this, should the Bulls "embrace the tank"? This analysis paints the picture that while short-term solutions could propel them further in 2013-14, blowing the team up would elevate what it can achieve in the long term.
Chicago's flaws are clear. How the Bulls choose to deal with them in the coming weeks and months will be an interesting storyline.
