“They don’t even know it” - Brian Windhorst gives scathing indictment on Chicago Bulls’ situation
The Chicago Bulls have made a struggling start to the season, as they have won just two of their first five games and a debate has already been created on whether this team can be successful this year. NBA Insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN believes the Bulls are in a rebuild mode.
"The Chicago Bulls are in a rebuild and they don't even know it... They are pretty bad," Windhorst said on his podcast, the Hoop Collective, via Basketball on X.
Chicago is coming off a loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday (114-105) and will look to get back on track Friday in the opening game of the NBA In-Season Tournament against the Brooklyn Nets at United Center.
The Bulls want to improve their shooting percentage and elevate their game offensively, as they are among the worst teams in points per game (28th, 105.4 ppg), field-goal percentage (28th, 42.6) and three-pointers (28th, 30.2), respectively.
"Everybody wants to make shots for sure right now, everybody wants the best, but it's going to come," DeMar DeRozan said after the loss to Dallas, via NBA.com.
"I would rather start off this way than start off hot and you realize that at some point you've got to cool down."
Zach LaVine says Chicago Bulls' Big Three has to find a way to win
Zach LaVine addressed the Chicago Bulls' early struggles and referred to the team's Big Three (himself, DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic). This is the third year that the three players are playing together. Still, they have failed to lead the franchise to a deep playoff run.
LaVine doesn't pay attention to trade rumors and wants to see the team improve on both ends and create a winning mentality.
"You know, we’re on our third year now, and I’ve been saying since training camp: It’s time to put pen to paper," Zach LaVine told Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports.
"If it doesn’t work, we understand the business of basketball. We have three All-Star players. We gotta make this work, from top to bottom. It’s not just the players. We gotta make this click. I’ve been traded. [Nikola Vučević] has been traded. DeMar has been traded. We care for each other, but we know what’s on the other side of that," the All-Star guard added.
LaVine and Vucevic are under new, lucrative deals with Chicago, while DeMar DeRozan is on an expiring contract and could hit free agency next summer.
With that in mind, this should be considered a crucial year for the Chicago Bulls, as another losing season could lead the front office to shake up the roster and move on from one or more members of their Big Three.