Chicago Bulls 2022/2023 Season Preview

The Bulls came out and started last season hot, compiling a 26-10 record by January 8th on the back of elite play from DeMar DeRozan and an improved defense thanks to Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso’s efforts on the perimeter. Things unraveled the longer the season went on though, and both spent time on the sidelines before Chicago would lose in the first round to Milwaukee.

The team has reloaded around the edges in the hopes of making a sustained push this season, signing Andre Drummond to back up Nikola Vucevic and provide a defensive minded option at centre, as well as veteran point guard Goran Dragic to provide insurance for the often-injured Lonzo Ball.

Derrick Jones re-signed with the team in early July, and the teams big fish, free agent Zach LaVine, also opted to sign a deal that will keep him in Chicago going forward.

Last season, I thought of the Bulls mis-match of talent as a 2K team waiting to implode. It worked far better when all parts were healthy than I expected, but ultimately the team succumbed to that fate when it mattered.

Lonzo Ball (middle) provides a steady two-way presence for the Bulls. His absence was felt last season when it mattered, and unless he can be on-court consistently this season, the Bulls will fail to reach their potential. Credit: Blog a Bull

I really like the addition of Andre Drummond, as much as he is maligned by some. People are quick to point out his shortcomings, of which he has plenty, especially offensively. He does provide the yang to Vucevic’s ying however, with his signature skills being rebounding, rim protection and a lob threat – the latter two both skills Vucevic doesn’t possess to the same level.

I also like the signing of Dragic as a depth PG. He may not be the player he once was, but a crafty, left-handed veteran to help run the offense and provide solid bench minutes is a great option, especially given updates on Lonzo Ball’s injury have been few and far between this off-season.

The Bulls have addressed some small issues on their way to hopefully going deeper in the post-season. Drummond and Dragic provide depth and a different look for the team when things get tough and they need to give opposition coaches a reason to think. Ultimately, I don’t expect DeRozan to have a year similar to that of last year where I had him finishing 6th in my Rolling MVP calculations, and any absence of Ball means DeRozan will have to continue to play at that level or risk the team falling down the standings.

Ceiling: 5th seed

Floor: 9th seed