Chicago Bulls Will Be An Interesting Team, Could Be Really Good
Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo are both joining the Chicago Bulls. Have the Bulls become one of the NBA’s most interesting teams?
This upcoming NBA season, the biggest story is going to be how the Golden State Warriors can mesh and win a championship with Kevin Durant. Which teams will have a shot at defeating a stacked Warriors’ squad is another storyline to pay attention to. But an emerging story is how the Chicago Bulls will make things work with Jimmy Butler and his new teammates, Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. How the NBA’s newest big trio performs will determine if the Bulls can actually contend.
Interest in the Bulls will be as high as it has been in the last decade.
Jimmy Butler on playing with Rajon Rondo & Dwyane Wade: "It's gonna be really fun. I can't wait until the whole team gets to work." #Bulls
— Carlos Douglas Jr. (@TheRealC_Los) July 8, 2016
Rajon Rondo officially became a Chicago Bull on July 7th and it was intriguing to hear what he felt about the Bulls. Rondo would go on to say some interesting things about a couple of his new teammates.
“Jimmy’s the youngest, he’s the engine here. It’ll be Jimmy, Wade, and then it will be a pecking order.
The main thing is that we have three alphas. There will be three alphas on the team. Just trying to mesh together and try to make sure we are doing the best thing for the team.
You’re going to disagree, but if you all have one common goal at the end of the day and that’s to get a W, that’s all that matters. Egos go out the window and we all have one common goal.”
Hearing Rondo concede the leadership role to Jimmy Butler was good news for the Bulls. His words came after Dwyane Wade spoke. Once Wade had his say hours prior, everyone’s ear perked up a bit.
As the guest co-host on the Live with Kelly show, Wade had a few moments to talk about going home. He hails from Robbins, Illinois.
Wade spoke genuinely about playing for a Bulls’ franchise that he grew up idolizing as a child. He understands that he is leaving a team with whom he has so much history. Wade’s words to a national audience, along with Rondo’s arrival, resurrected the Chicago Bulls, who were basically an afterthought this offseason. One signing led to another.
Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo teamed together in an effort to recruit Dwyane Wade. It turned out to be a good fit, as Wade would agree to sign with the Bulls, which was confirmed by The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Jimmy Butler, Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade are on the same team.
If this was five years ago, the Bulls would be legitimate title contenders. Because it is 2016, it is an interesting story for now. If certain things come together, the Bulls can actually turn out to be a good team.
Three-point shooting will be a problem, as is overall depth. The Bulls will likely have to sign two players to minimum salary deals. One must be a shooter, another one a defensive-minded player.
Roster pretty balanced; 12 guys including Zipser, so #Bulls will probably look for guys willing to play for minimum https://t.co/nUTCMa983D
— Mike McGraw (@McGrawDHSports) July 8, 2016
As for the latter, Brandon Bass, J.J. Hickson and Jordan Hill are still available. Each of them do a different set of things. Bass is an underrated low-post scorer and defender. The Bulls are short on both of those attributes. Hickson has similar abilities except he is bigger and more of a rugged rebounder. Hill is a shot-blocker and rebounder who does much of the little things such as set screens and box out. An interesting name to keep an eye on is Christian Wood.
The 20-year-old is athletic enough to be taught defensive fundamentals. He also is a stretch-four which would fill the need of a shooter. Age and inexperience are questions, but his youth and price tag make him intriguing.
Another name that may come up is David Lee. Lee is not the defender that the Bulls need, but he is a scorer and rebounder capable of producing a double-double on any given night. Judging from the Bulls’ lineup, they will need some more scoring coming off the bench. Adding David Lee could cure those ills.
https://twitter.com/thechichronicle/status/747526063039741952
It will be curious to see how well Paul Zipser can handle the rigors of the NBA. Zipser will join the Bulls this season after speculation that he was going to remain in Germany for another season. If his defense is stout and his shot falls, Paul Zipser could be an answer.
How the games of Doug McDermott, Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic develops will go a long way. Neither of them is the X-factor; Tony Snell is.
Travelle Gaines (Possible #Bulls strengh Coach) has been training Jimmy Butler & Tony Snell in Los Angeles so far this off-season. #Bulls
— Carlos Douglas Jr. (@TheRealC_Los) May 31, 2016
It may sound strange, but Tony Snell can actually blossom from the signings of Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. Snell’s ceiling is that of a three-point shooter who can guard three positions. What he needs is confidence and an opportunity early on.
With the signings of Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo, things will get interesting for the Chicago Bulls next season. A couple of roster moves and some development from a few players could make this Bulls team a good one.
[Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images]
