Chicago Bulls: Stuck between mediocrity and potential, battling injuries, and lacking a clear rebuild plan. Can they break free and rise again?
Once upon a time, not long ago, there was a team called the Chicago Bulls. It was led by trio colloquially known as DeBallZach.
This trio, consisting of DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Zach LaVine, combined for an offensive rating of 110.4 and a defensive rating of 105.5, for a net rating of 4.9.
Switch Zach LaVine for Alex Caruso, and this trio of DeRozan-Caruso-Ball had an offensive rating of 116.2 and a defensive rating of 98.5, for a net rating of +17.7 per 100 possessions.
Those offensive and defensive ratings were #2 and #1 in the league, respectively. This team went 17-7 which is a 58 win pace.
If we measure the "death lineup" performance of Lonzo, Zach, DeMar, Caruso, and Vooch, we see a +12.5 net rating for a 56-win pace.
This lineup only played 16 games together. To add to the Bulls' woes, either Coby White or Patrick Williams were injured during this time, which meant less support from the bench.
Fast forward to today, and the two big pieces left from this roster are Coby White and Patrick Williams.
Approaching the 2025 playoffs, the Bulls' record stands at a measly 36-42, good enough for 9th place in the Eastern Conference and what has now become a perennial play-in spot against the Atlanta Hawks.
If you're a Bulls fan, this is tough. To see a promising squad fall to injuries and become a middle-of-the-pack team in such a short period of time is disheartening, especially after Chicago endured the unfortunate fall of Derrick Rose's body for nearly a decade.
Now, the Bulls are stuck between rock and a hard place: not good enough to win a championship, but also playing too good to properly tank and land a high draft pick.
This is often the worst spot to be in. As a fan, you've got to respect the desire to win and not purposely tank.
At the same time, we can't help but dream of worthwhile draft picks, which are virtually impossible when you're stuck in the middle of the road like the Chicago Bulls have been in recent years.
Add to the fact that the front office virtually gave away their previously-mentioned all-stars—without a full rebuild plan—and it's easy to see why loyal Chicago fans continue to be frustrated.
As they prepare for another run-in with the play-in Hawks, only time will tell which road the team will lean towards.
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