The Chicago Bulls had an underwhelming 2021-22 season. The team had a 46-36 regular season record which gave them the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference. They were ultimately bounced from the opening round by the Milwaukee Bucks. This was Chicago's first time making the playoffs since 2016-17.
While injuries played a major role in derailing the season, the early postseason exit still left a sour taste. The strong play of DeMar DeRozan and the recent extension of Zach LaVine leave room for optimism moving forward. The franchise will hope to take the next step forward this season. Let's take a look at the offseason and where the largest room for optimism is.
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Bulls: Full 2022 NBA offseason grades for Chicago
Trades: N/A
The Bulls have not elected to make any trades so far this offseason.
Draft: B+
The Bulls' draft was highlighted by selecting Dalen Terry with the 18th overall pick. The Arizona product is one of the more NBA-ready prospects in the draft class and will make an immediate impact in the rotation. While his numbers do not jump off the page, it is the little things Terry does that translate to winning that should have fans so excited. Terry averaged 8.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals in his last season in college.
The Pac-12 All-Defensive Team member is a tenacious defender who plays with infectious energy. He played a vital role in running the offense on an incredibly talented Arizona team. There also is an argument for Terry being the best teammate in the draft. He was seen jumping up and down and more excited for his teammates' accomplishments than his own throughout his two seasons in college. This does not change the fact that he also shot 36.4% on three-pointers and was comfortable playing his role while on the court. Look for him to provide a positive spark to the Bulls and grow into a reliable bench player in year one.
Dalen Terry’s versatility is on full display.
Gets an isolation bucket out of a timeout; Uses his length to shut down Hornets 40th overall pick Bryce McGowens’ driving lane; Hustles in transition for a cutting layup; forces a turnover with a smart trap alongside Marko Simonivić. pic.twitter.com/mPxOMTNuku
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) July 14, 2022
It also is worth noting that the Bulls added Justin Lewis to a two-way contract after he went undrafted. While he likely is a few years away from contributing, this is a promising prospect to add to the organization. The Marquette standout has an NBA-ready body but is still fully putting the pieces together. They also added Chicago native Javon Freeman-Liberty as an undrafted free agent following the draft as well.
Free-Agency: C
The most notable free agent move was locking up Zach LaVine to a lucrative five-year max deal worth $215 million. LaVine is clearly a key part of the franchise's long-term plans and they assured this is the case with the contract. The 27-year-old is coming off his second straight all-star appearance and has gone a far way in his development since coming to the organization. The Bulls also elected to bring back Derrick Jones Jr on a two-year deal worth $6.6 million.
The highlights of free agency outside of resigning players were Andre Drummond and Goran Dragic. Drummond will be set to compete with Tony Bradley for backup minutes. He is a proven veteran who had a very impressive start to his season last year with the 76ers. While he did not look as sharp with the Nets, there still were positive flashes. Drummond will not be looked at to be more than a rotational piece who can fill in when Nikola Vucevic is not there. This is a solid signing but does not change the scheme of things for the Bulls.
The addition of Groan Dragic was a bit of a surprise. The veteran guard was heavily rumored to be heading to the Mavericks before accepting a one-year deal with the Bulls. Dragic played in a total of just 25 NBA games last season between the Raptors and Nets. At 36-year-old it is unclear how much he has left in the tank. The Slovanian showed flashes with Broolyn but his best days are surely behind him. Expect him to provide some solid rotational minutes and hopefully take on a mentorship role with the young guards like Dalen Terry and Ayo Dosunmo.
Overall Grade: C+
It was a decent offseason for the Bulls but not one that changed their outlook moving forward by a significant margin. The return of Lonzo Ball will likely have the greatest impact on the team's chances next year. It is difficult for a team to fully click in one season and injuries certainly played a role in the team's struggles last year. As many other teams in the East made more notable moves to improve, the Bulls remained fairly complacent. The larger question is if the current core is good enough to compete. That question will be answered this season but it is clear the Bulls have elected to stay the course.
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