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After four seasons without making the playoffs, the Chicago Bulls returned to the postseason in 2022 following a big comeback season by DeMar DeRozan and another All-Star campaign by Zach LaVine.
However, the team could not advance past the first round. The Bulls faced the then-defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks and got smoked in five games. Chicago has been relatively quiet this offseason outside of re-signing LaVine to a max contract, bringing in veterans Andre Drummond and Goran Dragic on cheap deals while also re-signing Derrick Jones Jr.
The Bulls have 15 guaranteed contracts on the roster and could very well be done for the summer with their $147 million payroll. However, there is always the possibility of making more moves.
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Key Moves Bulls Must Still Make In 2022 NBA Offseason
In the 2021-22 season, the Bulls finished in the bottom 10 in the league in blocks per game with 4.1. Opponents made 66.1% of the shots they attempted at the rim against the Bulls, placing the team once again in the bottom 10 in the league. For comparison, the current Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics only allowed 61.5%, placing them in the top two in the NBA.
Chicago's starting center, Nikola Vucevic, is not much of a rim protector. Drummond is a better shot blocker than Vucevic but is not what he once was. The Bulls also have two younger players as part of their frontcourt in Tony Bradley and Marko Simonovic, but Bradley fell behind Tristan Thompson in the rotation last season because of his struggles and Simonovic is both unproven and not a rim protector at all.
Because of all this, the Bulls should seriously consider improving their interior defense in order to take a step to the next level. A number of Eastern Conference contenders have stud big men, including the Celtics (Al Horford and Robert Williams III), Miami Heat (Bam Adebayo) and Philadelphia 76ers (Joel Embiid). There is also Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo to worry about in the division.
Chicago should be aggressive on the trade market and try to acquire Jakob Poeltl. As the San Antonio Spurs enter their rebuilding mode, the Austrian big man has been involved in trade rumors, including with the Bulls from back before the trade deadline. He averaged 9.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks last season, and, as an expiring $9.4 million contract, should not require a major haul in return, though the Spurs would obviously still want something of value.
Chicago could look to dangle guard Coby White in a Poeltl trade, but the roster already lacks shooting and moving White for a non-shooter would exacerbate those problems. White's name has come up in trade talks, but the Bulls seem to be looking for a lot in return. If they do not intend to trade White, another thing the front office could look into is giving him a contract extension now that he is eligible.
The former North Carolina Tar Heel averaged 12.7 points, 2.9 assists and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 43.3% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc this past season, with the last two being career bests. White did stumble down the stretch of the season and into the playoffs, but he was one of Chicago's best offensive players off the bench and one of the best 3-point shooters on the team.
At 22 years old, giving White a team-friendly extension during this offseason could be beneficial. He has shown improvement in his shooting percentages every season, and securing him right now on a friendly deal would help if he has a breakout season in 2022-23.
With Lonzo Ball still in the recovery process of his injury and LaVine coming off a knee surgery, White has the chance to prove his value in the league. His shooting abilities will come in handy when DeRozan and LaVine are resting or on a cold streak.
The Bulls are largely relying on continuity and improved health in the 2022-23 season to take the next step. However, they could still make some final moves to finish off their 2022 offseason. The front office should continue to look into Jakob Poeltl and must make a big decision on Coby White.
