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The Chicago Bulls have lost two of their first three games in the 2023-24 campaign. Zach LaVine has tallied a 51-point outing, while Alex Caruso nailed a game-winning corner triple as these two events have been the best storylines of the Bulls season so far. This iteration of the Bulls has been stuck in the middle of the pack for several years already as their front office has decided not to rebuild yet.
With DeMar DeRozan's contract up after this season, he may likely decide to take his talents to a franchise that is closer to winning the championship than Chicago. If the organization remains stubborn, they can choose another path, which is buying low on a disgruntled star like James Harden. It is a high risk, high reward scenario, but it is a feasible decision if they do not want to be cellar dwellers.
A players-only meeting after their first contest is a frightening statement for the Chicago fanbase, so pursuing Harden for a package centered around LaVine or DeRozan could shake things up in the Windy City. If things start getting unbearable in the Bulls locker room, these are a couple of reasons why James Harden can be an effective fit with the Chicago Bulls.
James Harden could be the Bulls' initiator, offensive facilitator
Ever since Lonzo Ball's major injury, it has been very evident that the Bulls lack a reliable floor general that can set up the offense. Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Beverley have been the main ball handlers the past couple of seasons, and it has been a disaster as they were 24th in offensive rating in 2022-23. With Harden in Chicago, that will not be the case because he will create a slew of shots for his teammates and himself.
Harden has been a constant leader in points and assists in the NBA, so it will translate to the massive improvement of Chicago's offense. Any fan would know that LaVine and DeRozan are incredibly talented scoring machines, but they have a tendency to make it a “your-turn-and-my-turn” style for head coach Billy Donovan. With either of them heading to Philadelphia for Harden, it balances out the strengths and dynamics of their star players.
Even ancillary pieces like Nikola Vucevic and Patrick Williams will be more involved in the offensive sets because the constant involvement from Harden will be critical to their victories. Harden can be difficult to handle for Donovan, but his contract is only one year, so they can get rid of him after this season.
Harden has a ton of playoff experience
Yes, every NBA pundit knows that James Harden has been heavily criticized by his abysmal meltdowns in crucial games in the playoffs. Even with his magnified lapses, Harden has played a total of 163 playoff games in 14 years. He has been to the Finals once and experienced several appearances to the Western Conference Finals as well.
It is vital to mention his vast playoff experience because guys like LaVine, Vucevic, and White have had limited exposure in high-pressure situations. That is one primary reason why Alex Caruso is usually part of the closing five lineup because he thrives in instances wherein the lights are at its brightest. Since there is a legitimate chance Harden lands in Chicago, his brilliant lessons from the testy battles can rub off on his teammates if they want to ascend in the Eastern Conference.
Just remember the Bulls were three minutes away from eliminating the reigning East champs in the 2023 play-in tournament, so they might not be too far away from the powerhouses.
