The Bulls consistently find themselves in the same position. I am unsure as to whether Gar and Paxson are clueless, or if Jerry Reinsdorf continuously asks them to keep the Bulls in a contending place in order to keep Chicago’s loyal fan base interested enough to sell out the United Center every night. Either scenario leaves the Bulls where they have always been the past 10 seasons. Vying for a playoff spot and losing in the early rounds of the playoffs, yet always giving us a few good playoff wins, masking the issue that our team has a major problem with false hope.
The Bulls cannot win an NBA Championship in the near future. This is certain. They are not going to make a splash in free agency and get any outstanding players. Even trying their best, Gar/Pax’s best effort last year amounted to founding the “Chicago Retirement Home for NBA All-Stars Past their Prime” by signing Rondo and Wade.
This amounts to the fact that the Bulls are in a rebuilding mode, and must trade Jimmy Butler.
I know, no one wants to hear that. Jimmy is the heart and soul of the Bulls, and he very well may be the last Bull from the hard-nosed, defense-oriented, Thibodeau era. Butler however, he is way too valuable right now for the Chicago Bulls to sit on for two more seasons. He is in his prime and their is no better time to trade him than this year’s draft. If the Bulls are able to snag Boston’s first pick in the draft, it puts them in the ultimate rebuilding situation. They will have three picks, with one of the more talented draft classes ahead of them.
Assuming they use this pick on one of the two point guards, Lonzo or Fultz, they will be looking at taking a Butler replacement with their mid round pick. They would need a defensive minded player with the likes of Butler. Say they draft a big with their second round pick, doing the one thing that our FO knows best, and picking great late round prospects, we may end up with one of our most outstanding drafts in Bull’s history.
In my personal opinion, Lonzo is the next Steve Nash. I feel like Fultz is going to be another good, scoring, role point guard, and won’t amount to much. The Big Baller Family is certainly something to be aware of, but I know it won’t make a difference as to how Lonzo performs on the court. The Bulls drafting him could be the best choice they make since taking Jordan.
Trading Butler makes so much sense that it seems so inevitable he will be traded, however knowing the Bull’s front office that we are burdened with today, the opposite will most likely happen.
One thing is for sure and that is I can’t wait until June!
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