Chicago Bulls Season Preview
The Chicago Bulls are going to be a force to be reckoned with this NBA season. The team was able to make trades at the deadline last season, which just had them barely missing the playoffs. The likes of Zach Lavine, Nikola Vucevic, and the first-round pick from 2020, Patrick Williams, returns for the Bulls.Â
Key Additions for Chicago
With huge offseason pickups and signings, the Bulls are headed back in the right direction in the Eastern Conference. A few free agency pickups highlighted the Chicago Bulls’ offseason, including Lonzo Ball, Demar DeRozan, and Alex Caruso. The Bulls were able to pick up Ball and DeRozan by sign and trade deals, then picked up Alex Caruso in the free agency zone.Â
Big additions include Ayo Dosunmu, the Bulls 2nd round draft pick in this year’s draft. Ayo led Illinois to a Big Ten Championship and #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament last year. His midrange skills and work ethic will take him a long way in this league. Dosunmu is one of the hardest workers and loves to learn. There have been improvements already in his long-range game, and we all know he can get to the rim and score a bucket at will. Depending on final roster cuts, Ayo may end up in the development league for the Bulls.Â
Pair of Subtractions for the Bulls
With the large pickups this offseason, the Bulls could surprise many teams and even catch the NBA Champions sleeping from their championship hangover.Â
The Bulls dropped two players that caused a lot of frustration around the team in Lauri Markkanen and Denzel Valentine. Markkanen was brought up as a hopeful young star that never quite blossomed in Chicago. Valentine came off the bench and could never produce enough for the Bulls either, and he was dumped after the season.Â
All-Stars in Chicago
Key players for the Bulls are going to be centered around the All-Star, Zach Lavine. Lavine is the heart and soul of this team, and everything from head coach Billy Donovan will run through Lavine. A big pickup from last year that will leave an impact is Nikola Vucevic. Vucevic averaged 33.5 minutes per game last year, along with 23.4 points per game.Â
Adding a veteran in Demar DeRozan will help this team with the number of young players they have. Adding Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso will not only help on the defensive end, but both players have been significantly better at offense in the last few years, and they bring excitement to this team.Â
Bulls Betting Odds and Lines for the 2021-22 Season
2021-22 Win Total: 42.5 Central Division Odds: +1100 Conference Odds: +3000 NBA Title Odds: +8000
* All odds provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.
Last updated:October 18, 2021 Bulls, Central, NBA