Category: Bulls News

Onuralp Bitim reflects on first season with the Chicago Bulls

Following the 2023-24 season, Onuralp Bitim reflected on his first year in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls.

The 2023-24 season was a rough one for the Chicago Bulls. They finished below-.500 for the second straight season. However, there were some positives to come out of it. The most obvious positives are Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, who showed star potential throughout the season. But another one was Onuralp Bitim.

Bitim joined the team ahead of the year on a two-way contract, but by the end of the season, the Bulls elevated his contract to a standard deal. He played well in the minutes he had with the team, providing the Bulls with some solid shooting – something they are desperately in need of.

Following the season, Bitim reflected on his first year in the NBA via a post on Twitter.

“An unforgettable season has passed for me,” Bitim wrote. “I’ve gained many experiences. Now it’s time to prepare for the new season. I thank our fans and the entire Bulls family, who have always been by our side throughout the season. See you in the upcoming season.”

In 23 appearances with the Bulls, Bitim averaged 3.5 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 38.1% from the field and 27.3% from behind the three-point line.

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Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan welcomes Bears QB Caleb Williams to Chicago

Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan welcomed new Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams to the city.

In the 1990s, the city of Chicago was run by the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and those Bulls teams reigned supreme. Since then, there hasn’t been much success in the city of Chicago. The Chicago White Sox won a ring in 2005, Chicago Fire FC won in 2006, the Chicago Blackhawks won a title in 2015, the Chicago Bulls took home a World Series in 2016, and the Chicago Sky won it all in 2021. Nothing from the Bulls or the Chicago Bears.

Now, the Bears have a new, bright future ahead of them, and first-overall-pick Caleb Williams is set to lead the charge at quarterback.

Bulls star DeMar DeRozan recently welcomed him to the city.

“On behalf of Chicago and the Bulls, we want to welcome you, Caleb,” DeRozan said. “To the family. To the city. You’re gonna do big things. And fight on.”

Perhaps Williams can help the Bears get on that list of champions since the Jordan Bulls.

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Rebuilding the Chicago Bulls as a dynasty in NBA 2K24

What would a Chicago Bulls dynasty look like if they started their rebuild now?

When the Chicago Bulls went all-in in 2021, they clearly had big things in mind. They created a core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic, with a group of solid role players around them. Unfortunately, that group hasn’t panned out, having won just a single playoff game in three years and enduring two sub-.500 seasons in each of the last two years.

Needless to say, changes are needed, and Arturas Karnisovas even admitted that this group isn’t working at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. Now, Chicago faces a crucial offseason that could help determine what the future of their organization looks like.

YouTuber Clique Productions recently made a video in which he rebuilt the Bulls and made them into a dynasty in NBA 2K24.

Obviously, it’s going to be a lot harder to turn things around in Chicago than Clique made it look in this video. That said, everything starts with a successful 2024 offseason, so it’s on the front office to get things right this summer.

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Lack of playmaking and playoff experience seriously hurt Bulls Big 3

The Chicago Bulls Big 3 had some serious problems that prevented them from having real success.

In 2021, the Chicago Bulls decided to completely shake up their roster. No more rebuilding. They wanted to win. At the deadline, they made a monster move for Nikola Vuevic, sending big-time assets to the Orlando Magic. And the following summer, they brought in DeMar DeRozan, creating a Big 3 of him, Zach LaVine, and Vucevic. Unfortunately, they’ve been brutal ever since, and Elias Schuster of Bleacher Nation chalks up their failures to two things: Lack of playmaking and a lack of playoff experience.

“Look, I understood the Bulls’ logic from the beginning,” Schuster wrote. “Let’s get three All-Star-level scorers together and try to build one of the more dynamic three-level offenses in the NBA. It sounds fun in theory. But the fact of the matter is that there is only one ball and neither of these three players are particularly gifted playmakers.

“The other big problem was that none of them had seen what winning looks like at the highest level. Nikola Vucevic came to Chicago with 11 total playoff games under his belt and only two playoff wins. Zach LaVine didn’t have a single playoff appearance on his resume at the time. DeMar DeRozan obviously had the most experience thanks to multiple successful years in Toronto, but he built a less-than-ideal reputation for going cold under the spotlight. He also had just one playoff appearance during his three seasons with San Antonio.”

Since the core’s inception, they’ve won just a single playoff game. It’s been a completely and utter failure.

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What would it look like if the Chicago Bulls traded everyone?

The Chicago Bulls have been a mess for two years now. They showed some promise at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, but an injury to Lonzo Ball derailed their year. And since he’s been out, the Bulls have been one of the most middle-of-the-pack …

The Chicago Bulls have been a mess for two years now. They showed some promise at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, but an injury to Lonzo Ball derailed their year. And since he’s been out, the Bulls have been one of the most middle-of-the-pack teams in the NBA. Needless to say, they haven’t lived up to the front office’s expectations.

In each of the past two seasons, the Bulls have finished with a below-.500 record. And at the end of each season, they won one Play-In game but lost the second one to the Miami Heat. Now, they face a crucial offseason in which they could completely reshape the outlook of the franchise.

YouTube Sixringsofsteel recently made a video where he traded almost everyone on the Bulls in NBA 2k24 to see what it would look like.

Obviously, it’s fairly unrealistic for the Bulls to trade everyone this summer, but they should definitely consider a complete roster makeover.

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Should the Bulls focus on winning now or the future this offseason?

Should the Bulls focus on winning now or the future this offseason?

For the past three years, the Chicago Bulls have been committed to their core of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic. They assembled the group in 2021 after years of non-competitive basketball. The front office had seen enough, and they shook things up. Unfortunately, things haven’t gone too well for Chicago since then.

After making the playoffs in their first season together but only winning a single game, they have been rough for the past two years. Chicago has endured two straight seasons of sub-.500 basketball, and two straight seasons of getting bounced in the Play-In Tournament by the Miami Heat.

Now, they face a crucial offseason full of important decisions. The Chicago Bulls Central YouTube channel recently discussed whether or not they should focus on winning now or the future this summer.

Arturas Karnivoas has already admitted that the current core isn’t working, so if the Bulls continue to try to win now, it would be a bit of a shock.

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Nikola Vucevic travels to support Magic at playoff game vs. Cavaliers

Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic pulled up to support the Orlando Magic in their first home playoff game of 2024.

In 2021, the Chicago Bulls decided they were done with rebuilding. At the trade deadline, they made a move for big man Nikola Vucevic, and the following summer, they added DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso in free agency. They went all in, trying to make a push for the playoffs.

Unfortunately, in the three seasons since then, they’ve only made the playoffs one time. And that was the first year. They lost in the first round, winning just one game in the process. For the past two years, the Bulls have finished the season with a below-.500 record and got eliminated by the Miami Heat in the Play-In Tournament.

However, despite just re-upping with the Bulls this past summer, Vucevic still has love for his former squad. The Orlando Magic are in the playoffs, taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Vucevic pulled up to support them in their first home game.

They got a win, so the Magic and Bulls have officially won the same number of playoff games since the trade in 2021.

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Who deserves most blame for Chicago Bulls’ 2023-24 season?

Who deserves the most blame for the 2023-24 Chicago Bulls season?

The Chicago Bulls’ 2023-24 season was brutal. For the second season in a row, they finished the year with a below-.500 record, and just like in the 2022-23 season, they lost to the Miami Heat in the Play-In Tournament. Two seasons in a row, two years without a playoff appearance for the Bulls.

When the Bulls put together this roster in 2021, they had very high hopes. They ended Chicago’s rebuild and pivoted the team toward competing, yet since then, they’ve only made the playoffs once, and they only won one postseason game that year, getting bounced by the Milwaukee Bucks in Round 1.

The Chicago Bulls Central YouTube channel recently discussed who is most to blame for the Bulls’ failure of a 2023-24 season.

Arturas Karnisovas and the front office deserve some blame, the coaching staff deserves some blame, and the players deserve some blame, too. But it all starts from the top. The roster the front office put together simple isn’t good enough.

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KOT4Q rebuilds the Chicago Bulls in NBA 2K24

YouTuber KOT4Q rebuilt the Chicago Bulls on his channel following their Play-In Tournament loss.

For the second straight season, the Chicago Bulls’ season ended in a Play-In Tournament loss to the Miami Heat. They finished the regular season with a sub-.500 record and got bounced in the Play-In. Needless to say, that’s not exactly the standard the front office expected when they put together this new-look group in 2021.

Heading into the 2024 offseason, Chicago is set to take a huge look in the mirror. Arturas Karnisovas has already admitted that something isn’t working, and it seems likely that the Bulls shake things up ahead of next season. The NBA Draft, the trade market, and free agency will be crucial to this plan.

YouTuber and noted Bulls fan KOT4Q rebuilt the Bulls on his channel following their Play-In loss.

The core of Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and DeMar DeRozan clearly hasn’t worked, so as the Bulls look to reshape their roster, that trio may not be intact next season.

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A 2024 offseason guide for the Chicago Bulls from Bobby Marks

ESPN’s Bobby Marks recently put out his 2024 offseason guide for the Chicago Bulls.

For the past three years, the Chicago Bulls have accepted mediocrity. After a solid start to their first season with their current core, they simply were okay with being a middle-of-the-pack team in the Eastern Conference. But after a second-straight losing season that culminated in a Play-In defeat to the Miami Heat, Arturas Karnisovas finally admitted that this team isn’t working.

Now, heading into the offseason, the Bulls will have some big decisions to make. Should they re-sign DeMar DeRozan? What types of players should they target in free agency? What could a potential Zach LaVine trade look like this summer?

ESPN’s Bobby Marks, a former NBA GM, recently put out his full offseason guide for the Bulls this summer.

There have already been rumors that the Bulls plan to trade LaVine, so that’s a good place to start, but after that is said and done, there is still a lot for Chicago to do.

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