Category: Bulls

Predicting the Chicago Bulls record for the 2023-24 season

What record will the Chicago Bulls finished with in the 2023-24 season?

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Last year, the Chicago Bulls fell short of their goal of making the playoffs. They were eliminated in the play-in tournament by the Miami Heat. Over the course of the past two seasons, they have won a single playoff game with their new-look core. That’s not good enough.

Heading into this season, the Bulls are looking to atone for their failures and make the playoffs. They made a couple of solid additions, Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig, and hope those moves can take them over the hump.

KC Johnson and Tony Gill recently gave their record prediction for the Bulls 2023-24 season on the NBC Sports Chicago YouTube channel.

What record do you think the Bulls will finish with next year?

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Bulls GM Marc Eversley shares why he believes in Chicago’s veteran core

Chicago Bulls general manager Marc Eversley recently spoke about his team’s offseason and future during a visit to the Bulls Talk Podcast.

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The 2023-24 season will be an important one for the Chicago Bulls. The team may have added a few key pieces over the summer, but it’s more or less the same core running it back this year. How the team performs could dictate what happens in the future for Chicago’s roster, one largely designed by current general manager Marc Eversley.

Eversley became GM for the Bulls in 2020, and has presided over some of the team’s biggest moves. He helped reel in DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball. It’s been an ambitious era for Chicago, even if injuries and other concerns have prevented the club from making a deep postseason run. Consequently, there have been persistent rumors about what happens next for the Bulls.

For now, Eversley is focused on the present. He recently spoke to the folks at the “Bulls Talk” podcast about his team, how he feels about the latest roster additions and his belief in Chicago’s veteran players.

You can check out the entire conversation on YouTube, courtesy of NBC Sports Chicago.

Bulls legend Stacey King discusses thoughts on 2023-24 season

Chicago Bulls legend Stacey King recently gave his thoughts on the upcoming 2023-24 Bulls season.

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It’s clear the Chicago Bulls put an emphasis on improvement this summer. They signed two solid depth pieces, Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig. Both could step into the starting lineup. After missing the playoffs this past year, the Bulls are hoping to avoid that fate moving forward.

Some questioned whether this was the correct decision: The Bulls could have easily traded their stars and entered a rebuild this summer. That’s not the direction the front office chose, and it looks as though Chicago is attempting to make a push, regardless of how strong the rest of the conference is.

Bulls color commentator and three-time champion Stacey King recently stopped by the Bulls Central YouTube channel to discuss his thoughts on the upcoming season.

How well do you think the Bulls will perform next year?

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Do the Chicago Bulls have more pressure than any team in the NBA?

Are the Chicago Bulls under more pressure than any other team in the league?

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When the Chicago Bulls ended their rebuild two years ago, they added solid win-now pieces. They traded for Nikola Vucevic at the 2021 deadline, and  followed that by signing DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso in free agency. While the choices looked promising, the reality quickly fell apart.

After getting off to a hot start in 2021, an injury to Ball derailed their plans. The point guard has not returned to the court, and in the two years Chicago has had its current core, it has won a single playoff game. Needless to say, the Bulls haven’t lived up to their expectations.

Now, heading into next season. Chicago may have more pressure to perform than any other team in the league. Chicago Bulls Central on YouTube recently discussed this topic.

What would be an ideal ending to next season for the Bulls?

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Stephen A. Smith claps back at Lonzo Ball

Stephen A. Smith clapped back at Lonzo Ball’s recent video during an episode of ESPN’s First Take.

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The back-and-forth between Lonzo Ball and Stephen A. Smith took another turn on Wednesday, Aug. 23. During an episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” Smith responded to a viral video in which Ball called him out. Smith’s initial comments that Ball was struggling to stand up out of a chair were what led Ball to respond.

During Smith’s response, he noted how he had information regarding the type of surgery Ball underwent, where he had the surgery and what doctors performed the procedure. Smith went on to note that Ball getting in and out of a chair wasn’t proof of being fit, at least by basketball standards.

Ball has participated in 35 games for the Chicago Bulls since joining the franchise in 2021. Since then, the playmaking guard has struggled with a persistent knee injury and isn’t expected to return this season.

You can watch Smith’s full response to Ball in the embedded clip above.

Lonzo Ball drops hint at potential injury return for Chicago Bulls

In a response video to Stephen A. Smith, Lonzo Ball hinted at a potential return from injury to the Chicago Bulls.

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When the Chicago Bulls pushed all their chips on the table two years ago, they had high hopes. They traded for Nikola Vucevic and, the following summer, signed DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo Ball. At the beginning of the 2021-22 season, they were hot. But an injury to Ball derailed their success.

The point guard has not set foot back on the court for Chicago; injury woes have followed him at every turn. However, a recent video has given fans reason to hope he could be back on the court soon. After Stephen A. Smith said that it has been “hard for him to get up from the sitting position,” on “First Take,” Ball responded.

Ball posted a video to Twitter where he repeatedly got up from a chair on one leg.

“Who are your sources bro?” Ball said. “You gotta stop yapping. I actually like you man. I don’t even know you like that, but I like you. I’m coming back, man.”

That last sentence, “I’m coming back,” is what Bulls fans should stay focused on. Ball has not appeared in a game since 2021. He missed the entirety of last year.

Reports have indicated that Ball will likely miss all of next season as well, but the point guard seems to be in good spirits.

The Bulls were at their best when Ball was on the court, and if they want to reach their ceiling, they need to get him back on the court as soon as possible.

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Watch: Lonzo Ball calls out Stephen A. Smith

Lonzo Ball took to social media to clap back at Stephen A. Smith following claims that he struggles to stand up from a seated position.

The Chicago Bulls continue to deal with Lonzo Ball‘s absence due to a persistent knee injury. Recently, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith noted how he had been informed Ball’s knee was so bad that he struggled to stand from a seated position. 

Smith’s comments undoubtedly caused concern among the Bulls’ fan base. Ball is entering his second full season sidelined by the injury. He has only played 35 games since joining the franchise in 2021. However, on Tuesday, Ball took to social media to clap back at Smith’s claims in a video that showed him repeatedly standing and sitting on a chair.

During a recent podcast appearance on the “From the Point Podcast by Trae Young,” Ball confirmed he will miss the entirety of the 2023-24 season as he continues his recovery. However, it’s clear Ball took issue with what he deemed to be a false claim, leading him to make the video before signing off with an encouraging message of “I’m coming back, man!”

You can watch Ball’s response to Smith in the embedded clip above.

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Lonzo Ball feels bad for Bulls following injury nightmare

In a recent podcast appearance, Lonzo Ball admitted that he feels bad regarding his injury struggles since joining the Chicago Bulls.

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Lonzo Ball‘s tenure with the Chicago Bulls has not gone as planned. Chicago acquired Ball to be its point guard of the future and to elevate its roster to championship contender. However, a persistent knee injury has scuppered any chances Chicago had of challenging for a championship with their current core.

In a recent appearance on the “From the Point Podcast by Trae Young,” Ball discussed his mindset while dealing with the injury. During the interview, the 25-year-old guard confirmed he will be out for the entire 2023-24 season as he continues to recover.

“I feel bad, just for the GMs,” Ball said. “Just because I feel like they made the perfect team around me. That was the most I’ve ever been involved in an organization. I finally got the perfect team that I felt could fit my game, play my way, and really just do what I wanted to do. That injury, I’m still going through it right now, but that one messed me up early. Because I felt like we had a chance, and never got to see what it was.”

Ball joined the Bulls in 2021 and played in 35 games before having his season cut short. Since then, Chicago has been waiting for its starting guard to return to its rotation.

With the upcoming season already ruled out for Ball’s return, he will likely opt into the player option on his current contract, worth $21.3 million for the 2024-25 season, in a bid to prove his health before hitting unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2025.

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Bulls want to keep DeMar DeRozan around for the long term

The Chicago Bulls want to keep DeMar DeRozan around for the long haul.

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It’s clear the Chicago Bulls want to win now. Despite the rest of the conference also stacking up on talent, the Bulls have shown no signs of slowing down. Their title hopes are slim to none, and their chances of making the playoffs are fairly small as well. But they want to keep their core intact.

Their core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic is solid, but it hasn’t produced results. LaVine and Vucevic are locked up on long-term contracts, but DeRozan is entering the final year of his deal. However, the Warriros would like to keep him around.

Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic recently spoke with Bulls general manager Marc Eversley, and he said Chicago would like to keep DeRozan around for the long term as well.

“DeMar’s been great,” Eversley said. “He’s been terrific for this group, not only on the court but off the court. He’s been a leader. I would love DeMar to be part of this program long term. Let’s see how that plays out and what that looks like going forward. When those conversations take place, we’ll speak about that more when that happens. But we hope Deebo’s back. He’s been an integral part of this program’s success. We hope he is here long term.”

DeRozan has been great during his time in Chicago, making two All-Star teams. However, his individual performance hasn’t led to any postseason success.

Should the Bulls bring him back on a new deal? Or should they end the current era?

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Lonzo Ball discusses injury woes and Bulls on Trae Young’s podcast

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball recently made an appearance on Trae Young’s podcast.

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Two years ago, the Chicago Bulls decided it was time to end their rebuilding phase and start pushing for the playoffs. They traded for Nikola Vucevic at the 2021 deadline and signed DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball in free agency, completely reshaping their roster.

Unfortunately, after a hot start to the 2021-22 season, Ball went down with an injury, and he hasn’t returned to the court. He was an integral part of Chicago’s early season success, and it hasn’t been the same since. The team has won a single playoff game in the past two years.

During a recent appearance on the “From the Point Podcast by Trae Young,” Ball discussed his injury issues and the Bulls.

What should the Bulls’ plan be moving forward in regard to Ball?

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