According to Adrian Wojnarowski, free agent Andre Drummond has agreed on a two-year/$6.6 Million deal to play in the Windy City. He averaged 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in 24 games in a Nets uniform. That comes after being involved in the James Harden deal that sent Harden to the 76ers. Drummond, 28, will likely come off the bench and could start at times.
For many fans, everybody thought the Bulls’ first 2022 free agency move would be a five-year contract with Lavine, but it was with Drummond. In Brooklyn, teammates and coaches praised Drummond for his energy and for accepting a new role fast. Drummond played in clutch moments, and Nets Head Coach, Steve Nash, trusted Drummond in the final minutes of most games. Drummond will probably not play in the last minutes of games in his new role in Chicago. But he will provide energy off the bench and be a mentor to the younger guys in the locker room, especially during the postseason.
Coby White had a big-time adjustment from a rebuilding team to a playoff team within one season. He started the 2020-21 season recovering from shoulder surgery but returned in the rotation with a new role. In his third season, White averaged 12.7 points and 2.9 assists in 61 games. With new teammates and some new coaching staff, he had to learn a brand-new system. But he couldn’t perform well when needed, especially against good teams above .500. Here are three teams that might want to call the Bulls front office for White.
1. Dallas Mavericks
With the recent trade today of Jalen Brunson getting sent to New York, Dallas will now look for their new weapon off the bench. That weapon could easily be White. White will be able to fit into Dallas’ system quickly, most likely getting above 30 minutes each night off the bench. The most important question is, what will Chicago return in return? Reggie Bullock is a wing player that Chicago needs off the bench or a big man like Dwight Powell to come off the bench. Josh Green and Tim Hardaway Jr could be options but are unlikely available.
2. San Antonio Spurs
The Dejounte Murray trade meant two things; the Spurs needed a point guard. Two, San Antonio is rebuilding, so why not give White a place to shine. Currently, many people don’t know who would be the playmaker for the Spurs. In a White trade, you can look at wing players like Keita Bates-Diop or Zach Collins. Or possibly a first-round pick if White meets that value. San Antonio is a sell-now team, so why not join the party if you’re the Bulls’ front office.
I took a long time to think who White would fit in with for the next couple of seasons. The Cavaliers are a young team but will get better each season, and adding White would help them in the long-term if Cleveland extends him. Currently, Cleveland doesn’t have a backup point guard and some forwards that could be available. Kevin Love could be available, but for the right price though. A sign-and-trade could be possible with Rajon Rondo or Collin Sexton.
Chicago will have difficulty trading Coby White away due to finding the right amount in return. This trade might not happen for months, but I think it will happen before the trade deadline next season. White has the talent to be in the league, but the Bulls’ system is not suitable for him. Somewhere, he will shine and look to become an All-Star.
According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Chicago Bulls center Tony Bradley will exercise his $2M player option. That means Bradley will stay on the Bulls for at least one more season. It remains unknown if Bradley would want to stay in Chicago after the 2022-23 season.
Bradley, 24, averaged 3.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in 55 games. He averaged 5.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists as a starter this season when Nikola Vucevic was in the NBA Health and Safety Protocols. Bradley wasn’t known as a player who would stand out but would do what he asked. Bradley will most likely be used as a backup center next season or could be used in a trade.
Nikola Vucevic had a very productive first entire season in the Windy City. In 73 games, Vucevic averaged 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, including 44 double-doubles. His best performance came against the Indiana Pacers on February 4, 2022, he got 36 points and 17 rebounds, shooting 76.2% from the field. But the problem for Vucevic was that his performance came against a rebuilding Pacers team. Vucevic struggled against contenders, especially against the top 4 teams in the Eastern Conference.
In 14 games against the Heat, Celtics, Bucks, and 76ers, he shot below 40% from the field eight times and below 20% from three eight times. During the postseason, when Vucevic shot above 40% from three, Chicago went 1-0. In the first round, he struggled in all four losses against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Defense
Vucevic’s main criticism came on the defensive side of the ball. He averaged in double-digit rebounds (11.0) but couldn’t find a way to grab significant rebounds in clutch situations. When Vucevic had at least two blocks, it mainly came against rebuilding teams. The most blocks in a game this season (4) came against the Atlanta Hawks on December 27th, 2021. Some Bulls fans want Rudy Gobert because he would be more physical on defense and motivated, unlike Vucevic. Vucevic had some excellent moments on defense, but those moments came when he played great on offense.
Vucevic had the excellent moments, terrible moments, and nights of Bulls fans wanting him not to play in Chicago next season. But in conclusion, he had a solid season, but he will need to improve his three-point shot ability and toughness on defense. Vucevic will most likely be in Chicago next season. But remember, he has one year left on his contract and might not get his extension offer this offseason. So that means Vucevic will have to prove to the Bulls management and fans next season that he deserves a long-term contract. The final grade for Vucevic is a B; not a great year, but not a bad year.
(Photo by John Biever /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Many players and franchises are remembered for what they have done in game 7. The Chicago Bulls are 4-6 in game 7’s all-time and haven’t played in a Game 7 since 2014. Does this mean I included a loss in this list? Yes, but it’s for an excellent reason. Chicago has never played a game 7 during the NBA Finals. Here are my top 5 greatest games 7’s in Chicago Bulls history.
5. Bulls vs Pistons 1974 Semifinals
After losing their first two game 7’s against the Los Angeles Lakers in 1971 and 1973, they finally became the 9th NBA team to win a game 7. On April 13, 1974, the Chicago Bulls defeated Detroit Pistons 96-94 at the Chicago Stadium. This series marked the first series ever between the Bulls and Pistons.
Chet Walker, the leading scorer for Chicago, had 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds to get his first playoff series win with Chicago. Bob Love contributed with 24 points and got six rebounds. Love became the second Bull to get their number retired (#10). Detroit got led by Stu Lantz, who tallied 24 points and eight rebounds. Hall of Famer Bob Lanier got 23 points and ten rebounds. Lanier recorded a double-double in all seven games.
At halftime of game 7, Chicago had a 52-41 lead and felt comfortable. But Detroit outscored Chicago 53-44 but failed to take back the lead late in the game. Walker and Love in the fourth quarter helped Chicago find a way to get past Detroit and get their first game 7 in franchise history. Chicago would go on to lose in the Western Conference Finals in 4 games against the Milwaukee Bucks.
4. Pistons vs Bulls 1990 ECF
On June 3, 1990, Chicago lost in blowout fashion, 93-74, against the Pistons. That was the third straight season; Detroit ended Michael Jordan and the Bulls’ season in the postseason. Michael Jordan had 31 points and shot 48.1% from the field. But the rest of the Bulls couldn’t contribute by shooting a terrible 15 for 63. Scottie Pippen shot 1 for 10 and got only 2 points. The second-leading scorer for Chicago was Horace Grant, with 10 points.
For Detroit, five players scored in double digits. That includes Isiah Thomas, who had a near triple-double of 21 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. Dennis Rodman had 11 points and got nine rebounds. Big man Bill Laimbeer had 13 points and seven rebounds. Mark Aguirre had 15 points off the bench, and John Salley got 14 points.
So why would I put an embarrassing loss at #4 on this list? This series was the last series Michael Jordan would lose for the next four years. MJ cried on the team bus after the loss, and he became motivated to get over the hump and get to his first NBA Finals appearance. Next season, Chicago swept Detroit and beat the Los Angeles Lakers to get their first- NBA title in franchise history. So maybe losing to the Pistons was a good idea.
3. Nets vs Bulls 2013 First Round
Brooklyn played their first-ever playoff season against the Bulls in the 2013 playoffs but failed to complete the 3-1 series comeback against Chicago; the Bulls won 99-93 in Brooklyn to get their fourth game 7 win in franchise history. Chicago was undermanned for the entire series with missing 2010-11 MVP Derrick Rose, Luol Deng had flu-like symptoms, and Taj Gibson and Nate Robinson were also dealing with their own illnesses. This series was the first playoff series win without Derrick Rose since a sweep against the Miami Heat in the 2007 playoffs.
Marco Belinelli had himself a game with 24 points shooting 57.1% from the field. Joakim Noah got a near triple-double with 24 points, 14 rebounds, and six blocks. Nate Robinson had 12 points and four assists to help out as well. Chicago’s biggest lead of the night was at 17 points at halftime, but Brooklyn outscored Chicago 31-21 in the third quarter. But the Bulls held their lead in the fourth quarter to win the series in Brooklyn.
2. Bulls vs Knicks 1992 Semifinals
On May 17, 1992, Chicago would get their first game 7 win in the Michael Jordan era against the New York Knicks, 110-81. After a game 6 loss in New York, 100-86, many people began to have thoughts about whether the Bulls would be able to repeat as NBA champions and thoughts about Jordan’s legacy. Well, Jordan responded to those thoughts with a 42-point performance at the Chicago Stadium to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Scottie Pippen had a triple-double of 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. The Bulls would go on repeat as NBA Champions against the Portland Trail Blazers. Patrick Ewing had 22 points, and Mark Johnson got a double-double of 11 points and ten assists. Chicago would finish the game shooting 58.1% from the field, while New York finished shooting 37.8% from the field.
The most significant game 7 in Chicago Bulls history is 100% game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Bulls and Pacers; Chicago won 88-83. Almost every human on the planet knew this would be the last postseason of the Chicago Bulls dynasty and in Michael Jordan’s career. Jordan finished the game with team-high 28 points but shot 9-25 from the field. Scottie Pippen got 17 points and 12 rebounds. Steve Kerr contributed with 12 points, including three three-pointers.
Indiana and Chicago were in a dog fight, and the game was physical; you had to fight for every bucket. After the first quarter, Indiana was up 27-19 and got off to a hot start. But Chicago responded to take a 48-45 into halftime. In the final five minutes of game 7, Chicago went on a 9-4 run to finish business and advance to the NBA finals for the third straight year. The Bulls would complete their second three-peat against the Utah Jazz in game 6.
Before tweaking his knee on January 14th, Zach LaVine averaged 25.6 points on 49.1% shooting from the field and 41.2% shooting from deep and looking like a top 10 player in the league. Even playing through a torn ligament in his left thumb for the first two months, he played great! At the time, Chicago was 27-12. LaVine missed five games but wasn’t playing at 100% for the rest of the season.
Before the all-star break, LaVine had his knee drained to keep playing in the second half of the season. After January 14th, LaVine finished the season with averages of 23.7 points on 45.5% shooting from the field and 36% from three. He tended to shoot more than attack the rim, which led to many more questions about his health. But he finished the season averaging 24.4 points, which was 17th best in the NBA.
Defense
After getting gold during the Olympics, LaVine became a much better defender, but not great. LaVine finished the season with a defensive rating of 116.1, the second-highest out of Bulls players who played more than 50 games. After his knee injury on January 14th, opponents had a higher field goal percentage against him. LaVine had defensive lapses and failed to rotate. He will look to improve his defense for next season when he will be 100% healthy.
With all the events that occurred during the 2021-22 season, Zach LaVine had a pretty good season. He earned a second straight All-Star appearance and his first playoff appearance. He gave his heart out and could have easily sat out for the rest of the season, but he didn’t and helped Chicago get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. The question is if LaVine deserves a max contract of 5 years/$200 Million. In my opinion, he deserves, and according to Bleacher Report, he is expected to return to the Windy City.
Coby White averaged 12.7 points while hitting 43.3% from the field (Career-High) and shot 38.5% from the three (Career-High) this season. But after missing the first 13 games of the 2021-22 season, Coby White struggled in his season debut and scored 0 points in 11 minutes on November 15. Over time, White found his rhythm by increasing his points average every month until March. As a starter, he had slightly better averages. But his production went down in March and April when Chicago began to have a stricter schedule. Especially when against the top 4 teams in each conference.
In his first playoff season, he had one solid performance: a game 1 93-86 loss against the Bucks. White had 12 points and four assists and shot 50% from the field. But he couldn’t find his touch in the rest of the series. After game 1, he shot 18 for 35 from the field and 6 for 23 from the three. That includes scoring a combined 8 points at home for games 3 and 4.
Defense
White’s defense was rough to watch at some points during the season and the playoffs. His defensive rating was 116.9, the highest out of Bulls players who played at least 50 games this season. White, at times, showed no lack of effort and didn’t find a way to play physical and tough on defense. Teams above .500 exposed White’s perimeter defense, especially the Bucks in the postseason.
White got off to a rough start with shoulder surgery last offseason, getting put in the health and safety protocols, and most importantly, new teammates and a new role on the Bulls. He had good moments this season offensive, but he was not the consistently impactful player many fans expected. White had a difficult time fitting into the new system. His weak defense is one of the reasons he got fewer minutes, and with the recent addition of Dalen Terry, White could get traded this off-season. Those reasons are why I gave him a C grade for the 2021-22 season.
Even with rumors of looking for a trade partner for the 18th pick and Coby White, the Chicago Bulls took Arizona guard Dalen Terry with the 18th pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
Terry, at 6’7″, with a 7-foot wingspan, averaged 8.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in his sophomore season at the University of Arizona. He started in all 37 games.
“My defense and my versatility are going to come over immediately, Terry said.” He can guard positions 1-3 and sometimes the four spot when needed. His defensive mindset and competitiveness stood out the most to Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley. He is motivated, and he’s competitive enough to make the 17 teams regret picking him, “I remember everybody already.”
Playmaking Ability
Terry is also known for his playmaking ability to create open shots for others. He projects as a guy who wants to run and push the ball like teammate Lonzo Ball. That was the role Arizona used him for, “Whatever situation I’m in, “I’m going to adapt to.” The Role in Arizona meant less of being an offensive player. Terry shot 36.4% from the three-point line on 2.1 attempts per game. In Chicago, he will look to improve his off-the-dribble shooting and spot-up shooting.
Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley surprised some Bulls fans with the new addition of Dalen Terry. Many expected Chicago to trade down or up in the draft or trade away Coby White. But that trade might come another day. No draft pick will ever be perfect, but the positives about Dalen Terry will help the Bulls as soon as October of this year. “I feel like I fit in perfectly. I’m a lengthy guard willing to do anything to win.”
“I really wanted to be here,” Terry said to his agent after his workout with the Bulls. “It’s crazy; I called my agent immediately after the workout; that’s where I need to be. It’s great that they drafted me. Man, I’m so happy.” Terry will look to make a splash in his Summer League debut in a couple of weeks in Las Vegas.
On June 23, 2022, Dalen Terry got selected with the 18th pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. Terry played for two seasons at the University of Arizona. In his sophomore year, he averaged 8.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He was one of many players that helped lead the Wildcats to a 33-4 record. Terry will be valuable for the Bulls on the defensive end of the ball by being able to guard positions 1-3 and sometimes the 4.
Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Offense
Many NBA fans thought DeMar DeRozan was “washed” and wouldn’t perform well in his first season in Chicago. But that wasn’t the case with becoming unstoppable with career-high averages of 27.9 points, 50.4 FG%, and 35.2 3P% this season. DeRozan showed up big time to save the day for the Bulls in the fourth quarter. DeRozan was second in the NBA with 8.4 points in the fourth quarter (Irving 9.2), but he had the most points in the fourth quarter in the NBA with 612. He had the most points this season in his career with
DeRozan’s first game-winner came in a 108-106 win over the Indiana Pacers on December 31, 2019, and the next night in a 120-119 win over the Washington Wizards to make history. He became the first player in the modern-day era to have game-winners on back-to-back days. Chicago will hope for a repeat of his great offensive 2021-22 season.
Defense
DeRozan had another solid defensive season. He had a defensive rating of 115.3, which was 9th highest on the Bulls. At times, he failed to rotate and switch. But that didn’t matter when he scored on the other end. DeRozan also had solid defenders on the court with him.
DeRozan played like an MVP for most of the season. If the Bulls had gotten a better record, you probably would have heard DeRozan in the MVP talks. He bailed out every night and would put on a show from the mid-range and carry the Bulls some nights. In the postseason, DeRozan got double-teamed and gave up the ball in every game except for game 2, when he cooked the Bucks with 41 points.
He exceeded expectations for his first season in the Windy City and helped the Bulls get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2017. His final grade for the season is an A+; he made sure people didn’t forget about him and how eager he wants to win a title. But now, DeRozan will focus on recruiting, training with Patrick Williams in Los Angeles, and getting passed the first round next season.
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