Chicago Bulls Season Preview

Chicago Bulls

2014 Record 50-32

2015 O/U 49.5

Who are their stars?

This has to be the year that it becomes Jimmy Butlers’ team. Butler is the leading scorer, the best defensive player and can play both wing positions for them. Derrick Rose was once was the budding star, but after his health issues through the past five years, including one that has him out for opening night should make it clear that this is Butlers’ team. Butler is on the rise and 20 points may be his floor this season, as well as defensive success. When considering Aaron Brooks and Kirk Hinrich playing the point next to Butler, their starting line up will feature the 26-year-old Butler, beside a group of four guys with an average age of 32. The veteran talent makes them a competitor, and how high Butler can sore, and how much Rose will allow it on the court will be the determining factors.

Who are the glue guys?

Fortunately the age does bring talent, and that is one of the most talented frontcourts in the NBA. Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah are now past their primes, but when playing limited minutes and games for Noahs’ sake they can usually get the most out of the two. Taj Gibson, who is now 30 can give both relief and has been the best bench big in the NBA for a few years now. Adding to the talented rotation is a stretch four Nikola Mirotic. The spacing he can provide next to all three is the Bulls’ greatest strength, as well as their ability to maintain size and keep Mirotic on the court as the 6’10” small forward. Mirotic has the footwork to maintain a few minutes there, especially with a guy like Butler at the other wing position. Butler and the frontcourt should be what is winning this team games. Derrick Rose is now a guy with a lot less pressure on him, but still is a piece needed to win the championship in Chicago. Rose isn’t going to do the video game things he did in 2010, but he is still only 27, and should only miss a couple of games before being back in the lineup. What he can bring is a guy who doesn’t turn it over, and can run up-tempo basketball. If Rose thinks he is the star, and must be the scorer, it isn’t good for the health of the team. If he can play the role and run the system, and you add to it veteran sharp shooter Mike Dunleavy, you have one of the most talented offenses in the NBA.

Who are the rotational players?

Brooks and Hinrich are going to be key players for the Bulls this year. With Rose in and out, it will be them getting more than likely 20 plus games at the point. They are both veterans, and know the players around them, but they will be the weakness if Rose is injured in the playoffs. If they come in off the bench they are a very deep team. The depth continues with Tony Snell basically in a similar role to Dunleavy, and Doug McDermott fighting for minutes to do the same. Snell is more of a shooting guard, and should see more minutes, but they do have depth in catch and shoot players. Bobby Portis is the fifth man in the frontcourt right now, but with Noah and Gasol, I would expect him to get some minutes in his rookie year. I thought he was a lottery pick and should fit the system nicely. To have this much is arguably as good as any team in the NBA. The questions in age with this team make the depth a priority, but you have to assume this team is a contender with so much depth right now.

Where do they rank? Over Under? How far do they go?

While the roster is talented, it is all without mention of new coach Fred Hoiberg. I liked what Hoiberg did at Iowa State, but am very interested to see how he fits in a much different environment. Controlling all of the ego of three former all stars, and all of them being less talented than the budding Butler will be something to watch, as well as how all of the rotations shape out with a guy like Mirotic, Snell, and Portis. In all this is an obvious playoff team, and the goal has been the same since Rose was the budding star, beat Lebron James. If they are healthy, they are one of the few teams in the East that can do it, but the health, and where the team is are too much question for me too trust. While they should be a top four seed, anywhere from the first round to the finals is where this team can end up.

Under 49.5 wins, 3rd in the Eastern Conference, 9th in the NBA.