The Chicago Bulls won the first two games of their first round series against the Celtics, surprising most everyone around the NBA. Chicago wasn’t supposed to do anything against the Celtics and weren’t supposed to be competitive, but after two games of great play (or Fool’s Gold, depending on who you ask) there was some optimism. And then the wheels fell off. Rajon Rondo got injured, the Bulls offensive output came to a grinding halt, and Boston won the next four games to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The Bulls are a bit stymied this offseason by Dwyane Wade’s $23 million player option that he could very well pick up — it’s unknown his exact plans right now — but there are things they can do to free up cap space in the immediate future. Rondo’s contract is only guaranteed for $3 million if they waive him before the end of June, rather than the $13 million that gets guaranteed on July 1. Renouncing rights to Anthony Morrow also clears up a $6.6 million cap hold. In total, those two moves could clear the Bulls to close to $24 million in space, rather than the $7.4 million they will have otherwise.
However, the Bulls front office of John Paxson and Gar Forman, who are responsible for the roster’s terrible construction, seemed content in their Wednesday press conference to pass blame to coach Fred Hoiberg and move ahead with the team pretty much as constructed. The biggest thing they can do this offseason to create space is to let Rondo go, and use that $10 million they’d save elsewhere. That’s an easy choice, right?
Paxson: “Really good chance we bring Rajon back."
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) May 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/KCJHoop/status/859805483850493953
Whoops, so they love Rondo apparently. Alright, maybe they’ll let Nikola Mirotic walk this offseason since he’s really struggled for two years, and it just doesn’t seem to be working out.
https://twitter.com/highkin/status/859803625924775939
https://twitter.com/highkin/status/859803757332373507
Goodness, gracious. So if there’s nothing changing with the roster, what about a coaching change?
Pax: “Fred’s our coach, he will be back."
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) May 3, 2017
At least you’re behind the coach. That’s good, maybe they won’t repeatedly toss Hoiberg, his “system,” and his staff’s lack of development of players under the bus as the reason for struggles this year, not the awful roster construction.
Pax: Our young guys will have a more defined, consistent role.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) May 3, 2017
Pax: You have to give your coach freedom. But emphasized that players need more consistent roles.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) May 3, 2017
Bulls VP John Paxson: "We saw what you saw and a lot of our fans saw. Inconsistency in our play and searching for an identity."
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) May 3, 2017
Pax says Bulls believe Hoiberg is "a creative offensive mind." Says Bulls have to find out what younger players can be.
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) May 3, 2017
Pax on Fred: "I view young coaches in this league like young players. Fred’s challenge this offseason is to find ways to be a better leader.
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) May 3, 2017
Hmm, alright, so you want your coach to be a better leader. That’s the thing he has to do this offseason. That’s literally the most important part of being a head coach. Alright, so if the roster is staying the same and the coach is staying the same, then you have to be fully behind your superstar Jimmy Butler as the future of the franchise.
Pax: We respect Jimmy. Far and away best player. Didn't commit to him longterm.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) May 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/KCJHoop/status/859807597456707585
Great stuff. So, a rebuild is on the table, but you’re not going to blow it up this offseason unless you get blown away by an offer. What about building around Butler, since, as you said, he is your best player?
Pax: "With Jimmy, all of us would love to get another superstar player but with the salaries we have now, it’s a difficult thing to manage."
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) May 3, 2017
Oh, you mean those stubborn salaries that you gave out. Fantastic.
The Bulls could make changes this offseason and get a jumpstart on the rebuild that everyone knows is going to have to come in the near future by shedding some contracts and searching for young players to try and develop on the free agent market, but instead seem more than content to ride it out for another year.
Sean Highkin of The Athletic (and former DIME scribe) offered a great breakdown of how miserable this press conference was in terms of what it means for the immediate future in Chicago, if you want to go deeper than the quotes from above.
The Bulls are a mess, the same as they have been, and the two wins over Boston in the first round might not have fooled many around the league into thinking this Chicago team has a future, but it did to the two people that matter in Gar Forman and John Paxson.
