Despite it being early in the season, the Chicago Bulls are facing early challenges. They’ve lost three consecutive games, putting their record at 2-5. This places them at the bottom of the Central Division and 14th in the Eastern Conference. According to Bleacher Report’s recent NBA Power Rankings after the second week of NBA action, the Bulls now hold the 24th position.
Reasons Behind Bulls Drop to 24thplace in Recent NBA Power Rankings
While the absence of starting point guard Lonzo Ball remains a significant issue, it can’t excuse the Bulls‘ lackluster performance. Lonzo Ball hasn’t played for the Bulls since January 2022, providing the team ample time to adapt and find ways to win.
Furthermore, the Bulls’ “Big 3” has been on the court for every game, offering the team a trio of offensive talents that most teams would envy. Nevertheless, the team’s lack of coherence is evident, as they struggle to maintain consistent offensive productivity. Head coach Billy Donovan must address this to put the Bulls back in contention.
“After an underwhelming 2022-23 season, the Chicago Bulls have had an unimpressive start at 2-3 and have already held a players-only meeting to discuss their challenges. Despite Lonzo Ball’s continued absence, Chicago has three of its four highest-paid players in uniform, all of whom have been All-Stars,” noted Andy Bailey.
If this poor performance persists, the Bulls’ front office may have to face the reality that it’s time to reevaluate the core group of players and potentially rebuild the team. This is something the Bulls’ fans have been advocating for.
“If this inconsistent play continues over the next few weeks, the Bulls might have to consider trading DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vučević, and Zach LaVine. Zach LaVine has already been linked to the Philadelphia 76ers following the James Harden trade,” Bailey explained.
“It’s unlikely that this core will contend for a title or even make a deep playoff run. A fresh start, centered around whatever assets these three can bring in trades, might be the more prudent way forward.”
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