The January 4th halftime celebration of Derrick Rose’s career at the United Center marked one of the most joyous events in recent Bulls history.
It was a night of inspirational reflection that highlighted the career of one of the most electric players ever to wear a Bulls jersey.
At that ceremony, Rose reciprocated the admiration he received from fans by debuting his short film ‘Becoming a Rose’. It served as a thank-you letter to fans and the city that embraced him as a potential young star.
Rose’s son PJ begins the film with the words, “Roses need water and sunlight to grow, but this Rose needed a city.” The words set the backdrop for why Rose enjoyed a staggering amount of success in a short time.
He had support.
That understanding is lost on many Bulls fans and media talking heads who feel they should start a fresh rebuild.
A brief look back in Bulls history
Rose was the No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft and quickly became a dominant threat in the NBA. His athletic finishing ability and boundless energy were fully displayed from the jump.
After averaging 16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game in his rookie season, he helped lead the Bulls back to the playoffs.
But the Bulls had already laid a solid foundation in which Rose could thrive. Three of the previous four years saw the Bulls win 47, 41, and 49 games. The Bulls were drafting in the lottery but focused mainly on taking young players from winning programs. And three of those young players, Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, and Joakim Noah, played two or more years in college.
The one missing piece was a superstar-level talent that could elevate them to the next echelon. So, while Rose did indeed need a city, he benefitted from playing with established young players. Those young players understood their roles and how to support Rose as the leader of the team.
Why tanking won’t necessarily help the Bulls
Deliberately losing games to secure a higher draft pick with the hopes of rebuilding a roster has many downsides.
For one thing, the NBA draft, including the lottery system, is extremely unpredictable. Making the draft the primary way to fix your roster is like trying to solve your financial problems by going to a casino. Hoping to win big is not a sustainable way to make business decisions because hope is not a strategy.
It’s even more challenging because so many young players leave college after one year. And they are leaving with little understanding and experience of how to win games.
The talent level of some of these draft picks is undeniable. After all, social media is filled with eye-popping highlights of Copper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey, who are slotted to go in the top three of their draft class.
However, both Harper and Bailey play on the same roster at Rutgers, and the team is currently 10-9 and tied for 11th in the Big 10.
This isn’t an indictment on Harper, Bailey, or other one-and-done players who make NBA rosters, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult for NBA front offices to adequately project whether these inexperienced players will help turn around their teams’ fortunes.
Many of these players have grown up in the AAU culture of hopping from team to team to secure exposure and wins. A tanking environment creates a losing environment, and players — who aren’t used to losing — and coaches become disengaged.
How the Bulls can move forward
The obvious answer is the Bulls need to make some trades.
The front office has done a better job of investing in player development and their scouting and analytics departments. They upgraded their coaching staff with candidates who have had head coaching experience.
But it’s clear the Bulls need an influx of talent that produces substantive stats. Patrick Williams is not, and likely never will, live up to his draft pedigree. Williams’ confidence in his abilities is decreasing, and he needs a fresh start on another team. And despite what some fans think, the Bulls might have understood this when they signed him to his recent $90 million contract.
Williams’ sizeable contract was above market value but not unreasonable. In potential deals, he could be paired with other players on their roster who have maxed out their talent, like Coby White. That would make sense, considering the Bulls have never indicated they believed in White’s upward growth.
Also, this strategy aligns with the Bulls’ recent history of acquiring players whose value has dropped in their current situations.
Potential trade targets
The Bulls have reportedly been linked to Michael Porter Jr. in trade rumors since August.
Much of the talk has centered around Denver’s interest in Zach LaVine. However, Denver trading for Williams and White would make more sense for both teams. Williams would infuse more athleticism into the Nuggets starting lineup, and White’s instant scoring would bring a stronger scoring presence to their bench.
Porter is only 26 and might still have an untapped upside. He’s a movement player who would fit well in the Bulls’ offensive system. Additionally, the Bulls could insert Matas Buzelis into the starting lineup to take advantage of his raw defensive capabilities.
Another potential target is Brandon Ingram. Packaging Williams and White for Ingram would bring a dynamic shot-maker and playmaker to the Bulls. Ingram’s skills would complement the Bulls’ existing roster and provide a mentor for Buzelis.
Their practice battles would help sharpen Buzelis’ offensive skills and help expedite Matas’ growth. This is important because he has the highest upside of any young player on the roster.
The Miami Heat have a Jimmy Butler problem. Could the Bulls solve it by involving Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, and a mixture of veterans for Butler and Nikola Jovic?
Acquiring established talent without tanking would better serve the Bulls when they have full control over their draft picks after 2025.
And it’s a strategy the Bulls and their fans should embrace.
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