2022 Playoffs First round: Bulls vs. Bucks (IST)

[Enasic]

Minor changes absolutely make a difference. You add players that actually rotate defensively and have high basketball IQ, and all of a sudden those breakdowns stop happening. The easy baskets for opponents lessen

Look at a guy like Jae Crowder. The stats don’t jump out as much of anything special. Yet, he’s always on winning, contending teams it seems. Is that just he’s been lucky with where he’s ended up? Perhaps. But, I’d say there’s more than likely a reason why his teams are contending. He brings a winning brand of basketball with him. He knows his role and he does it well. You don’t need 5 all stars to win a title, you don’t need a bunch of scorers to win a title. You need guys that are the right piece to a puzzle

I still believe this is a totally different team with a healthy Lonzo Ball. Not saying they win it all this year or anything if he had stayed healthy, but they certainly wouldn’t be getting punked nightly like this

Lonzo would make a difference, sure. But the bulls were losing to the better teams even with him and everyone seemingly has regressed over the last 2 months. If you think adding a crowder or two will make a big difference, I disagree. They don’t have a top tier star and the team lacks it between the ears and in the testicles as well

 

[BradyJay]

If bulls make the minor changes needed, they can absolutely compete with a core of ZL, demar, ball, and Vuc IMO

Compete like for an NBA championship? Not when your top performer is Demar Derozan....

 

[Chicagosports89]

I'd probably be looking to sign and trade Zach for guys like Gobert, Siakam, and maybe KAT (although KAT is like an upgraded version of Vuc, better offensively but still very poor on defense). Then trade Vuc and hope to recover some first round picks you can either package or hope to get lucky with. Then use FA money on 3 and D players with length. Coby can be traded for whatever return you can get (if it is a 2nd or two that's fine).

 

[clonetrooper264]

I'd probably be looking to sign and trade Zach for guys like Gobert, Siakam, and maybe KAT (although KAT is like an upgraded version of Vuc, better offensively but still very poor on defense). Then trade Vuc and hope to recover some first round picks you can either package or hope to get lucky with. Then use FA money on 3 and D players with length. Coby can be traded for whatever return you can get (if it is a 2nd or two that's fine).

I can't see Siakam going anywhere, but maybe Gobert can be had as Utah supposedly blows up their team after this season. Though maybe we're better off going after Donovan Mitchell in that case...maybe it doesn't matter either way.

I'm not sure who these 3 and D players are who are actually available in FA other than Robert Covington so I'd be very curious to know some names of who people have in mind.

 

[Scoot26]

This groups core is not going to win any ships. I've said that from the beginning. For every season someone thinks Zach is going to take a great leap, he doesn't. This is peak Zach. This is what you're going to get with him.

DeMar is at peak DeMar too, but this is what you get with DeMar.

Vuc is possibly on the decline and his peak was in Orlando.

This core screams 2nd round exit at best all over it.

If we go into next season with basically everyone still, I'm not going to complain about it, but I'm not going to expect much. After next season though, they gotta try and do something bold.

 

[knoxville7]

This groups core is not going to win any ships. I've said that from the beginning. For every season someone thinks Zach is going to take a great leap, he doesn't. This is peak Zach. This is what you're going to get with him.

DeMar is at peak DeMar too, but this is what you get with DeMar.

Vuc is possibly on the decline and his peak was in Orlando.

This core screams 2nd round exit at best all over it.

If we go into next season with basically everyone still, I'm not going to complain about it, but I'm not going to expect much. After next season though, they gotta try and do something bold.

Ummm…this is literally the first season his numbers haven’t increased year over year as a bull. He has gotten better every year, with some “leaps” in there. So literally every year the ZL people have been correct until this one. And even this one wasn’t some regression really, as his W/S went from 5.9 to 5.8.

And he played half the season hurt, let’s not forget

 

[clonetrooper264]

Ummm…this is literally the first season his numbers haven’t increased year over year as a bull. He has gotten better every year, with some “leaps” in there. So literally every year the ZL people have been correct until this one. And even this one wasn’t some regression really, as his W/S went from 5.9 to 5.8.

And he played half the season hurt, let’s not forget

Maybe, but he's still not going to crack Scoot's superstar list and until he or someone else on this team does, this team is not in contention to win the NBA Finals.

 

[Scoot26]

Ummm…this is literally the first season his numbers haven’t increased year over year as a bull. He has gotten better every year, with some “leaps” in there. So literally every year the ZL people have been correct until this one. And even this one wasn’t some regression really, as his W/S went from 5.9 to 5.8.

And he played half the season hurt, let’s not forget

His advanced numbers are literally worse in every category except FTr, and DRB% from 2020-21 to 2021-22.

 

[Enasic]

Zach is not the guy the bulls need him to be. The end

 

[knoxville7]

His advanced numbers are literally worse in every category except FTr, and DRB% from 2020-21 to 2021-22.

View attachment 19391

Thats literally what I said…this was the first year he hasn’t shown clear cut year over year improvement

 

[Scoot26]

Thats literally what I said…this was the first year he hasn’t shown clear cut year over year improvement

I misread your post.

That said, I said Zach hasn't taken a great leap. He took a good leap a few seasons ago, but he hasn't advanced beyond that.

 

[Enasic]

The thing with Zach, is even though he won’t be a guy who can carry a team - a true top dog all championship teams need - the bulls can’t really lose him for nothing. I can’t think of a realistic S+T scenario that puts the bulls in a better situation either, unless Jokic miraculously becomes available.

The market says Zach is worth the max. Whether it’s the wise move to give him a market deal is another question. So it’s either you offer him less than market value, which no player likes and could create some resentment, let him walk for nothing, work out a S+T , or offer him the max. Realistically, giving him the max is probably in the bulls best interests. Assuming the knee holds up, you have a (low end) all-star player who maybe takes a leap, but likely doesn’t.

How the Bulls find that top tier stat player? No idea…but if AKME could pull it off, Zach is a really good 2nd/3rd option

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Might be Marko time.

 

[Enasic]

Do the bulls ever get matched up on defense? What is BDs defensive philosophy, give the opposing team the biggest mismatch possible every time down? I really don’t get it, it’s not that hard. The amount of times I’ve seen Vuc and Coby matched up on Giannis is insane.

 

[Enasic]

Ayo has really fallen off

 

[Axl Rose]

I'm tired of getting lit up by role players while none of ours can buy a bucket.

 

[Enasic]

I'm tired of getting lit up by role players while none of ours can buy a bucket.

Maybe they should take more 3s, they’re so good at em!

 

[Enasic]

Lol giannis is allowed to play like a RB…that’s so much of his game tbh

 

[Axl Rose]

Has a team ever got beaten this thoroughly in the playoffs? Bulls simply don't belong.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Do the bulls ever get matched up on defense? What is BDs defensive philosophy, give the opposing team the biggest mismatch possible every time down? I really don’t get it, it’s not that hard. The amount of times I’ve seen Vuc and Coby matched up on Giannis is insane.

He's had an awful series.