Cordaro Johnson (Haize) here, the host of the daily Locked On Bulls podcast, with your daily Locked On Bulls newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Bulls and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Chicago Bulls: Trade or Strengthen? What To Do At The Deadline
Is it time for the Chicago Bulls to shake things up, or should they capitalize on their current momentum? This question has been on the minds of many fans as the team navigates a pivotal point in the season. In a recent episode of Locked on Bulls, I explored this topic, weighing the pros and cons of trading key players like Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic versus strengthening the team for a playoff push.
The Trade Debate: Maximizing Value
One of the main discussions in the episode revolved around the potential trade value of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. Both players have shown consistent performance, elevating the Bulls’ game. However, their current form also means their trade value might be at its peak. The question is whether the Bulls should capitalize on this and secure valuable draft picks or assets for the future.
From my perspective, if a deal offers significant draft compensation, especially in a promising draft year, it might be worth considering. The idea is not to dismantle the team but to strategically position it for long-term success. Some fans argue that keeping these players could lead to a stronger playoff run, but it’s crucial to assess the team’s ceiling realistically.
Strengthening the Core: A Viable Option?
On the flip side, there’s a compelling argument for bolstering the current roster. With the Bulls sitting in a competitive spot in the Eastern Conference, adding the right pieces could push them further. The team has shown resilience, especially in clutch situations, but the question remains: Is this sustainable?
The Bulls’ front office faces a tough decision. Should they invest in additional talent to support LaVine and Vucevic, or is it time to pivot towards a younger, more dynamic lineup? The answer lies in evaluating the team’s potential to advance beyond the first or second playoff rounds.
Development of Young Talent: A Mixed Bag
Another critical aspect discussed was the development of the Bulls’ younger players. While players like Julian Phillips and Dalen Terry are getting more minutes, the question is whether these minutes translate into genuine development. It’s not just about playing time; it’s about intentional growth and integration into the team’s strategy.
The concern is whether the current coaching approach truly fosters this development or if it’s merely a stopgap to give starters a breather. For the Bulls to succeed in the long term, nurturing young talent is essential, especially if the team decides to move towards a younger core.
The Business of Basketball: Balancing Performance and Profit
It’s important to remember that the Bulls, like any franchise, are a business. Selling tickets and maintaining fan engagement are crucial, even during rebuilding phases. The challenge is to balance this with the pursuit of excellence on the court. Fans want to see a team striving for greatness, not just maintaining mediocrity.
Call to Action: Your Thoughts?
As we navigate this season, I encourage you to think about where you stand on this issue. Should the Bulls trade key players for future assets, or should they strengthen their current roster for a playoff push? Your insights and opinions are invaluable as we continue this conversation.
For a more in-depth discussion, tune into the full episode of Locked on Bulls. We delve deeper into these topics and explore the potential paths forward for the Chicago Bulls. Let’s keep the conversation going and see where this season takes us. Go Bulls!
I held off on writing about the apparent rash, or rise, of early-season athlete injuries because there’s always some recency bias involved when the subject comes up. Are there really more injuries this year than any other? Do we have the data to support it? Is there a new, underlying cause? Or are injuries due to the same compounding mix of bad luck and the NBA’s 82-game schedule running into a long postseason, running into the offseason, running back into a brand new long regular season and the erosion of bodies this eventually leads to?
A report early this week showed early-season injuries were up 35%, and indeed ESPN’s list of injuries, at a glance, looks like a ferocious Christmas tree, lit up in blazing reds and yellows. A handful of teams (the Grizzlies, Pelicans, Raptors) are cobbling together rosters game-to-game depending on who’s still healthy. TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott ran a draft of the injured list this week and each team reads like an All-Star squad on steroids, and when Abbott printed out the league’s official injury report it was 10 pages long.
Injuries are definitely up — but why?
The Paris Olympics proved extra playing time for a few top-tier stars, but most of them remain healthy. The early season schedule hasn’t served up any more back-to-backs to longer road game stretches, which tend to be more gruelling on athletes, than usual. However, when everything appears to be normal and the bodily price is anything but, perhaps it’s time to examine that “normal”.
The NBA’s current schedule of 82 games was adopted in 1967. Already, I’m sure your brain is picturing black and white basketball, that’s good. When you picture that grainy, glitchy footage, how fast is it going? The reality is that the game used to be a lot slower. Not just in its mechanics (think of an offensive passing sequence, the ball flipping from set of hands to hands at a speed that can be hard to follow), but the athleticism too. Bodies were moving slower. The game was still physical — the trope of players from the 80s and 90s complaining about the “softness” of current athletes is a trope for a reason — but full tilt sprinting, cutting, complex rotations, these weren’t the norm. Given that, the bodily mechanics were different. Guys weren’t stopping on a dime, pivoting hard, having to force their ligaments and muscles and bones into exacting motions with all sorts of volatile force behind them.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Rumor A cold war seems to be brewing between Zach LaVine and Bulls coach Billy Donovan, with tensions reportedly on the rise. (Chicago Sun-Times)
Preview The Bulls head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers in the group stage of the NBA Cup. Read the preview.(NBA)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) holds his leg after a hard following a play against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter at Paycom Center.|Photo by Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
This week in the fantasy basketball world has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. A major talking point has been Chet Holmgren’s unfortunate injury, which has fantasy managers scrambling for replacements as the Oklahoma City Thunder adjust with potential lineup changes. Keep an eye on players like Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace — who might see increased minutes — and consider them as temporary pickups in deeper leagues.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Bulls podcasts.
Chicago Bulls Cut Onuralp Bitim & Kenny Lofton Jr | Is THT A Lock To Make Roster? Haize welcomes Bobby & C-Dub to the show to discuss the Bulls moving closer to finalizing their roster by cutting Onuralp Bitim & Kenny Lofton Jr. The guys also break down what they want to see in the Bulls’ final preseason game & more.
Lonzo Ball Looks Great In Return To To The Court | Bulls Offense Has Best Game Yet Haize reacts to Lonzo Ball’s performance in his first game back. He also talks about Coby White’s big night and the team’s offense.
Chicago Bulls Reportedly Eyeing Contract Extension WIth Josh Giddey Haize reacts to reports the Bulls could be looking to extend Josh Giddey’s contract before the start of the season. He also asks of the Chicago Bulls should be playing their starters in tonight’s preseason game and gets excited over Lonzo Ball’s return to the court.
