The Chicago Bulls Futures Odds (BetDSI Sportsbook)
Chicago Bulls to win the Central Division: +25000
Chicago Bulls to win the Eastern Conference: +25000
Chicago Bulls to win the NBA Championship:
Chicago Bulls Total Win Prediction: Total 23.5 (Over -105, Under -125)
The Chicago Bulls squeezed into the playoffs in 2016/17, thanks to two wins in last two matches, and they made it even though the Miami Heat also finished the year with .500, but Chicago had a better score between the teams. With 41 victories, the Bulls finished in the 8th position, and they played the Boston Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs. Chicago surprised everybody with opening two wins at TD Garden, but then the Celtics took control of the series and recorded four consecutive victories to knock out the Bulls.
This offseason was quite turbulent for the Bulls as they lost some key players like Jimmy Butler, Rajon Rondo, and Nikola Mirotic, and failed to bring in a high-profile player, so it is no wonder why they are the worst team in the NBA currently. Dwyane Wade decided to stay for another year, and while his decision is a bit surprising after Jimmy Butler’s departure, D-Wade could join the contenders in the midseason. At the moment, Wade, Zach LaVine, and Robin Lopez are the biggest stars on the roster.
Read on to find out more about the Chicago Bulls offseason moves and the 2017/2018 futures and props brought to you by BetDSI Sportsbook. Also, don’t forget to visit our Get More Sports website for more NBA teams season previews.
The 2017/2018 Chicago Bulls Roster
Arrivals: Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, Justin Holiday, David Nwaba, Lauri Markkanen, Quincy Pondexter.
Departures: Jimmy Butler, Rajon Rondo, Michael Carter-Williams, Nikola Mirotic, Isaiah Canaan, Joffrey Lauvergne, Anthony Morrow.
The Chicago Bulls selected Justin Patton with the 16th pick overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, but they traded him away along with Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and Lauri Markkanen. Patton played for the Creighton Bluejays in 2016/17, his only season at the college, and averaged 12.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, and 1.4 bpg in 25.3 mpg. The 20-year-old center earned the Big East Rookie of the Year award, and he undoubtedly has the quality to compete in the NBA. The Bulls also selected Jordan Bell with the 38th pick overall, but he was traded to the Golden State Warriors after a while, and the 22-year-old power forward will start his NBA career with the champions. Still, the Bulls received a highly-rated Lauri Markkanen from the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Finnish international was the 7th pick overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. The 20-year-old power forward spent the 2016/17 season with the Arizona Wildcats and averaged 15.6 ppg and 7.2 rpg in 30.8 mpg, and will battle with Bobby Portis for the starting PF position. Even though is Portis currently the No. 1 option at the power forward spot, I believe Markkanen has a decent chance to become a starter throughout the campaign.
Kris Dunn joined the Bulls as a part of Jimmy Butler deal, and the 23-year-old point guard will serve as the starting PG at the beginning of the season, ahead of Jerian Grant and Cameron Payne. Dunn didn’t have the best rookie campaign for the Wolves in 2016/17, averaging just 3.8 ppg, 2.4 apg, 2.1 rpg, and 1.0 spg in 17.1 mpg, but now he has the clear path to become an important player in Chicago, and I think he will receive around 25-30 minutes per contest, so it is normal to expect his numbers will improve. David Nwaba came to Chicago after the Los Angeles Lakers waived him this summer, despite having a pretty decent rookie season, as he averaged 6.0 ppg and 3.2 rpg in 19.9 mpg. The 24-year-old is going to be the No. 4 option at the SG position, behind Dwyane Wade, Justin Holiday, and Denzel Valentine, so I am not sure how many minutes per game he will get.
Justin Holiday returned to the Bulls where he spent part of the 2015/16 season, appearing in 27 games. The shooting guard represented the New York Knicks in 2016/17, averaging a career high in points (7.7), rebounds (2.7), and minutes (20.0) in 82 matches. The 28-year-old is listed behind D-Wade in the pecking order, but will surely receive more playing time than Valentine and Nwaba. Quincy Pondexter was recently acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans, and he came along with the 2018 second-round pick and cash considerations for the draft rights to Ater Majok. Pondexter didn’t play a single game in last two seasons due to a severe left knee injury, but he should be healthy after three arthroscopic surgeries, with the latest one occurred this January. Pondexter displayed some memorable games while at Memphis and New Orleans, and he should be a solid backup to Zach LaVine, and likely ahead of Paul Zipser on the depth chart.
Zach LaVine is the player of the highest caliber who joined the Bulls this summer and the two-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion left Minneapolis following his three-year stint with the Timberwolves. Zach had a fantastic 2016/17 campaign and averaged 18.9 ppg (career high), 3.4 rpg (career high), and 3.0 apg in 37.2 mpg (career high), but after 47 games, he suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee. The 22-year-old can play at the point guard and shooting guard positions equally well, but it seems that he will start the 2017/18 at the small forward, which is not the best suitable place for the guy who is tall 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m). However, the Bulls are very thin at the position, and LaVine will have to fill the spot, but with his jumping and leaping ability, I don’t think he’ll experience some problems. I expect him and D-Wade to lead the team in scoring and also to compete for the team’s top scorer in 2017/18.
|
PG |
SG | SF | PF |
C |
| Kris Dunn | Dwyane Wade | Zach LaVine | Bobby Portis | Robin Lopez |
| Jerian Grant | Justin Holiday | Paul Zipser | Lauri Markkanen | Cristiano Felicio |
| Cameron Payne | Denzel Valentine | |||
| David Nwaba |
Anthony Morrow became an unrestricted free agent after playing in only nine games for the Bulls, following his arrival from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Isaiah Canaan was waived by the Bulls as he failed to impress in 39 matches for Chicago, averaging just 4.6 ppg in 15.2 mpg. Joffrey Lauvergne joined the San Antonio Spurs this summer after appearing in 20 games for the Bulls, and while the 25-year-old power forward could stay and make a mark in Chicago, the team decided not to offer him a new deal.
Michael Carter-Williams had a lot of trouble to find the same language with the head coach Fred Hoiberg, and his minutes and numbers suffered as a result. MCW had the worst career in his fourth year in the NBA, averaging mere 6.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, and 2.5 apg in 18.8 mpg (all career lows), so he was very satisfied to quit Chicago and join the Charlotte Hornets instead. If he stayed with the Bulls, though, MCW would be a starting point guard, giving the current competition for the place. Nikola Mirotic became a restricted free agent after spending three years in Chicago, and the Bull apparently will not offer him a new contract, so the Montenegrin who plays for Spain is looking for a new team this offseason. The 26-year-old power forward averaged 10.6 ppg and 5.5 rpg in 24.0 mpg in 2016/17.
The Bulls waived Rajon Rondo, who had a similar problem with Hoiberg as Michael Carter-Williams, so the four-time All-Star point guard was delighted to find a new team as he joined the New Orleans Pelicans. Rondo had a horrific 2016/17, averaging 7.8 ppg, 6.7 apg, 5.1 rpg, and 1.4 spg in 26.7 mpg, but now he has a chance to get his career back on track. Chicago’s biggest loss of the summer was undoubtedly Jimmy Butler’s departure for the Minnesota Timberwolves, after representing the Bulls for the last six years. The 27-year-old shooting guard had an outstanding 2016/17 season, averaging 23.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 5.5 apg, and 1.9 spg (all career highs) in 37.0 mpg, earning the All-Star invitation in the process. He joined the Wolves revolution, and the Bulls will have to adapt to the life without their best player in the previous three seasons.
The Bottom Line and Total Win Prediction
The Bulls have the weakest team in the eastern Conference, and I would dare to say in the entire NBA, so they will need a couple of years before becoming the playoff contenders. I predict the last place in the conference for them, as all the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, and Brooklyn Nets are looking stronger at the moment. Chicago recorded 41 victories in 2016/17, but they will not come even close to that number, and the bookies think so as well, with the BetDSI Sportsbook set the number of seasons wins at 23.5. The worst team in 2016/17, Brooklyn Nets, had 20 wins, and I expect a similar fate for the Bulls, so you can take my advice and go with under on this one.
Season total wins: 23.5 Under(-125)
