The Chicago Bulls made a lot of moves to upgrade their roster this summer. They have two NBA All-Stars as the foundation of the team in Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, but they needed some more help to take the team to the next level.
They were one of the most aggressive teams in the NBA this offseason. Chicago was part of three separate sign-and-trade deals. The first one was to acquire Lonzo Ball from the New Orleans Pelicans. The second was to land DeMar DeRozan from the San Antonio Spurs.
The last sign-and-trade was a three-teamer that also included the Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers. Chicago parted ways with Lauri Markkanen, who signed a four-year, $67 million deal with the Cavaliers. Cleveland sent Larry Nance Jr. to the Trail Blazers and the Bulls received Derrick Jones Jr. and a future first-round pick.
There is no doubt that the Chicago Bulls have improved their roster, as they also signed Alex Caruso away from the Los Angeles Lakers. But, some questions are surrounding the team.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Bulls’ Zach LaVine Reveals Massive Defensive Goals For Season
Chicago could use some more depth, especially on the wing. There are also some concerns about how the pieces will fit together, as the Bulls have multiple players that need the ball in their hands to succeed.
While there is a lot of outside noise surrounding the Bulls, one of their new acquisitions in DeMar DeRozan isn’t fazed by it. He has dealt with this in the past and knows that the critics aren’t always right.
“I’ve been on teams where we were picked to be in the tank, and then we win 50 games and make it to the third seed in the Eastern Conference,’’ DeRozan said, referring to his days with the Raptors. ‘‘I’ve heard it all. You can’t indulge in it. You can’t let history depict what your future is going to be like. You just have to go out there and set the tone and take on the challenge. With this group of guys and the talent we have, everybody is willing to take on whatever that next challenge is.’’
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Bulls’ Zach LaVine Reveals Massive Defensive Goals For Season
Right now, the Chicago Bulls have an over/under set at 42.5 wins at most sportsbooks. A lot of people use that as a basis for how well a team may perform in a season. But, DeRozan cautions that those people who make the odds don’t know the whole story.
‘‘I never try to put too much thought on Vegas or whoever comes up with the odds they come up with because you don’t know how hard we’re working, how bad we want something, how much we are fighting for something,’’ DeRozan said. ‘‘It’s bigger than just somebody’s predictions and how we are approaching it. ‘‘This is an opportunity for a talented group that has a chip on their shoulders. You kind of run faster when the dog is chasing behind you. That’s the type of mentality we have to have going out there this season.’’
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Bulls’ Zach LaVine Reveals Massive Defensive Goals For Season
DeMar DeRozan is certainly right about that. Just last season, the New York Knicks were projected by bookmakers to be one of the worst teams in the NBA. They were projected to win anywhere from 20-22 games. They blew that number out of the water, going 41-31 and earning the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Chicago is hoping to have a similar performance this season. They are looking to snap their four-year playoff drought and are in a good position to do it with their roster upgrades.
