Bold Bulls Predictions for Top 2023 NBA Offseason Signings, Trades
The Chicago Bulls still believe in this core.
That, more than anything, was made clear during their 2023 NBA offseason.
With only a first-round exit and a play-in tournament defeat to show for the past two campaigns, the Bulls were a candidate to take on a radical makeover this summer. Instead, they opted to bring back most of their key free agents and added a few veterans with plug-and-play potential.
So, what can Chicago hope to receive from these investments? Well, we're indulging in a little offseason optimism and making a trio of bold predictions for three of its most significant signings.
On the surface, predicting a 20-10 season from someone who has authored two such stat lines before may not seem super bold. However, Nikola Vučević, who turns 33 in October, last hit those marks in 2020-21 and has seen his scoring output and offensive involvement decline in the two seasons since.
The Bulls should think long and hard about bucking that trend, particularly if they hope to get positive value out of the three-year, $60 million extension they gave him just ahead of free agency opening.
The rebounding won't be an issue, as he is on a five-year run of gobbling up double-digit boards. But getting enough touches to hit the points portion of this stat line could be a challenge, since Chicago's offense has fed Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan first before looking the Montenegrin's way.
Why can't the Bulls work him a little deeper into their offensive equation? He has limitations on defense, so the hope is his offensive skill surpasses what he gives back on the offensive end. That can only happen if his number is being called early and often.
After posting an efficient 52/34.9/83.5 shooting slash last season, Vučević seems capable of handling more than the 14 shots he averaged.
The Bulls invested a ton in their point guard rotation this summer as an attempt to cover up the ongoing absence of Lonzo Ball. In addition to signing Jevon Carter, they also worked out new agreements with restricted free agents Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu.
While all three could fight for the starting spot in training camp, Carter comes closest to matching the skill set a healthy Ball once provided. He isn't the same caliber of passer—though he consistently makes smart decisions—but he is similar in his defensive tenacity and low-maintenance offense.
The 27-year-old wasn't always much of a shooting threat, but he has worked to add that skill to his arsenal. It has never looked better than it did last season, as he averaged a career-best 1.8 threes per outing on 42.1 percent shooting.
Between Carter's defense and off-ball offense, he seems like the simplest fit alongside the Bulls' big three. So long as his shooting holds up, he could become a fixture in this rotation, to the point of only trailing LaVine, DeRozan and Vučević in average floor time.
For all Patrick Williams truthers out there who still envision stardom ahead for the swingman, this won't be the most encouraging prediction.
But the Bulls targeted Torrey Craig this summer for a reason. Well, two reasons, actually.
First, the 32-year-old is among the more reliable defenders in this league. He is versatile and tireless at that end, traits that could uber-valuable in the starting five alongside Chicago's offense-first stars.
Second, he ramped up his outside shooting this past season and wound up with career highs in makes (1.3 per game) and accuracy (39.5). If he's comfortable spotting up in the corners, he'll be easy to keep on the floor with the Bulls' more ball-dominant options.
As for Williams, he might benefit from playing a prominent role with the second team instead of a supporting one with the starters. He is still in the developmental stage of his career—he hasn't even turned 22 yet—so he needs all the touches he can get.
However, that lack of experience could have him taking a backseat in big moments to Craig, who has a chance to edge out Williams in average minutes.
