The Chicago Bulls wrapped up another dismal season a few weeks ago, losing to the Miami Heat in the NBA play-in round. It was a bad season, so it was only natural that it ended in a disappointing fashion. The Bulls got off to a fantastic start in Miami, hitting a few threes to go up 11-6, but it was all Heat from there. Miami triumphed 112-91 and will now face the Boston Celtics in the playoffs.
After leading 11-6, the Bulls gave up a huge run and fell behind by 20 in the second quarter. After going down 20 points, the Bulls did an excellent job of weathering the storm. Chicago came back and made it a seven-point game in the third quarter, but the Heat regained control and won by a large margin.
The Bulls concluded the regular season at 39-43. They defeated the Atlanta Hawks in their first play-in tournament game, but they were once again unable to advance to the playoffs. Chicago was only one win away from making the playoffs with a victory in Miami on Friday night, but they were unable to complete the task.
So, the Bulls have completed another season. Things went well after starting 5-14, but they are still a long way from satisfying this hungry fan base. Nobody anticipated this club to make the playoffs in the early stages of the season, so getting this far was a surprise, but the fan base expects more. The Bulls will make several moves this offseason, with some coming through free agency. Here are three free agents that Chicago should look at.
Buddy Hield, Philadelphia Sixers
Buddy Field hasn’t been with the 76ers long; he was moved there in February and is now a free agent. Hield would be a significant acquisition for the Bills in the offseason. The main reason Chicago should pursue him is his ability to shoot the deep ball. Buddy Hield’s career three-point percentage is 40%, and the Bulls have struggled to shoot from beyond the arc in recent years. This would be a large pickup.
Goga Bitadze, Orlando Magic.
The Bulls presently have Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond as their two big men, with Drummond becoming a free agent this offseason. If he leaves, the Bulls will undoubtedly need to handle the situation, and the Magic have a couple of big men who could be a good fit. The first name is Goga Bitadze. Bitadze is unlikely to become a standout center, but he would add depth and size to the team. Chicago also used Vucevic and Drummond at the same time, which might happen with Bitadze as well.
Mo Wagner, Orlando Magic.
Mo Wagner, perhaps the Magic’s more fascinating possibility. Wagner is a more athletic big man with three-point shooting skills, something the Bulls would benefit from having. This season, Wagner is hitting 33% from deep and averaging more than 10 points per game. He and Vucevic might be a good big man duo.
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