The All Star break is finally here and the Chicago Bulls are in big big trouble. They have dropped to 27-25, clinging onto 3rd in the central division and only one game from dropping out of the East Play-Off standings. The organisation is in free fall and at the moment looks like no-one wants to reach out and catch it.
The on court issues are glaring, they have been inept defensively, they can not close out games (Have been out scored in the last 9 games by 62 points in last quarters!) Their offensive sets are average at best, the leaders are not leading in crunch times (excluding Jimmy Butler) and their young “talent” is stagnating again. Hoiberg certainly hasn’t been as successful in implementing a new game plan as he and all the fans would have liked, but he shouldn’t be taking all the blame.
The reality is this squad is not good enough to challenge/win their way out of the East and never has been regardless of the one eyed fans and managements beliefs. Injuries can be used as an excuse no doubt but what can not be excused is the lapses and lack of effort on the defensive end with the same ridiculously cliche excuses after games. All we hear is “we know we are a good side when we click” “we just need to work harder on the defensive end” “we need to decide if we want to play or not” “The league should be worried when we click”. Give me and every other Chicago supporter a spell! Why should the fans keep turning up and watching the rubbish that is being dished up? Why should they watch from another country or spend the night in front of the TV in Chicago when as the players say they need to decide “If they want to play”. It is embarrassing and should hurt this great organisation more than it seems to be at the moment.
Now for the off court problems. It’s time for a fresh start and that means removing
Gar Forman and John Paxson unless they are willing to make the changes needed to re invent this squad, not only this season but for the next 5 and history tells us that they aren’t and most likely won’t. The Bulls squad doesn’t suit the sort of basketball Fred want’s to play and until they get players that do he is doomed to fail and so is the ball club.Year after year we have seen the front office rave about how good the squad is and how the championship is within reach yet year after year we miss out on Free Agents who suit, fail to trade any pieces that could net them assets and evidently fail in crunch time come play-offs. This is crunch time for the Bulls, Can Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler play together long term? Do they really want to keep Pau Gasol next year for a high price tag? Can Mirotic and Doug McDermott improve or are they on the table? What happens to Noah and Taj Gibson? Do the Bulls go all in on rebuild mode and move everyone bar Butler and Derrick? Can they finally get some decent guard and scoring depth?
So many questions for the Bulls to answer by the February 18th trade deadline. I know one thing if nothing changes Bulls fans should vote with their feet and stop caring about an organisation that clearly doesn’t care as much about them and the future as they should.
What are your thoughts Bulls fans?
