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Top 10 Signs the 2017 Chicago Bulls’ Season Is Trashed

Written by Jeremy

Following a highly disappointing season where the Chicago Bulls went 42-40 and missed the playoffs, team VP John Paxson and GM Gar Forman set out to rebuild with big names.

What ensued was signing Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo in the offseason, while trading Derrick Rose to the Knicks and letting Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol walk.

This franchise face-lift was designed to give star forward Jimmy Butler more help. But so far, the results have been a sub-500 record and another team that could miss the playoffs.

Can the Bulls turn things around?

We’re betting no, and here are 10 reasons why Chicago is doomed in 2017 with half the season left.

1. The Bulls Have No Unity

This team was supposed to be led by vets/stars Butler, Wade, and Rondo. Instead, Butler and Wade recently bashed the younger players, while Rondo turned around and shredded them through an Instagram post. Maybe if this team were in the top half of the playoff seeds, they’d have time to repair the divide and rally. Instead, the Bulls are currently in a dogfight for the eighth and final playoff spot.

My vets would never go to the media. They would come to the team. My vets didn't pick and choose when they wanted to bring it. They brought it every time they stepped in the gym whether it was practice or a game. They didn't take days off. My vets didn't care about their numbers. My vets played for the team. When we lost, they wouldn't blame us. They took responsibility and got in the gym. They showed the young guys what it meant to work. Even in Boston when we had the best record in the league, if we lost a game, you could hear a pin drop on the bus. They showed us the seriousness of the game. My vets didn't have an influence on the coaching staff. They couldn't change the plan because it didn't work for them. I played under one of the greatest coaches, and he held everyone accountable. It takes 1-15 to win. When you isolate everyone, you can't win consistently. I may be a lot of things, but I'm not a bad teammate. My goal is to pass what I learned along. The young guys work. They show up. They don't deserve blame. If anything is questionable, it's the leadership.

A photo posted by Rajon Rondo (@rajonrondo) on

2. Chicago Has No Leadership

Continuing off the last point, the Bulls lack a true leader to get them through this mess. With his All-Star numbers, Butler should be the leading candidate, but he isn’t the leader this team needs yet. Wade would be another obvious choice, but he may be traded before the deadline. Rondo has leadership qualities like teaching the younger players, but he’s also butted heads with coaches. Long story short, this squad has nobody to lead them when things get bad.

3. The Young Players Have been Thrown Under the Bus

Another consequence of Butler/Wade bashing their teammates is that the younger players now feel alienated. “I’m 35 years old, man. I’ve got three championships,” said Wade. “It shouldn’t hurt me more than it hurts these young guys. They have to want it. If they don’t want it, then we’ll show up and play Friday.” Much of what Rondo’s Instagram post said was to protect the younger players, but the damage is already done.

4. The Roster Construction is Terrible

Dating back to the summer, when Rondo and Wade were signed, many questioned how the spacing on offense would work. After all, Butler is the only starter who’s an above-average three-point shooter (35.0%). The spacing concerns turned out to be valid because, even with Wade shooting a career-best 31.9% from beyond the arc, this team ranks dead-last in the league at 31.4%. With no ability to hit stretch the floor, teams have been laying off the Bulls with no repercussions all season long.

5. Chicago Has No Shooters at Point Guard

Adding another point to the roster construction, the Bulls’ point guards are especially poor shooters. Michael Carter-Williams, the team’s current starter, hits just 35% from the field. And it’s not like Chicago can bring firepower off the bench because Rondo (37.5%), Isaiah Canaan (37.5%), and Jerian Grant (38.2%) all shoot poorly too.

6. The Team Still Employs Paxson and Forman

While John Paxson and Gar Forman seem like okay guys, they’re terrible at their jobs. This duo had a big opportunity to construct a winning roster in the offseason. But they did a miserable job by throwing together big names with fringe players who can’t stretch the floor. If this pair can’t make a worthy trade before the deadline, they deserve to be fired.

7. The Bulls Don’t Work the Ball Around

In an era where teams are swinging the ball around and hitting three’s at a record rate, Chicago has eroded into an isolation team that doesn’t pass enough. The result: 20.6 assists per game (25th in league) versus 13.6 turnovers (18th). If Rondo (6.5 assists) were playing more than 27 minutes per game, he’d help fix this. But then again, he’s also part of the shooting problem.

8. Nikola Mirotic Is Playing Awful

Last season, forward Nikola Mirotic was a dangerous power forward shooting 39% from three-point range. This year, he’s devolved into a 30.1% three-point shooter, while hitting just 37.8% of his overall attempts. Workman power forward Taj Gibson (11.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG) has found himself in a bigger role as a result.

9. Fred Hoiberg Doesn’t Have Control Over this Team

Many have speculated that Fred Hoiberg’s seat is getting hotter with every Chicago loss. And this is justifiable because, in addition to his lackluster record, the second-year head coach reportedly has no control over team stars Wade and Butler.

10. The Team Still Doesn’t Know their Rotation

We’re over halfway through the year, and this squad still doesn’t have a good idea on their rotation. Butler, Wade, Gibson, and Robin Lopez are cemented in roles. But what about Carter-Williams, Rondo, Doug McDermott, Canaan, Grant, Cristiano Felicio, and Bobby Portis? Nobody knows, which is why this team isn’t improving.