Power Rankings
Overall rank: 8th
Tier: Playoff Locks
Projected Seeding: 2nd in East
The Bulls have had an excellent team during the 2010s, featuring a core that has always included PG Derrick Rose, SG Jimmy Butler, and C Joakim Noah. SF Luol Deng and PF Carlos Boozer used to round out that starting 5, but Boozer has since been replaced by the productive PF/C Pau Gasol and young SF Doug McDermott looks to edge out SG/SF Mike Dunleavy to be the main guy to fill the void left by Deng at the three. Butler and Gasol cruised to All-Star appearances last season, while Noah was decent when healthy as well. Rose is actually a superstar when he’s 100%, in fact, but injuries have plagued him badly over the last few years. However, he’s healthy now, and my gut tells me to bet on him to stay healthy for the better part of this season (no matter how stupid that sounds, given Rose’s past, as well as his recent minor injury). A starting lineup featuring Rose, Butler, Gasol, Noah, and a revamped bench is sure to be a top-10 team, but the season essentially hinges on Rose’s ACLs. And I’m predicting that they’ll hold up, simple as that.
Overall rank: 8th
Tier: Playoff Locks
Projected Seeding: 2nd in East
The Bulls have had an excellent team during the 2010s, featuring a core that has always included PG Derrick Rose, SG Jimmy Butler, and C Joakim Noah. SF Luol Deng and PF Carlos Boozer used to round out that starting 5, but Boozer has since been replaced by the productive PF/C Pau Gasol and young SF Doug McDermott looks to edge out SG/SF Mike Dunleavy to be the main guy to fill the void left by Deng at the three. Butler and Gasol cruised to All-Star appearances last season, while Noah was decent when healthy as well. Rose is actually a superstar when he’s 100%, in fact, but injuries have plagued him badly over the last few years. However, he’s healthy now, and my gut tells me to bet on him to stay healthy for the better part of this season (no matter how stupid that sounds, given Rose’s past, as well as his recent minor injury). A starting lineup featuring Rose, Butler, Gasol, Noah, and a revamped bench is sure to be a top-10 team, but the season essentially hinges on Rose’s ACLs. And I’m predicting that they’ll hold up, simple as that.