Following their win against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night, the Chicago Bulls have now won 9-of-11 after starting the season 3-20. They now officially have the best record in the NBA since Dec. 8 aside from only the Golden State Warriors…
Yeah, “what the fuck?” is exactly the question you should be asking yourself, you are correct. The Bulls kind of seem like this years’ Miami Heat, an obvious tank machine that can’t seem to keep itself from middling NBA Hell– the 15th pick.
TRADE. NIKO. NOW.
Things were all fine and dandy until Nikola Mirotic came back from having his face cremated, seemingly transformed into a man possessed. He has scored at least 20 points in five of the eleven games he’s played in, while averaging 17.5 points per game this season. This was not supposed to happen.
The ideal scenario for the Bulls entering the season was to tank.Tank.TANK and get a top three pick for what is expected to be a loaded draft come June 2018. DUH.
The plan was to ride this dysfunctional shit show straight to Marvin Bagley III. Now Mirotic and Portis are best friends, Lauri Markannen is better than anyone expected, Kris Dunn is a fucking monster, David Nwaba can play defense, and Zach LaVine isn’t even back yet.
It’s time to trade Niko and possibly Robin Lopez. NOW.
Winning provides some good lessons for a team with young players, sure. However, GarPax still have to have their eyes set on a top three pick this year. If they don’t, I hate them more than I could have ever dreamed previously, and that, just like the Bulls’ recent success, seemed impossible a month ago.
Shopping Nikola Mirotic
The good news is, Mirotic has elevated his trade value substantially since returning, which will make him a hot commodity on the trade market come January. And just like that, according to the Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson, the Bulls have begun shopping Mirotic and Robin Lopez.
Here’s what Johnson wrote on Thursday:
And while management already has begun exploring the trade market on Robin Lopez and Nikola Mirotic and followed through on its conservative approach to LaVine’s return from left ACL surgery, these also are indisputable truths about where the Bulls’ rebuild stands.
Johnson went on to write that management will not judge this team solely on wins and losses but effort as well, and player development remains a big deal for this organization moving forward.
If the Bulls can somehow convince a playoff-contending team to surrender a late first round pick for Mirotic color me pink and draw rainbows and Unicorns all over me, because I’ll be happier than a pig in shit.
