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John Paxson gives his take on the state of the Chicago Bulls

By Carlos Nazario

Dec 12, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls vice president of basketball perations John Paxson (left) and general manager Gar Forman (center) talk with sports writer Sam Smith (right) prior to a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 12, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls vice president of basketball perations John Paxson (left) and general manager Gar Forman (center) talk with sports writer Sam Smith (right) prior to a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
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The biggest needs for the Bulls

“We’ve wanted to play with a little more pace, a little quicker. In this day and age, if you’re not advancing the ball quickly and you’re allowing defenses to set up and you’re fighting clock, that becomes an issue. One of the things I see Fred’s talked about is the fact that we get to fourth quarters, and we really stop pushing pace and the ball stops moving. That’s been one thing that’s really, really hurt us.”

Paxson spoke about the need for the Chicago Bulls to be more athletic. He says the pace needs to be quicker, especially in the fourth quarter. So far this season, the Bulls are last in the league in fourth quarter scoring. That happens because the ball stops moving in key situations. Teams know that the ball will be in either Wade’s or Butler’s hand, so opponents blanket them, daring the other Bulls to beat them. More often than not, that isn’t happening.

The struggling bench is also a part of the problem. Shooting 42.1 percent from the field, they rank 27th. Injuries play a big part in that. Missing McDermott for a long period of time, as well as Michael-Carter Williams, really hurts. This team is filled with young players so having veterans to help them out is crucial.

With a larger cap space and some maneuvering, John Paxson can rebuild (shhh, that’s a dirty word) the Bulls quickly and get them back to contending. Hopefully, they do more than just that.

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