Chicago Bulls: It’s now time to tank
The Chicago Bulls added another key player to their growing list of injuries. So what do they do now?
I’m not sure things could have started any worse for the Chicago Bulls this season. If it weren’t for the otherworldly play of Zach LaVine, Bulls fans might be completely catatonic at this point.
It all started with the news of Lauri Markkanen‘s elbow injury, which is going to keep him out for approximately another month. Realistically, however, it is going to take him a few more weeks to regain his conditioning and get back into basketball shape. It will take just as much time for him to get a rhythm as well.
Fast forward to this week. After missing the first two games due to the birth of his son, starting point guard Kris Dunn strained his MCL in his first game back. The Bulls announced the next day that he is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
Bulls fans barely caught their breath after that news when they were hit with another haymaker straight to the chops. Bobby Portis, known himself to deliver effective haymakers, also strained his MCL, and the Bulls announced on Thursday that he will also miss 4-6 weeks.
If you’re keeping score at home, that is now three critical pieces of this Bulls roster that will be out for the next 4-6 weeks. Again, realistically these three players won’t be back at full capacity until sometime in mid to late December.
That timeline begs the question whether it’s time to go “full tank” mode. A few weeks ago, I pondered the same question and ultimately concluded the Bulls should absolutely not tank this season. I am going full Flipper and changing my opinion. In fairness, that opinion was rendered before both the Dunn and Portis injuries.
With those now a reality, the Bulls must seriously consider tanking yet another season. The Bulls were never a real playoff contender this season, even with everyone healthy.
The real benefit to not tanking this season was to get the young nucleus of this team on the floor together for the entire season. First, to develop chemistry. Second, to properly evaluate what they have in those players going forward. Finally, fairly evaluating Fred Hoiberg with a full, healthy roster, and determining at the end of the season whether he is the right man to lead this effort.
Next. Effects of Dunn injury. dark
Those benefits have all but vanished after these injuries. So the Bulls are left with a decision. Do they try to stay afloat for the next month and make a mini-run once healthy? Doing this would likely result in missing the playoffs and ending up with a mid-first-round pick. The alternative is another season of tanking and ending up with another top-ten pick, which could be used to draft another piece to the puzzle or included as a trade chip.
To me, the decision is now an easy one. Unless the returns of Dunn, Markkanen, and Portis are accelerated, the Bulls should lick their wounds, and chalk up another wasted season for the greater good.