If I told you at the beginning of the season that the Chicago Bulls would have a healthy Offensive Rating of 85 . Perhaps it’s because he hasn’t gotten any rhythm or chemistry with the starters? But perhaps his spacing is valuable even despite the bad play? See the dilemma?
However, if Mirotic isn’t going to hit outside shots or provide any spark on the offensive end, it’s hard to keep him on the floor. Noah is a superior passer, Pau Gasol is a superior interior offensive player, and Taj Gibson is a superior defender and rim protector. Mirotic is a superior shooter and floor spacer –- something the Bulls desperately need -– but if he isn’t doing that, it’s hard to give him minutes over the veterans Thibodeau has been with for years.
The Future
Rumors have been circulating that Thibodeau is gone after the playoffs regardless of what happens, as things with the front office has gotten too hostile. If the Bulls lose to the Cavaliers in the second round, there are a lot of questions that should be asked about the ceiling of this roster. Notably, what do you do with the frontcourt situation this summer?
The theme for the Bulls this season has been a group of talented players not fitting into an elite team that their talent suggests they should be. Is their frontcourt too crowded? If so, how do you remedy it? Nikola Mirotic showed this year that he’s ready for an increased role, despite his playoff struggles. His game is perfectly suited to the pace-and-space nature of the NBA in 2015, and can be a legitimate pick-and-roll terror with Derrick Rose in the future.
The Bulls signed Gasol through the 2016-2017 season in a move that looks unnecessary -– and possibly detrimental to the team –- after seeing how good Mirotic can be. Noah will be an expiring next year and as a career Bull and loved player, it’s likely they’ll try to re-sign him, albeit at a lower cost. What do you do with Gibson? His contract was thought of as a major discount at about $8 million a year through the 2016-2017 season, but it’s just too crowded to warrant that contract now.
Rose has been up and down all season, but he’s not going anywhere. He’s due to be paid $20 and $21 million over the next two seasons. His play doesn’t warrant that salary, but it’s not bad enough to stretch him and it’s not good enough to justify it or garner any trade interest. Jimmy Butler is a star and will be paid this season by the Bulls –- that’s not even a question.
It will be interesting to see if anything in the playoffs affects their offseason. Again, rumors are Thibs is out. Period. But it’s a fairly realistic possibility that the Bulls could beat the Cavs and then make the NBA Finals. Do you really run a respected, defensive genius coach out of town if he takes your squad to the NBA Finals? There is no shortage of interesting questions in the Bulls future, and every game from now on can affect them.