It would seem that the 14-point loss to a slumping Golden State team on Wednesday night would be rock bottom.
These are the Bulls, however, and rock bottom is just a next game away.
“There’s no shame in this game [Wednesday],’’ coach Jim Boylen said afterwards. “We played hard, we battled, we competed … this is not the defining moment of our season.’’
Boylen better hope it’s not, because this is past underachieving territory.
The Bulls have entered the flat-out embarrassment zip code.
Twenty games into a regular season is usually the first barometer for an organization to get a feel of what they have, and what the Bulls have is a mess with game No. 20 coming Friday night in Portland.
Offensively, they are ranked 25th in points scored (106.2 per game), ninth in three-point attempts (35.2 per game), but just 23rd in three-point field-goal percentage (34 percent). They are 29th in rebound differential per game (-5.1), and 25th in assist differential (-2.0).
Defensively, they do rank 13th in defensive efficiency rating, and it is a roster that does force turnovers, but how good can the defense really be playing when the Bulls still sport a 6-13 record in what has been a fairly easy schedule?
If there was a stat for dysfunction, however, it would be hard-pressed to find another franchise that would rank higher.
Despite Boylen preaching of hard work and spirit, this locker room is one more bad week away from last season’s small mutiny attempt to have a sequel with a much larger impact for the front office to have to deal with.
So what’s the solution?
Most organizations would fall back on the idea of winning cures all, but the Bulls don’t necessarily fall under the distinction of most organizations. Both vice president of basketball John Paxson and Boylen have insisted on several occasions that the players had to take the crown and run with it, setting the stage that it will be the roster changed first, before they explore other scenarios.
The Sun-Times did report on Monday that general manager Gar Forman will be having the heat turned up on his seat by chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, but a final decision on Forman might not come until season’s end.
As far as the players, no one looks like they need a change of scenery more than Lauri Markkanen. The reality of his situation, however, is a source told the newspaper last week that he is still deemed all but untouchable.
That leaves the next likely candidate being Zach LaVine, as well as admitting that the rebuild is not as far along as first believed.
The combo-guard is guaranteed $19.5 million each season through 2021-22, which is not a bad price tag for a player who should be the third option on a playoff team. The Bulls have rookie Coby White coming off the bench, also playing that combo-guard position, and maybe it’s time to let the North Carolina product loose as a starter.
That means sending LaVine for an expiring contract like a Reggie Jackson, and trying to hit it big come draft lottery time. What Bulls fans want to hear – or even deserve? Absolutely not. But maybe it’s time to look at White and second-year big man Wendell Carter Jr. as the foundation pillars, and then whatever this upcoming draft can give them.
Either way, something has to change, especially in a season that continues to spiral downward.
