Bulls mailbag: Do we need a more veteran presence?
If this turns out to be the Bulls' last-ever circus road trip, at least they made it a good one, finishing with a 4-2 record.
Now with four days off before returning to the United Center for a date with the Los Angeles Lakers, this is a good time to answer some reader questions.
Of course, the most obvious question might be, "When will the circus return to the UC, if at all?" Don't know, unfortunately. That's a question for the three-ring beat writer.
Looking at the East and taking into account the Bulls' good start, how realistic is that #2 seed this season? - @BodeJeff
When the season began, I thought the best-case scenario for the Bulls was to be in the mix for the No. 2 seed behind Cleveland. That certainly seems possible at this point, although the Bulls have played just one game against the top group in the East and lost at Atlanta.
You worry about an injury bringing the Bulls down, since they rely so heavily on Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade. At the same time, improvement from the younger guys could make the Bulls a better team as time goes on.
There are enough good signs right now to believe the Bulls have a chance at a top-four seed. With 11 home games in December, the positive vibes might continue.
Do the Bulls need too make a trade for a veteran stretch-four, like Rudy Gay? Watching Bobby Portis look lost on the court is annoying at the least - @SGTOC32
I wrote about this last week. A conundrum for the Bulls right now is they presumably have Wade in high form for two seasons. But it might take two years or more before Portis, Nikola Mirotic, Doug McDermott, Denzel Valentine are experienced enough to make a difference.
So yes, I think they should strongly consider trading for a veteran. Sacramento's Gay could make sense, because he'll likely be available and could play power forward in the Bulls' game-closing lineup.
In your opinion how has coach Fred Hoiberg improved, if at all, in his second year? - @joeychibull
I think for starters, Hoiberg came into this season with a clear vision of what he wanted from this team and seemed to approach training camp with more confidence in his methods. The surprising lack of days off was one example.
Things like getting off to fast starts are a good reflection on the head coach, because that means players are paying attention to the game plan and bringing energy from the opening tip. Leading the league in fewest free throws allowed and playing decent defense most of the time are signs of a well-coached team, in my opinion.
Why does Hoiberg insist on using Portis? Doesn't he see that he doesn't play well at center with Niko? Cristiano Felicio should get minutes, right? - @bullsbt
A fair question, even if it did come from Brazil, Felicio's home. I'd say Hoiberg turned to Portis because he liked his energy and the fact that he's at least a threat to hit an outside jumper.
The downside is Portis can make the Bulls undersized in the middle and he's still figuring out defense. One thing that doesn't make sense is Hoiberg made the switch from Felicio to Portis so quickly at the start of the season.
The last time Felicio played 20 minutes was in the second and third games of the season. The Bulls won both to improve to 3-0, then Felicio was basically out of the rotation. Prediction: He'll get another chance soon enough.
Who can we get if we trade Mirotic? - @Lou_305
This is a tough read, because every NBA team has the same view as the Bulls: Mirotic could be a very good NBA player, but hasn't put it together with any consistency.
If any team trades for Mirotic, they'll be banking on a brighter future. He's also a restricted free agent next summer, so there may be a hefty pay raise in his future. In other words, he won't bring back an all star in a trade.
What is Rondo's contract situations? Is next year a team option? - @DRJK2
Contract details can be tough to confirm, but the consensus is Rondo has a partial guarantee for next season. His deal is worth $13.4 million, with $3 million guaranteed. So if the Bulls want to move on from Rondo after the season, they'll have that option.
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