Atlanta willing to take low road in rebuilding
The Bulls and Hawks both made the playoffs in 2017, then decided to rebuild. The teams will make a good case study someday in the best way to start over in the NBA.
While the Bulls tried to "jump start" their makeover by trading Jimmy Butler for three rebuilding blocks, Atlanta seems to be following Philadelphia's semi-infamous "The Process."
Against the Bulls at the United Center on Saturday, the Hawks started three rookies - DeAndre Hunter, Cam Reddish and Bruno Fernando - second-year swingman Kevin Huerter and third-year forward John Collins. Top scorer Trae Young, who was second in rookie of the year voting last season, was out with an ankle injury.
Atlanta won 29 games last year, then got rid of three of their top six scorers - Taurean Prince, Kent Bazemore and Dewayne Dedmon - in an effort to get even younger. They started Saturday with the NBA's worst record at 6-26, on pace for 15 wins.
So while the Bulls were talking playoffs at the start of the season, the Hawks are eyeing another high draft pick. Second-year head coach Lloyd Pierce feels right at home, though. He was an assistant coach for the 76ers during the entire process, beginning in 2013.
"I've been through seven top-5 picks between here and Philly," Pierce said before the game. "So you go into the season understanding what the situation is. You love for these guys to grow, you love for these guys to play heavy minutes. You understand for every good game, there's a game that's coming where it's like, 'Why couldn't he do what he did last night?'"
During Pierce's first three seasons as a Philadelphia assistant, the team won 19, 18 and 10 games. The process was painful, but now the Sixers are one of the better teams in the East.
Only time will tell whether the Bulls or Hawks took the smarter path to rebuilding. Atlanta had higher draft picks than the Bulls the past two years, but also traded Luka Doncic, the best player in the 2018 draft, to Dallas for Young and another first-rounder, which turned out to be Reddish.
It does seem safe to suggest this will be a season of growing pains in Atlanta.
"I'm not bothered by the youth, I'm not bothered by us being younger," Pierce said. "Just understanding the process and the situation and keeping that as the focus."
Respecting 82:
Bulls coach Jim Boylen supports keeping the NBA's 82-game season. There's been talk of lowering it to 78 games with an in-season tournament in December.
"I love the 82-game schedule," Boylen said before Saturday's game. "I think it's a test of your toughness, competitiveness, character. I love what it does to a team. I think it's really important. Obviously, I don't make those decisions, I support whatever the commish wants to do, but I love the 82-game schedule."
Bulls horns:
The Bulls made 15 of 19 free throws - 78.9% - and missed a chance to tie a franchise record of 80% foul-line shooting in eight straight games. ... Ex-Bulls forward Jabari Parker did not play Saturday due to a shoulder injury.