There are not many teams in the Eastern Conference with legit title chances. You have the Cleveland Cavaliers, The Boston Celtics and maybe the Toronto Raptors, but the Chicago Bulls must be added to that list. The Golden State Warriors, rightfully so has dominated the headlines during the offseason with the signing of Kevin Durant, but Durant wasn’t the only superstar to move to another area code. Dwyane Wade moved back to his hometown of Chicago to join the Bulls, but he didn’t come alone.
The Bulls managed to snag Rajon Rondo to place in the same backcourt as Wade, yes, Rondo who many think has fallen off. He had that dismal season with the Dallas Mavericks but last year he proved his worth with the Sacramento Kings while posting per’s of 12/12/6, not to mention his 12 assists led the NBA. But some are saying this is not a good signing. In today’s NBA PGs are looked upon as scorers thanks to Russell Westbrook, Kyle Lowry, and Stephen Curry, but Rondo is a different breed, always have been, and that’s what makes him so special. He is one of the true PGs that can control a game, he thinks to pass first and shoots second which will be great for the Bulls offense, and he is a solid defender with two steals per game.
What Wade will give this team is instant credibility, not just within the league but fans as well. Derrick Rose was a hometown kid, but maybe the pressure was too much, then add his injury issues and his back gave out for carrying such a huge load. Wade has no such issue; he is a seasoned vet with 3 NBA titles to his name. He is not here to carry on the Michael Jordan legacy; he is there to carry on the Bulls legacy, and there is no better time than now. When Rose was traded, and Joakim Noah left via free agency the roster looked thin, but management may have put together their best roster since the Dynasty days.
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Wade, Rondo, Jimmy Butler, Robin Lopez, and Taj Gibson or Nikola Mirotic as the starting unit and Bulls can be seen as a threat to unseat the Cavs in the East. Maybe I am getting ahead of myself but doubting Wade is never the best option. Leaving Miami was a hard decision but coming home, he has plenty to play for. Wade, like many of us feel, Pat Riley showed him a lack of respect for his services and will be out to prove a point this season. You can pencil Wade in for 70+ games in 2016 as his body will be free of the contract stress that he has had to deal with over the last five seasons.
I’ve seen the new look Bulls called possibly the worst shooting team in the league; that’s fine as long as they make enough to win. The scoring load will fall on Butler and Wade while Rondo should be in line for one of the best assist seasons in history. If he managed 12 with the hapless Kings, imagine what he can do with the top-level talent he has now. The Bulls bench received a face-lift as well with the signing of Isaiah Canaan, Denzel Valentine, and Spencer Dwindle.
The Bulls are locked and ready to go with one goal in mind, a championship.