"Over the last few months, I started looking at where we were at. And I thought to myself, how are we going to get out of this mess?"
"If that was the cleanup phase, then the thought process clearly started before the deadline, before all the Jaden Ivey drama, and before the Bulls were officially eliminated from postseason contention."
"In 2021-22, the Bulls, led by DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, and Nikola Vučević, stormed out to a 27-11 record by mid-January, one of the best in the league."
"Three days later, Lonzo Ball underwent surgery on his left knee, and just like that, the waves shifted. Without him, the Bulls went 19-23 the rest of the way."
The Chicago Bulls experienced six years of underperformance, marked by only one playoff appearance and no series wins. Frustration grew, prompting management to consider changes. CEO Michael Reinsdorf acknowledged the need for a turnaround, initiating a cleanup at the trade deadline by trading expiring contracts. The decline began after a strong start in the 2021-22 season, which faltered due to Lonzo Ball's injury. This period of mediocrity ultimately led to the decision to make significant changes to the team's structure.
Read at Bleacher Nation
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