Before the All-Star break last season, the Chicago Bulls remained at the top of the Eastern Conference but fell apart after the All-Star break due to covid protocols and Lonzo Ball’s injury. Before Ball’s injury, the Bulls were 27-11. The Bulls finished the season with the sixth seed in the East at 46-36 and lost 1-4 in the first round of the NBA Playoffs to the Milwaukee Bucks.

This season the Bulls have played below average, and Lonzo Ball hasn’t returned from his injury. As of right now, the Bulls have a record of 20-24 which is very concerning because they have a roster with three all-stars. The only all-star that has been playing up to par this season is DeMar DeRozan, but he can’t do it by himself, it’s time for Nikola Vučević and Zach LaVine to step up. 

Vucevic has had a couple of good games and recently posted a career-high 43 points against the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 15. LaVine has played lackluster on offense and defense, which caused him to get benched earlier this season and called out by teammates in their matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Lavine has not been playing like the max player Bulls thought he would be when they signed him last summer to that enormous 215 million contract. 

Since being called out by his teammates in that Timberwolves game, LaVine has averaged 26.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. If Lavine can keep up this level of play, the Bulls may still have a chance this season. The Bulls’ inconsistent “Big Three” is not only the problem, it’s the role players, and head coach Billy Donovan’s fault too. 

The front office assembled a mediocre team that they expect to win now, but that is impossible with this roster. The Bulls lack shooting, interior defense, scoring off the bench, and a true power forward. The front office should make trades at the deadline to correct what this roster lacks or blow it up and wait until the offseason.