Chicago Bulls: 3 Takeaways From Media Day

With the Chicago Bulls holding their media day this past Monday, it is clear the organization is ready to start a new chapter.

For the Chicago Bulls, Media Day seemed to go as quickly as it had come.

Between statements made by members of the front office, player interviews, photo shoots and even question and answer sessions via Snapchat, Monday was action-packed for the guys in red.

And although there was certainly a lot of content packed into a short amount of time, there were still standout takeaways that should help fans get a better understanding of the organization’s mindset moving forward.

C H I C A G O! pic.twitter.com/4RsE4aUhED
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) September 26, 2016

The 2015-16 campaign was a rough season for the franchise, and went beyond just numbers. While ending the year with a 42-40 record hurt, it was what got the Bulls in that predicament that had fans frustrated.

It seemed like the team was no longer committed to the organization, no longer interested in doing whatever it took to win; the will to succeed was instead replaced with the likes of inflated egos creating locker room drama. And of course, outside factors such as a newly appointed coach and a plethora of injuries did not help either.

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But if Media Day stands as any indication of what is to come, things are looking up for Chicago.

For instance, it seems like the front office is taking steps in the right direction.

Besides getting to work this offseason and bringing aboard new faces such as Denzel Valentine, Robin Lopez, Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade, the organization appears to be taking in constructive criticism.

After consistently being the one and only executive to ever address the media, general manager Gar Forman actually shared the spotlight with vice president of operations John Paxson this time around, and Paxson got more than a few words in.

Among topics such as youth development and Derrick Rose, Paxson touched upon the very issue that dragged the team down last season.

"“I’m going to make a few remarks. I’m excited. I mentioned last April I didn’t feel like the group had a collective fight to it. That was true. Change was necessary. … We have to start at a base level, and that’s culture and how guys go about their jobs every day.”"

Say what you want about Gar/Pax, but that absolutely rings true. A team loaded with talent means nothing without passion and drive. And for whatever reason, the 2015-16 squad had neither. However, hopefully with a revamped roster now, that will be a thing of the past.

Fans should also expect a shift in coaching to take place.

(Fingers crossed, anyway.)

While it is true that it was only head coach Fred Hoiberg‘s first year as a NBA coach last season, he severely underwhelmed — and not just in Jimmy Butler‘s eyes, who publicly called him out for being too soft.

Hoiberg was hit with a slew of criticism from the team, its fans and the media alike, wondering if the front office knew what they were doing when they replaced former head coach Tom Thibodeau with seemingly his exact opposite.

But at the very least, Hoiberg too knows he has to do better.

"“This is a high-pressure job, and I understand that. Nobody looked at this thing harder in the offseason than I did and was harder on themselves than I was."

Well, except maybe Butler, who still wants Hoiberg to coach him harder.

The truth is, only time will tell if Hoiberg turns out to be the right man for the job. But there is still something to be said about acknowledging his shortcomings, and working on a way to do better.