Are the Chicago Bulls legitimate NBA championship contenders?

Are the Chicago Bulls legitimate NBA championship contenders?: The X-Factor

The Bulls have leaked points in the paint this season, giving up 49.5 opposition points per game in that area. The lack of wing defense due to Caruso and Ball’s absence has hurt the team, but there is also a lack of a defensive presence in the paint.

Nikola Vucevic was an important factor in luring additional talent like DeRozan to the team, but so far, he has been unable to replicate the level of play we saw from him in Orlando.

At his best, Vucevic is a lethal post scorer that can space the floor and knock down threes, but he has never been a great rim protector. And his lesser role on the Bulls, compared to being a  primary offensive option on the Magic, has impacted his contribution.

Any team looking to go on a deep playoff run in the Eastern Conference will likely have to meet Giannis Antetekounmpo and/or Joel Embiid, meaning they will have to stop them in order to progress. They are MVP candidates for a reason – because they are largely unstoppable – but the Bulls will at least have to make life difficult for them.

The number of points the team is giving up in the paint is a huge cause for concern, but the return of key players should at least alleviate that somewhat. Perhaps the X-factor in whether the Bulls can challenge for the title, though, is what impact second-year player Patrick Williams can have.

Williams has missed the entire season through injury but could return by the end of the season. In his short time in the NBA, he has shown glimpses of being an excellent two-way talent with a lot of defensive ability. He could be the missing piece Chicago needs, but that is a lot to ask of a young player coming back from a serious wrist injury.

If he is able to contribute effectively on defense, along with Caruso and Ball, and with the offensive ability of DeRozan, Lavine, and Vucevic, then there is no reason the Bulls can’t be serious title challengers.

But any injuries or lapses on defense and those chances are drastically reduced. Chicago’s talent is unquestionable, but the team’s margin for error remains smaller than some of those around them.