Hoops Habit
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The Chicago Bulls should keep their core group of players together

By Thomas J. Brown

Dec 31, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) is held back by Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (12) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) is held back by Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (12) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Chicago Bulls
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – APRIL 20: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls takes a three point shot in the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks during Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Fiserv Forum on April 20, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

The Chicago Bulls should keep their core group of players together.

Recently, there has been a lot of talk surrounding free-agent-to-be, Zach LaVine. During the regular season, LaVine and teammate DeMar DeRozan often did interviews side by side. They gushed about how great their communication was in the offseason leading up to training camp, and their on-court chemistry seemed to back up those claims. Ultimately, the two elite wing players were both named to the All-Star team and Chicago rode that momentum into the playoffs.

However, once the playoffs started, reality kicked in. Although DeRozan’s exploits were able to help the team secure a Game 2 victory on the road, the Bulls were sorely outmatched by the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.

Having absolutely no answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the team lost their first-round series four games to one. Immediately, all of the attention turned to the upcoming offseason.

The offseason is a time when a lot of good teams are broken up by the business of basketball. The Chicago Bulls should not succumb to that fate.

Making the 2022 Playoffs marked the first time the Chicago Bulls qualified for the postseason since 2017. Ending a five-year playoff absence is a big deal in any city. It’s an even bigger deal when that city is used to having a championship contender with a perennial MVP candidate.

Seeing the Bulls lose year after year simply did not feel right. However, the world of professional sports is built around impatience and fans in the Windy City are already discussing ways to make the team better.

While trying to improve is always the position that every front office should take, sometimes a trade is made too soon and a player who should be part of the fabric of the team is sent out of town.

The Chicago Bulls have several key players who contributed to this year’s run to the postseason and who should be kept together for at least one more year. Let’s take a closer look at who those players are and why the front office should keep them together.

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