Three Things to Watch in Last Month of Bulls Season

Preliminary reports indicate DeMar DeRozan is going to be looking for a near max deal this offseason. While he has been worth every penny of his current deal, a max deal at 35 years old would be a risky move by the Bulls.

If the Bulls were to bring DeRozan back with the current salary cap issues, outside of a potential Zach LaVine trade, it would be their big move of the offseason. They would have room for other smaller moves, but not much more than that. 

Next year's team has to have the expectation of being over .500 and making the playoffs. If DeRozan’s age causes a drop off in his numbers or causes him not to play 90% of an 82-game season with playoffs, it would be a big miss.

Watching DeRozan for any sort of drop off in March and April this year should be what the Bulls are watching for. They can not make another bad deal and be handcuffed in the same way they have been with LaVine.

Are Julian Phillips and Dalen Terry Growing?

The two most recent Bulls draft picks are still back end of the rotation guys. While each have had flashes, there has been a lack of consistency. Julian Phillips needs to be scoring every night in a variety of ways. Dalen Terry needs to be become more defensively sound to add to a much-needed overall team weak spot. Terry has shown some offensive flashes but needs consistency, especially from three. 

With the track record of the Bulls previous draft picks, it may be time to cut their losses and recoup some capital. Terry was a first-round pick and Phillips was a high second-round selection. Getting second-rounders from a team who wants a cheap reclamation project could help the Bulls open a new window centered around Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu.

Is Billy Donovan The Right Coach For This Team?

When the Bulls signed Billy Donovan, he was the hottest name on the market in the offseason of 2020. Since then, he hasn't been able to establish a cohesive structure within the team's roster. Plus, there have been multiple games where the Bulls have lacked making critical halftime adjustments.

Donovan also is responsible for the development of the Bulls draft picks. Outside of Ayo Dosunmu, none of the Arturas Karnisovas-era draft picks have developed into something more than a middle of the rotation guy.

If there continues to be mediocre play and a lack of adjustments, moving on from Donovan could be the route the Bulls need to take. Karnisovas believes he has cultivated a roster good enough to be competitive, but the wins and losses say otherwise.