Chicago Bulls Roster & Predictions for 2016-17 NBA Season: Can 6-Time NBA Champion Be Great Again With Alpha Males Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler & Rajon Rondo?
Chicago Bulls, the NBA's greatest team in the 1990s, have struggled in the past years to form a solid roster that would be capable of bringing back its glorious days. Now that that free agency period is almost over, has the six-time NBA champion assembled enough talented players to ace the Eastern Conference of the 2016-17 NBA season and be great again?
The Bulls Roster For The 2016-17 NBA Season
Chicago Bulls appeared to be left out in the cold this offseason after two of its key players, point guard Derrick Rose and center Joakim Noah, signed with the New York Knicks. However, the franchise stunned the NBA community after it successfully inked a deal with Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat's 13-year shooting guard.
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"It's not often you get the opportunity to add a three-time champion and 12-time All Star to your roster," Bulls general manager Gar Forman said in a statement, per NBA.com. "We are delighted he has decided to become a Bull, as he provides a great veteran perspective on the court and in the locker room."
In addition to Wade, the Bulls have also acquired Rajon Rondo (point guard), Denzel Valentine (shooting guard), Robin Lopez (center), Isaiah Canaan (point guard), Jerian Grant (point guard) and Spencer Dinwiddie (point guard). They will be joining the franchise's star forward Jimmy Butler and the rest of the returning players.
Is The Bulls Roster Strong Enough?
Butler, who has been one of the franchise's star players since 2011, believed that the new Bulls roster is strong enough to make an impact in the 2016-17 NBA season. He told CBS Chicago that the presence of Wade and Rondo can help hold the Bulls to a higher standard.
"I like the way we look. Lots of competitors, some winners. I'm looking forward to it," Butler expressed.
Early Predictions For The 2016-17 NBA Season
Broderick Turner of Los Angeles Times predicted that the Bulls will be among the top eight teams who will earn a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. However, Turner placed the Bulls at the last spot of the projected Eastern Conference ranking.
Turner explained that the Bulls were able to successfully assemble three alpha males – Wade, Rondo and Butler. But Wade and Rondo were not as great as they were due to their history of injuries.
Moreover, early projections of ESPN ranked the Bulls ninth at the 2016-17 Eastern Conference standings. The forecast panel commended the franchise for adding established NBA players like Wade and Rondo. However, the dwindling performance of these players because of age and injuries might hinder the Bulls from acing the modern NBA.
