Arturas Karnisovas, the Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President, aimed for improvement this season, but the team fell from sixth to tenth place in the regular season with 40 wins, a significant decrease from the previous season's 46 wins. The Bulls also failed to qualify for the playoffs, falling 102-91 to the Miami Heat in a play-in elimination game, despite overcoming a 14-point deficit early on and leading by six in the fourth period. Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 31 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter. Max Strus chipped in with 31 points, going 7-for-12 from beyond the arc.
Following Coby White's big 3-pointer, the Bulls struggled in the final minutes, missing their last seven shots and scoring only one point. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 26 points and nine assists, while Zach LaVine struggled with 6-for-21 shooting and five turnovers. The loss capped off a disappointing season for LaVine, who admitted, "This stings."
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The Bulls now have a few questions to answer now that the season is over. Nikola Vucevic will be a free agent, while Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu will be restricted free agents. Andre Drummond and Derrick Jones Jr. have player options, and Jones Jr. has stated that he intends to return. Furthermore, the Bulls still owe the Orlando Magic a first-round pick, which they will forfeit this season unless it falls among the top four picks in the draft lottery next month.
The Bulls' shooting and point guard situations must be addressed, and Lonzo Ball's future with the team is uncertain. Furthermore, management may need to assess whether their core group has reached its limit and consider trading either DeRozan or LaVine. However, for the time being, the Bulls must reflect on the missed opportunity and strive to improve during the offseason.