Chicago Bulls News and Rumors: Why Pau Gasol Joining Bulls Does Not Make Them NBA Title Favorites
It's been an eventful offseason so far with trades, opt outs, and huge signings, particularly for the Chicago Bulls, who have added NBA free agent and former Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol to their roster this past weekend.
The Bulls have been very busy making offers to numerous players in hopes of signing the right pieces. Last season, the team finished fourth overall in the Eastern Conference at 48-34. The Bulls have a former league MVP on their squad in Derrick Rose, they have All-Star defender Joakim Noah, they've just signed Gasol, and they have one of the best coaches in Tom Thibodeau. So what's not to love?
Well, there may be more problems to that equation for Chicago than at first glance.
Here's five reason why the Bulls should not be heavy favorites for next year's NBA Championship:
1. No Offense
When we say "no offense," we really do mean no offense.
Last season, the Bulls ranked dead last in points scored per game with just 93.7 points per night. Gasol is a good addition, but let's not make it like he's as offensively gifted as Tim Duncan was in his prime. This team is dedicated to playing tough defense, which is good, but the scoring issues always come back to haunt them. Joakim Noah did win Defensive Player of the Year last season, but no team is afraid of him offensively. Getting Carmelo Anthony would have been huge for this team, but he obviously chose to stay with the New York Knicks. That means Chicago will still have to make do with few weapons on offense.
2. Derrick Rose's Health
Rose only played 10 games last season after missing the entire 2012 season before that. In 2011, he played 39 regular season games. So combined, Rose has played just 49 total regular season games over the last three years. That's an average of just over 16 games played per year over the last three seasons.
Would you bet on that?
Even when Rose was healthy, the Bulls only made it out of the first round one time, the 2010-11 season. If he's a no-show again, will the Bulls have any realistic chance of challenging for the NBA title?
3. The East is Improving
The Western Conference is still light years ahead of the Eastern Conference, but the Bulls are going to have a tougher task next season.
The Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, and Toronto Raptors will all be there again, but this time, the Bulls have to deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Since 2009, the Bulls have been eliminated from the playoffs by a LeBron James-led team three seperate times. With James on the Cavaliers, that automatically makes them contenders in the East and another team to worry about. Who knows? Maybe even the new-look Knicks with Derek Fisher will make a run next season.
4. No More Luol Deng
In all honesty, Deng never got the credit he deserved in Chicago. Deng averaged the most points per game on the Bulls last season before being traded to the Cavaliers. Deng was a consistent player who played with the Bulls for 10 long seasons. He was a reliable small forward who fit the system well and played a lot of important minutes for the franchise since 2004. With the offense already ranked near the bottom and Rose's health questionable at best, Deng's departure could be very detrimental.
5. Pau Gasol is Good, but Not Elite
The Chicago Bulls basically swapped Carlos Boozer for Pau Gasol. That's a good move that any general manager would make, considering Gasol is three inches taller, a better scorer, a more gifted passer, and a two-time NBA Champion.
However, it should be mentioned that, surprisingly, Boozer does average more rebounds per game than Gasol does. Boozer is also two years younger than Gasol and weighs 33 pounds more. Gasol is a slight upgrade, but not an immense one. Gasol is a good all-round player who doesn't have any big weaknesses, but at 34 years old he is past his prime, especially on the offensive side.
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