NBA Power Rankings: The Los Angeles Clippers’ curse is lame
Chicago Bulls 23-24
Last week: 4-3
Last rank: 18th
Jimmy Butler’s second breakout year is carrying the Chicago Bulls to a possible run at the playoffs. But, since the Bulls are run so chaotically, there have been rampant rumors that the team is possibly looking at trades involving Butler. Seeing how swimmingly the Rajon Rondo signing has gone — insert sarcasm font — I have full faith that they would be able to get proper value for their superstar. Fred Hoiberg is probably coaching his last year with this team if they don’t find a way to keep hold of a playoff spot by the end of the season.
This team needs to implode and start over again with Butler as their guiding light. Drafting Denzel Valentine was a good start a year ago, but the team has to be kicking itself over the trade the saw them send Nikola Jokic and Gary Harris to the Denver Nuggets for Doug McDermott. McDermott has gotten hot of late from beyond the arc and if he keeps knocking down 3-pointers there is still a chance that this team ends up part of the postseason in the Eastern Conference. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if this team bounced up and down these rankings for the rest of the season. What has been a surprise is the outspokenness of Butler and Dwyane Wade about the team’s poor play and inconsistent motor of late. This team is looking more and more like a ticking time bomb as the season goes on.