Rebuilding the Chicago Bulls with one NBA2k17 offseason

After 32 years at the helm of one of the NBA’s most successful franchises, Jerry Reinsdorf — the owner who presided over the Bulls’ dominance in the 1990s — has stepped down. Reinsdorf leaves with one of the NBA’s greatest ownership legacy, transforming a franchise barely afloat averaging barely 6,000 fans at the old, dingy Chicago Stadium to one of the NBA’s premiere franchises.

By 2017, though, it’s time for a change. As the team approaches 20 years since their last championship, patience is wearing thin. Change is not only welcomed, it’s demanded. In Jerry’s place, the long-held heir to the Bulls throne, current Bulls president & COO Michael Reinsdorf. Michael wastes little time making changes of his own. Gone are the days of his father’s staunch loyalty, Michael cleans house his first day on the job. John Paxson, Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Bulls since 2003, is gone. Paxson’s right-hand man, Gar Forman — Bulls general manager since 2009 — is also gone.

Fans, tired of the discontent at the top of the Bulls organization rejoice. Little do they know, the bloodletting has only just begun.

Read More: Bulls offseason preview

Michael’s first hire takes the basketball world by complete surprise as a complete unknown: Ephesius Sharma Vandale is named the new general manager of the Bulls. Local and national reporters alike wonder if Vandale got his name from a random name generator, you know, one like behindthename.com. Everyone is too afraid to ask. Vandale’s credentials are unknown but the man who appears to have a completely unfathomable half ancient Greek, half Swiss name exudes nothing but confidence. He promises change and lots of it. Fans of the team don’t question who he is or where he comes from. They wanted new blood. And they got it.

Vandale and the young Reinsdorf get to work right away on their offseason plan. The Bulls are going to be overhauled, with no stone left unturned. They are even part of a league-wide initiative to elimination the NBA’s half-court rule, which is only two votes away from being approved. The NBA does approve a shake-up to the draft lottery which has people buzzing — no longer will the worst team in the NBA have the best odds at the No. 1 overall pick. In fact, the worst team will have reduced odds of obtaining a top three pick. Tank-a-thon, no more.

Next up is the NBA Draft Lottery. The Bulls just barely squeaked into the playoffs this year, taking them out of the lottery. However, the Bulls could potentially own the Kings pick should it fall 11th in the lottery.

Boom.

Things are off to a very good start for Vandale.

Before the NBA Draft, the Bulls evaluate their coaching staff. Vandale has been on the outside looking in and doesn’t like what he’s seen. While Fred Hoiberg is undoubtably a very nice person, he has not acclimated himself well to the NBA coaching ranks. Vandale demands he has to go.

Reinsdorf gives him his blessing but not before coming to the table with a suitable replacement. Vandale looks at his budget and goes swinging for the fences.

Two days later, wooed by the prospects of a rebuild — well, that and a fresh 3-year, $30 million deal — Brad Stevens leaves the upstart Celtics and accepts a job as the head coach of the Bulls.

Draft day arrives and Bulls are eager to start building their future foundation. Or so we thought.

Vandale offers up a scenario to Reinsdorf. What if we go for it this year? What if we do everything we can to overhaul this organization in as quick a time as possible. Build around the lone superstar we have — Jimmy Butler — and do what we can to give the city of Chicago and Bulls fans a team they can root for now, as opposed to one that needs to mature and ripen over the next half decade.

Understanding the pressure of taking over one of the NBA’s top franchise from his father, Reisndorf agrees. He’s let Vandale get aggressive before and it ended up with the Bulls acquiring one of the NBA’s premiere head coaches. Why not? What’s the worst that can happen.

Seconds into the draft, Vandale is on the phone wheeling and dealing. Trade offers fly in but none jump out. Vandale has offered up first-round draft picks for the next three drafts. Who could possibly care about 2020 when you’re building for right now.

The offers come in but nothing jumps out at Vandale. He begins to wonder if this whole endeavor was a mistake. He starts looking at the Bulls draft board and planning to abort mission and draft the best fit for their future.

Then, he gets a call from the Clippers.

Los Angeles, a team also dealing with their fair share of disappointment and stagnation, wants to make a big move. They want the Bulls’ two first-round draft picks in this year’s NBA Draft.

The return? Clippers center and defensive stalwart DeAndre Jordan.

More importantly, Jordan is great friends with the Bulls’ lone star, Butler. Could this be the perfect way to appease his star and build a team that can contend next year? It won’t take Jordan alone but he’s a damn good start. With little hesitation, Vandale agrees. DeAndre Jordan is a member of the Bulls.

The rest of the draft comes and goes without much in the way of trades or trade offers. Next up for the Bulls is decisions on player options and qualifying offers. Vandale once again confides in his new owner, Reinsdorf. The team hasn’t gotten it done over the last few years, let me completely remake them. Let me remold the Bulls into a winner.

Vandales is two-for-two this offseason. Reinsdorf gives his blessing. The Bulls are gutted.

Qualifying offers are not extended to Nikola Mirotic, Christian Felicio, Joffrey Lauvergne or Michael Carter-Williams. Only Bobby Portis’ team option is picked up. Predictably, Dwyane Wade picks up his massive player option. Free agency starts tomorrow and flexibility is key.

Vandale and the Bulls come out swinging on the first day of free agency but quickly find out they are not in as good a position as they thought they were. They make a cursory offer to Warriors free agent Kevin Durant, hoping, praying that he’s gone nuts and wants to leave the Warriors fresh off his first NBA championship. They’ll never know, because they simply can’t afford him.

Vandale tries to lowball Stephen Curry, also a free agent fresh off a championship. It doesn’t go well. Curry tells the Bulls he’s insulted and refuses to negotiate with them anymore.

The Bulls do whatever they can to convince Chris Paul the time is right to come to Chicago. While the time may be right, the money isn’t. The Bulls cannot offer what Paul is worth.

Uh-oh.

The realization sets in. Bulls are going to need to cut more salary if they want to take a swing at one of the big free agents. Vandale gets on the phone quickly offering up his incumbent center, redundant now with Jordan in the fold, Robin Lopez. The Clippers answer again. They are interested.

After a few minutes of discussion, the Bulls agree to send Lopez and a 2020 second round pick to the Clippers for Luc Mbah a Moute. Vandale doesn’t really WANT or need Mbah a Moute, this is strictly a financial move. It saves the Bulls a ton of money.

Next up, Wade. The kid from the southside of Chicago came home last season but that was that year, that was the old, loyal Bulls organization. Vandale is ruthless. He’s trying to build a winner, not sell nostalgia and goodwill. He gets on the phone and starts calling around. The problem is nobody bites. Wade is old, broken down and makes too much money. Vandale and the Bulls are met with crickets. Nobody wants Wade.

Desperate to remove Wade’s salary from the books before the first day of free agency ends, Vandale calls the 76ers. If anyone knows about a dramatic plan to rebuild a franchise, it’s Philadelphia.

Vandale cuts to the chase. He wants to trade Wade and doesn’t care what he gets back so long as it gives him payroll flexibility. The Sixers laugh and offer a second-round pick in 2020.

A largely worthless pick both long-term and short-term. Waiting for Vandale to hang up the phone in anger, they are instead floored by Vandale agrees. Wade is a member of the 76ers and the Bulls have just carved a gigantic chunk of salary cap space.

Vandale’s addicted. The hunt for more salary cap space consumes him. He can’t stop. He grabs the phone as quickly as he can to find more takers, more marks to pawn his worthless goods onto. He finds another deal with the Knicks who will send him Willy Hernangomez and a 2018 first-round pick swap for the newly-acquired Luc Mbah a Moute, former first-round pick Denzel Valentine and the Bulls swapped 2018 first-rounder. Mbah a Moute is thankfully stopped seconds before he boards a plane to Chicago. He’s going to New York. The deal is done and the Bulls have $2 million more in cap room.

The Bulls are finally ready. It’s time to swing for the fences.

Vandale calls Durant’s team back and offers a fair deal. Durant and his team want to weigh their options, but the Bulls are in the running.

Jazz free agent Gordon Hayward is up next. Potentially redundant in a lineup with Butler? Yeah, maybe, but the Bulls are trying to make a splash. These two stars will find a way to work together.

In the end, Vandale and the Bulls send huge money offers to Paul, Hayward, Durant, Blake Griffin and Kyle Lowry. All they can do now is wait.

The next few days are nothing but stress and anger for Vandale who has slammed his phone down so often interns have been sent to have a new phone on the ready for the next potential call.

Paul opts to return to the Clippers. As does his teammate Griffin. Durant predictably decides to stay with the Warriors. Hayward defies many predictions and sticks with the Jazz. Lowry wants another go in Toronto.

The Bulls are left with nothing. It’s time for Plan B.

Vandale starts looking not as the top tier players but role players to complement his core of Jordan and Butler. Serge Ibaka jumps off the page as a potential rim protector. The Bulls may not be able to score with the best of the best, but they are going to play defense. By day five of free agency, Vandale has locked up Ibaka, veteran Vince Carter and point guard Patty Mills.

This isn’t what the Bulls envisioned when they embarked on this journey, but they are determined to make it work.

A few days later, the Bulls sign Wayne Ellington and Marco Bellini. The goal now is to build one of the NBA’s deepest teams.

The following days see Vandale locked up big men to bolster his team defense. Veteran Nene is signed along with underrated, young big man John Henson.

Vandale is able to maintain flexibility by offering short-term deals to all of these players. If it blows up in his face this season, the Bulls will be well-equipped to change course next season. But it’s not going to blow up. Vandale is going to make it work.

Just a day later, veteran shooter Brandon Rush is signed. However, his Bulls tenure wouldn’t last long. Almost while the ink was still wet, Vandale was seeing any potential market for his new toys. Much to his surprise, he found a suitor in the Heat. The Bulls offered young shooting guard Paul Zipser, the newly-signed Rush, the 2018 first-round pick swap with the Knicks and a 2019 first-round pick. The Heat returned with a 2020 first-round pick and 21-year-old small forward Justise Winslow.

Vandale had been a big fan of Winslow and eager to add a young, athletic talent to his now-veteran-laden team. Vandale agrees and the Bulls continue their transformation.

Eager to see what else is out there, Vandale gets back on the phone and calls a familiar friend, the 76ers. Vandale offers a package of Willy Hernangomez, Vince Carter and the 2020 first-round pick they just acquired from Miami. Philly is strangely interested. They offer 26-year-old Robert Covington and backup point guard T.J. McConnell.

Vandale believes he has once again struck gold. The deal is done.

Minor moves follow but the bulk of the Bulls roster is where Vandale wants it. Anchored by a core of Jimmy Butler, DeAndre Jordan and Serge Ibaka, backed by athletic wings like Robert Covington and Justise Winslow with one of the NBA’s deepest, most veteran-laden benches, the Bulls are ready to see what they are made of in the 2018 season.

Vandale’s offseason bloodletting results in only two players from the Bulls’ previous season remaining with the team: Butler and backup big Bobby Portis.

Confidence is high in Chicago. They may not have built a sure-fire championship team but the Bulls are going to give people fits this season. Even if things didn’t work out quite as anticipated, Bulls fans got the change they wanted.

The injury bug hit the Bulls early and often. Costing many of the Bulls’ top players significant time:

• Jimmy Butler (Broken Right Finger)
• Robert Covington (Broken Right Wrist)
• Jimmy Butler (High Left Ankle Sprain)
• Bobby Portis (Season-Ending Spinal Injury)
• Robert Covington (Ruptured Achilles)

The new-look Bulls never falter and never lose focus. Despite the injuries and the chemistry issues that come with a complete revamped roster, the Bulls win 55 games and claim the second seed in the NBA Playoffs. Covington’s ruptured achilles comes at the worst possible time, just days before the playoffs. The Bulls are upset by head coach Stevens’ former team, the Celtics, in the first round.

When it’s all said and done, Vandale and the Bulls are proud of what they did. You have to shoot your shot and they did. Bulls fans demanded change and got it in a big way. The Bulls had a more exciting regular season than they had in quite some time and if not for some bad luck injury wise, they could’ve made a deep run in the playoffs. The talent was undoubtably there.

Next: The draft that Danny Ainge built

In the end, though, the Bulls, like the rest of the NBA, are merely pawns. The NBA Finals come down to the Warriors and the Cavaliers, the fourth straight NBA Finals between the two franchises. And like the season prior, the Warriors win the title, 4-1.

Durant hoisting yet another NBA Finals MVP above his head. No matter where you are in the NBA, if you aren’t the Warriors or the Cavaliers, you are in NBA hell.