Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Veteran wing Norm Powell has joined the Bulls, signaling Chicago's ambition to climb the Eastern Conference standings next season.
- The new addition brings elite shooting range and should immediately elevate the team's half-court offense.
- The coach now faces key decisions about balancing veteran presence with the development of the team's young core.
Signing Norman Powell sends a clear signal that the Chicago Bulls want to make noise in the Eastern Conference next season. His arrival in Chicago should do wonders to unlock things for the team's young core.
New head coach Tiago Splitter will look to supercharge the team's offense by upping their tempo. That bodes well for the team's athletic frontcourt. They still entered the offseason with a profound need to add a top-notch shooter to their backcourt.
Powell is not a perfect fit for the team's timeline at the age of 33, but he is just the sort of shooter they need to boost their halfcourt offense. He shot 38 percent from 3 last year on over seven attempts per game in Miami. He should look to get at least that many shots from deep up next season for Chicago.
Adding Powell to the mix drastically raises the Bulls ceiling. They won't be competing for an NBA title next year, but they can realistically hope to win a playoff round in the Eastern Conference. Here's the lineup Splitter should be looking to roll out on opening night.
Projected Chicago Bulls starting lineup and depth chart
STARTER | POSITION | BENCH |
|---|---|---|
Josh Giddey | PG | Tre Jones |
Norman Powell | SG | Rob Dillingham |
Matas Buzelis | SF | Dailyn Swain, Isaac Okoro |
Caleb Wilson | PF | Patrick Williams |
Nic Claxton | C | Jalen Smith, Zach Collins |
Josh Giddey will still hand the ball a ton for this team. His lack of outside shooting does restrict his team's offensive flow at times, but he comfortably profiles as an above-average distributor. His ability to create for others should work well with Powell in the starting backcourt.
The team could still stand to use more depth behind Powell at the shooting guard spot. Isaac Okoro can spell him in a pinch, but his lack of shooting ability is a poor fit alongside Giddey. Splitter might also experiement with the idea of going small in the backcourt by playing Rob Dillingham or Tre Jones alongside Giddey when Powell needs a rest.
Chicago figures to start a big lineup with Matas Buzelis at the three and rookie Caleb Wilson at the four. Those forwards should be able to interchange seamlessly on defense. Wilson will make his offensive impact by attacking the rim, while Buzelis will need to continue to stretch his game on the perimeter. Rookie Dailyn Swain will get tick when Splitter wants to go with a more conventional option at small forward.
Nic Claxton is the team's new starting center and will be counted on to give the group high-quality rim protection. Jalen Smith will serve as his primary backup, and Zach Collins was re-signed to be the team's No. 3 center. The group lacks a star but should be able to give Chicago above-average production over the course of the regular season.
How good does signing Norman Powell make the Bulls?
The Bulls' front office has forged a roster that is capable of making noise in the Eastern Conference. The high-water goal for the franchise should be trying to secure homecourt advantage. The odds are stacked against Powell raising this group to those heights, but stranger things have happened.
At the very least, Chicago should be in position to finish above the play-in game. That would represent real progress for a team that's been wandering in the sea of mediocrity for years. It would also justify the free agent signing of Powell.
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