The Eastern Conference is likely to look very, very different this season. The Chicago Bulls should be optimistic about their chances at having a better record than last season's 39-43. At the top of the East, the Indiana Pacers will be without Tyrese Haliburton for the entire season due to an Achilles injury, while Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is also out for the year as he recovers from a torn right Achilles tendon. Outside of injuries, there were some major trades, as the Atlanta Hawks added Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil-Alexander Walker. The Hawks--who tied with the Bulls at 18th in defensive rating--will surely improve on defense with Porzingis inside, NAW on the perimeter, and up-and-coming forward Jalen Johnson returning. Thinking about the state of the new-look East led to thought of: What would have to happen for the Bulls to secure the No. 6 seed and avoid the Play-In Tournament?
I think it starts with the Bulls committing harder to one side of the ball. Whether it is more small-ball lineups, or the occasional full-court press, or zone, Chicago needs more drastic ways to catch teams off-guard as they catch on to their style of play.
If we are assume the Pacers and Celtics are no longer locks at top-six teams, you have the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, and the Orlando Magic. That leaves the Bulls, Hawks, Toronto Raptors, and Miami Heat as the teams conceivably fighting for that sixth seed. While I mention the Hawks improving, a major part of the reason they were able to get Porzingis is his injury history, along with Boston needing to shed salary. The 7-foot-2 sharpshooter is still dangerous, bur was limited to 42 games last season season. Chicago has the advantage of youth, and being able to run out a consistent rotation over a full season could give them a slight edge over a veteran-laden squad like Atlanta.
The Bulls finished two games ahead of the Heat last season, and that seems like a strong possibility to repeat following the recent announcement of Tyler Herro missing the start of the upcoming season following foot surgery. Even without Herro, Miami is still a tough squad, and the arrival of Norman Powell replaces some of the perimeter scoring punch lost. But as Bulls fans know, Herro is a special scorer when he gets rolling, and Miami will certainly miss him.
This brings us to a team that wasn't in the Play-In or playoff race last season, the Raptors. The Toronto roster remains intact, with the only key additions being rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, and former San Antonio Spurs 3-point shooting big Sandro Mamukelashvili. The Raptors' biggest addition is a player. that was already on the roster but is returning from injury, Brandon Ingram. With RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, and even Immanuel Quickley all seeming to operate in similar areas as Ingram to some degree, I'm fascinated to see how the fit plays out.
If the Bulls can hold off any strong pushes from the Heat and Raptors in the regular season, they would likely be looking at pushing one of the Hawks or Magic down to secure a top-six seed. Orlando seems poised to make real noise this year with Desmond Bane joining the fold, and hopefully a full, healthy season from Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Atlanta, despite their perfect fit on paper, will be relying on the availability of the oft-injured Porzingis, which makes it tough to trust them to live up to preseason hype. And the Bulls specifically, have fared well against Trae Young when Ayo Dosunmu is active. A slight leap from second-year forward Matas Buzelis to a double-digit scorer, along with some steady 3-point shooting from Coby White, and Josh Giddey, would go a long way towards the Bulls shocking the world, and securing a spot in the playoffs.
Read More Chicago Bulls Coverage
MORE: Kevin Huerter Could Be the Spark Bulls Need
MORE: What's Next For Julian Phillips in Chicago?
MORE: Dalen Terry Has a Big Season Ahead For the Bulls
MORE: REPORT: Warriors Declined Chicago Bulls' Offer for Jonathan Kuminga