Chicago Bulls offseason recap: Where's the three-point shooting?
With the bulk of NBA free agency in the books, USA TODAY Sports explores how all of the offseason moves will alter each team as we look ahead to the 2016-17 season.
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Projected starting five: Chicago Bulls
(Statistics from 2015-16 season)
- Rajon Rondo (with Sacramento) - Points: 11.9, assists: 11.7, rebounds: 6.0, steals: 2.0, field goal percentage: 45.4%
- Dwyane Wade (with Miami) - Points: 19.0, rebounds: 4.1, assists: 4.6, steals: 1.1, field goal percentage: 45.6%
- Jimmy Butler - Points: 20.9, rebounds: 5.3, assists: 4.8, steals: 1.6, field goal percentage: 45.4%
- Nikola Mirotic - Points: 11.8, rebounds: 5.5, assists: 1.5, blocks: 0.7, field goal percentage: 40.7%
- Robin Lopez (with New York) - Points: 10.3, rebounds: 7.3, assists: 1.4, blocks: 1.6, field goal percentage: 53.9%
Added - Wade, Rondo, Lopez, Isaiah Canaan, Jerian Grant, Spencer Dinwiddie, Denzel Valentine, Paul Zipser
Lost - Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose, Aaron Brooks, E'Twaun Moore, Justin Holiday, Mike Dunleavy
Biggest acquisition - Wade
A future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Wade gives his hometown Bulls an immediate boost from both a performance and leadership standpoint. But as a career 28.4% three-point shooter, playing alongside Rondo (28.9%) and Butler (32.8%), the question is begged: As the league becomes increasingly perimeter-oriented, will Chicago's newest trio be able to mesh and somehow make do without the three-point threat?
Biggest departure - Gasol
Out of all of Chicago's offseason losses, the savvy veteran Gasol, who was a valuable asset during his two seasons with Chicago (17.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists), will be missed the most right off the bat. That said, at 36 years old and at the stage of his career where he's nothing more than a body on the defensive end, parting ways with Gasol before Father Time did any irreparable damage may pay off in the long run.
X factor - Rondo
As a player who dealt with his fair share of drama in recent years, Rondo's decision to immediately declare the Bulls as "Jimmy (Butler's) team" was music to the ears of the Windy City. But that's just one small piece of a very big puzzle. Despite leading the league in assists with Sacramento last season, Rondo was far from the perennial All-Star that he was during his heyday in Boston, and at 30 years old, Chicago will likely be his final chance to rejuvenate his career.
Offseason grade - C
Check out our other offseason recaps: Atlanta Hawks • Boston Celtics • Brooklyn Nets • Charlotte Hornets
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