Bulls Gold

Otto-Matic

We started this week's episode with continued discussion of Otto Porter, following his career night against the Memphis Grizzlies. We talked about the impact Porter is having on both sides of the ball for the Bulls, and how the team will continue to feature him going forward. We also discussed Lauri Markkanen's recent play and what he's doing differently now that he's playing at full strength. We also talked about team building under the league's new draft lottery odds and went over some of the options the Bulls will have in the offseason if they don't luck into Zion Williamson. We closed the show with some discussion of All-Star Weekend and a brief preview of what it will be like next year in Chicago. 

The 2019 Trade Deadline

This week we gave our reaction to all of the significant deals of the NBA's Trade Deadline. We talked for a while about the Bulls acquisition of Otto Porter and his fit with this team going forward, as well as some analysis of his first two games as a Bull. We also explained why the Bulls front office deserves more credit than they're getting for making this deal. We also look back at Bobby Portis' time in Chicago and whether he will land the payday he's looking for in restricted free agency. We looked around the league at the trades the contenders in the Eastern Conference made and gave our thoughts on Anthony Davis staying put in New Orleans. 

The Anthony Davis Episode

This week we broke down some of the Anthony Davis trade rumors and looked at potential interest from the Bulls. We looked at some of the Lonzo Ball/Chicago rumors and if he would be an upgrade over Kris Dunn. We talked about next week's trade deadline and whether the Bulls will make additonal moves. Salim talked about a special experience touring the Bulls Advocate Center. We also discussed Zion Williamson and his franchise-changing potential if the Bulls win the lottery. 

State of the Rebuild (with Morten Jensen)

We took a break from the Bulls 10-game losing streak and discussed everything going on with Morten Jensen of the NBA Pod. We start with a discussion of which players fit or don't fit with this team going forward. We look at some of the struggles the players have faced in their development this year and how the team can rectify those issues. We talked about the Bulls coaching dilemma, with analysis on the past of Fred Hoiberg and the current with Jim Boylen. We also looked at where the Bulls could look for a coach to take the team in a better direction. We wrapped things up with a discussion on the front office. Should we be optimistic about this team's future with John Paxson and Gar Forman in charge? And what things do they need to prioritize to build this roster back into a winner?

Trade It All

This week, we gave our thoughts on the Bulls recent trades with the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies. We looked back on the trade that brought Cameron Payne to Chicago and wondered if the Bulls learned anything from that move. We also discussed the chances of any future trades happening before the trade deadline with Jabari Parker or Robin Lopez. We had some brief game discussion and expressed some optimism about Kris Dunn's recent play. We then wrapped up the show with some talk about Tom Thibodeau's dismissal in Minnesota and whether or not Fred Hoiberg will replace him there too. 

The Appropriate Fear

In the last episode of 2018, we led with Derrick Rose's return to Chicago and a discussion of his path to reinventing himself for the second wind of his NBA career. We looked at the Bulls recent games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Washington Wizards. We also gave our picks for the week's upcoming games and tried to make some sense out of Jim Boylen's latest quotables. We looked at Jabari Parker's thoughts on his demotion from the Chicago Tribune's article and closed the show with thoughts on Justin Holiday's trade value. 

Grind It Out

This week we continued to look at the Bulls shift in playing style under Jim Boylen. We discussed how sustainable this style is for the team and whether the players will benefit from it in the long run. We talked about Kris Dunn's recent play and what improvements he can continue to make to his game. We also have reaction to the Bulls win over the Orlando Magic, in particular Lauri Markkanen's bounce back game. We also looked at the update on the trade market for Jabari Parker after the New York Knicks interest was reported. Due to some technical difficulties, this week's episode ends a earlier than usual. 

Spirit and Energy (with Morten Jensen)

Morten Jensen of the NBA Pod joined us to discuss the Bulls surprise win over the San Antonio Spurs. We also looked at Jim Boylen's first six games and the change in style of the team. We talked about the recent comments made by John Paxson regarding the Bulls rebuild, and all of the on and off-court drama. We looked at potential destinations for Jabari Parker if the Bulls are successful in trading him and what the team could get back in return. 

12/4/18 Post-Game Show: Bulls vs. Pacers

After firing Fred Hoiberg Monday, the Bulls lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first game of the Jim Boylen era. We broke down Hoiberg's dismissal, the organization's timing of the move, and looked back at how the Bulls got to this point. We discussed Boylen and the logic behind his promotion, as well as his chances of sticking around long-term. We also looked at the newfound effort the Bulls played with against the Indiana Pacers and whether or not it's a sign of things to come under Boylen. 

Lauri Returns

The Bulls continued their struggles this week, capping off a six-game losing streak against the Houston Rockets. We discussed their losses to the Spurs, Bucks, Pistons and Rockets. We also looked at Zach LaVine's curious decision on a crucial possession against the Spurs. Lauri Markkanen made his much-anticipated return from injury Saturday and we looked at some encouraging signs from his season debut. With Kris Dunn's return coming soon, we looked at the Bulls point guard situation and where Ryan Arcidiacono fits when Dunn comes back. Also discussed: Wendell Carter Jr's breakthrough against the Pistons, Justin Holiday's trade value, Jabari Parker's improvement and Derrick Rose's Sixth Man of the Year campaign.