The 2022-2023 Chicago Bulls season will go down as the worst season in their franchise history since the Michael Jordan era, perhaps even further back than that. The Bulls expected to finish the season with homecourt advantage in the playoffs. The front office showed confidence after making minimal moves in the offseason. Fast forward to the All-Star break, and the Bulls are sitting outside the play-in tournament after paying Zach LaVine $216 million just for him not to make the All-Star team.
The Bulls did not make any moves at the trade deadline and were the front-runners to sign Russell Westbrook once he cleared waivers. Westbrook chose to stay in Los Angeles and sign with the Clippers, which led the Bulls to shift their attention to Patrick Beverley.
Does Patrick Beverley Improve This Team?
Sure? It depends on how you look at it. Is he an upgrade over Goran Dragic, Alex Caruso, and Ayo Dosunmu? Not really. He falls into the same tier as those players. Does he bring energy? Yes. That's one of many things the Bulls are lacking this season. The Bulls were hoping Westbrook could inject his energy into Chicago, which would help them not lose significant halftime leads daily.
Patrick Beverley, 34, was not brought into the tank. The Bulls could keep their 2023 first-round pick if it falls in the top 4. Otherwise, it's sent to Orlando as a part of the Nikola Vucevic trade. The Bulls aren't looking to lose these next few weeks intentionally to help their draft odds. Instead, they brought in a savvy veteran to help with games. It's doubtful that any player that comes in through the buyout market in the middle of the season will bring enough impact to change the outcome. Last season, the Bulls signed Tristan Thompson off the buyout market, who provided minimal help. Do not expect much from Beverley regarding production, but he could bring energy to the United Center, which could help swing a few games in their direction.
