Chicago Bulls

ESPN’s 2022-23 win projections don’t favor the Bulls as they may struggle with Lonzo Ball out

Published

September 30, 2022

Jan 9, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the Chicago Bulls logo before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Chicago Bulls at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN’s win projections for 2022-23 have recently been revealed for each NBA team. Many fans were upset with the placement of their respective teams; this included fans of the Chicago Bulls.

ESPN’s wins projections for the 2022-23 season have the Chicago Bulls winning 38.5 wins next season. This places the Bulls at 12th in the Eastern Conference.

Related: How injuries and COVID-19 derailed Lonzo Ball and the Chicago Bulls last season

Is Lonzo’s injury why ESPN predicted the Bulls would win 38.5 games?

Most figured if healthy, the Bulls would perform better than they did in the 2021-22 season. This is why Bulls fans aren’t too happy with ESPN’s projections.

Wooof, ESPN’s projections have the Bulls only winning 38 games this year.

They’re placed 12th in the east and under .500. https://t.co/A0LcHNRgpL

— Buzz (@Buzz721) September 29, 2022

The problem fans may not be realizing is the Bulle are not 100% healthy to start the season. Their starting point guard, Lonzo Ball, is predicted to be out until at least January.

Not having Lonzo at the point does cause problems for the Bulls. Lonzo was the pacesetter last season, getting his teammates involved on offense. His defense also was crucial in moments of the game as he averaged 1.8 steals per game.

The Bulls are a weaker team without Lonzo on the court. There’s no denying that. This could be the reason for the poor ranking from ESPN.

The Bulls will hope Lonzo can return to the court by January and no later. If Lonzo can, he might be the piece they need to make another playoff push.

About the Author Published Sep 30, 2022

TITAN FREY

Titan Frey is a dedicated father to three wonderful children, whom he takes immense pride in. His passions include reading, writing, basketball, both playing and watching, and playing chess. Titan spent five years working as a journalist for the basketball website fadeawayworld.net, where he served as editor-in-chief for four and a half years. One of his most notable achievements was interviewing Chuck Cooper III, the son of Chuck Cooper, the first African American ever drafted by an NBA team, and writing a biography that has been praised as the most definitive article about Cooper’s legacy. Titan is the author of more than ten novels and the screenwriter of three produced short films. His newest young adult novel, Echoes of the Hardwood: Braxton Foxworthy’s Time‑Travelling Book Report, blends basketball history with heartfelt storytelling and is now available. Order here: https://a.co/d/bo7BYz1