Chicago Bulls: Biggest Questions For 2022-23

Re-signing All-Star free agent Zach LaVine to a long-term extension made the offseason a success, just based on that alone. But that doesn't mean there aren't some serious questions going into 2022-23.

2021-22 was a tale of two seasons for the Chicago Bulls. First half, they looked like a serious contender to come out of the East, playing inspired offense and defense, and perched near the top of the conference. 

Then came the second-half swoon, and the Bulls fell out of the East's elite, all the way down to 6th in the conference. Granted, a huge part of the fall from grace can be attributed to the terrible injury bug that swamped the roster. 

And that's where we begin our biggest questions for 2022-23 for the Bulls.

Big Question #1: When will Lonzo Ball return?

It was just learned within the past week that Ball, who went down with a torn meniscus in January, still hasn't recovered fully, and will miss all of training camp and likely the start of the season. 

So when will Ball return, and who will fill those minutes at point guard? 

Coby White will step in as the starter, but the backup minutes are very much in question, with plenty of candidates to toss their hat in the ring. 

The Bulls signed 36-year-old Goran Dragic this offseason to help with that, but his days as a big-time contributor in the NBA are long gone.

Big Question #2: Where's the 'D'?

In the first half of the season, The Bulls were surprisingly one of the top defensive teams in the NBA. But they simply weren't the same team defensively after Ball (and then Alex Caruso) went down with extended injuries. 

In fact, they plummeted to near the bottom of the league in defensive efficiency in the 2nd half. 

The Bulls certainly believe that having Patrick Williams full-time this season changes things. He will help at the defensive end, as well the return of Alex Caruso to full health. He was a total revelation in the first half, establishing himself as a prime member of what the Bulls were doing at both ends of the court. 

Any way you slice it, the Bulls will have their hands full trying to stay in the thick of a very good, and constantly improving Eastern Conference.

Photos: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports, Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports