2017–18 Chicago Bulls season explained

Team:	Chicago Bulls
End Year:	2018
Wins:	27
Losses:	55
Division:	Central
Division Place:	5
Conf Place:	13
Coach:	Fred Hoiberg
Gm:	Gar Forman
Owner:	Jerry Reinsdorf
Arena:	United Center
Playoffs:	Did not qualify
Bbr Team:	CHI
Television:	NBC Sports Chicago WGN
Radio:	WLS WSCR

The 2017–18 Chicago Bulls season was the 52nd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). For the first time since 2011, All-Star Jimmy Butler was not on the roster as he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the off-season. On February 1, 2018, months after his confrontation with teammate Bobby Portis, Nikola Mirotić agreed to a trade where he'd be sent alongside a future second round pick to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Ömer Aşık, Tony Allen, Jameer Nelson, and a future first round pick. The Bulls had their first losing season since 2008, and their first 50-loss season since 2004.

Newly acquired Zach LaVine played in just 24 games this season due to knee injuries.

Draft picks

See main article: 2017 NBA draft.

Entering draft night, the Bulls possessed picks 16 and 38, with the latter being acquired via a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Exiting draft night, they left with only one draft pick that wasn't even originally theirs to begin with. First, they traded away All-Star shooting guard Jimmy Butler and their #16 pick (which became redshirted freshman center Justin Patton from Creighton University), to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and the Timberwolves' #7 pick in the draft, which became the star Finnish freshman center/power forward Lauri Markkanen from the University of Arizona. As for their own second-round selection on the day of the draft, one that the Bulls got from Cleveland, they traded away that pick (which was junior power forward Jordan Bell from the University of Oregon) to the defending champion Golden State Warriors in exchange for $3.5 million.

Standings

Conference

Game log

Preseason

|- style="background:#cfc;"| 1| October 3| @ New Orleans| | Cristiano Felicio (15)| Mirotic, Portis (9)| Jerian Grant (9)| Smoothie King Center
16,962| 1–0|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| October 4| @ Dallas| | Lopez, Zipser (12)| Justin Holiday (6)| Kris Dunn (6)| American Airlines Center
17,091| 1–1|- style="background:#cfc;"| 3| October 6| Milwaukee| | Justin Holiday (21)| Bobby Portis (10)| Arcidiacono, Grant, Portis, Valentine (4)| United Center
17,187| 2–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 4| October 8| New Orleans| | Denzel Valentine (15)| Bobby Portis (10)| Ryan Arcidiacono (6)| United Center
17,523| 2–2|- style="background:#cfc;"| 5| October 10| @ Cleveland| | Justin Holiday (28)| Justin Holiday (11)| Jerian Grant (5)| Quicken Loans Arena
19,042| 3–2|- style="background:#fcc;"| 6| October 13| Toronto| | Justin Holiday (17)| Jerian Grant (9)| Jerian Grant (8)| United Center
19,677| 3–3

Regular season

|- style="background:#fcc| 1| October 19| @ Toronto| | Robin Lopez (18)| Lopez, Markkanen (8)| Jerian Grant (7)| Air Canada Centre
19,800| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc| 2| October 21| San Antonio| | Robin Lopez (16)| Lauri Markkanen (12)| Jerian Grant (5)| United Center
21,640| 0–2|- style="background:#fcc| 3| October 24| @ Cleveland| | Justin Holiday (25)| Lauri Markkanen (8)| Jerian Grant (10)| Quicken Loans Arena
20,562| 0–3|- style="background:#cfc| 4| October 26| Atlanta| | Robin Lopez (16)| Lauri Markkanen (13)| Jerian Grant (7)| United Center
21,104| 1–3|- style="background:#fcc| 5| October 28| Oklahoma City| | Lauri Markkanen (15)| Felicio, Markkanen (8)| Jerian Grant (4)| United Center
21,706| 1–4|- style="background:#fcc| 6| November 1| @ Miami| | Lauri Markkanen (25)| David Nwaba (11)| Jerian Grant (8)| American Airlines Arena
19,600| 1–5|- style="background:#cfc| 7| November 3| @ Orlando| | Justin Holiday (19)| Robin Lopez (10)| Jerian Grant (6)| Amway Center
19,171| 2–5|- style="background:#fcc| 8| November 4| New Orleans| | Justin Holiday (18)| Robin Lopez (9)| Jerian Grant (9)| United Center
21,254| 2–6|- style="background:#fcc| 9| November 7| @ Toronto| | Bobby Portis (21)| Bobby Portis (13)| Jerian Grant (5)| Air Canada Centre
19,800| 2–7|- style="background:#fcc| 10| November 10| Indiana| | Bobby Portis (20)| Bobby Portis (11)| Kris Dunn (5)| United Center
22,416| 2–8|- style="background:#fcc| 11| November 11| @ San Antonio| | Lopez, Portis (17)| Bobby Portis (6)| Jerian Grant (8)| AT&T Center
18,418| 2–9|- style="background:#fcc| 12| November 15| @ Oklahoma City| | Blakeney, Markkanen (16)| Bobby Portis (9)| Dunn, Grant (3)| Chesapeake Energy Arena
18,203| 2–10|- style="background:#cfc| 13| November 17| Charlotte| | Justin Holiday (27)| Lauri Markkanen (7)| Kris Dunn (7)| United Center
20,493| 3–10|- style="background:#fcc| 14| November 19| @ Phoenix| | Lauri Markkanen (26)| Lauri Markkanen (13)| Kris Dunn (6)| Talking Stick Resort Arena
16,264| 3–11|- style="background:#fcc| 15| November 21| @ LA Lakers| | Denzel Valentine (17)| Lauri Markkanen (14)| Kris Dunn (6)| Staples Center
18,997| 3–12|- style="background:#fcc| 16| November 22| @ Utah| | Robin Lopez (15)| Kris Dunn (9)| Grant, Valentine (4)| Vivint Smart Home Arena
17,434| 3–13|- style="background:#fcc| 17| November 24| @ Golden State| | Jerian Grant (21)| Bobby Portis (8)| Kris Dunn (4)| Oracle Arena
19,596| 3–14|- style="background:#fcc| 18| November 26| Miami| | Jerian Grant (24)| Denzel Valentine (13)| Denzel Valentine (7)| United Center
20,928| 3–15|- style="background:#fcc| 19| November 28| Phoenix| | Justin Holiday (25)| Robin Lopez (7)| Kris Dunn (8)| United Center
18,324| 3–16|- style="background:#fcc| 20| November 30| @ Denver| | Lopez, Markkanen (20)| Lauri Markkanen (9)| Jerian Grant (7)| Pepsi Center
15,156| 3–17|- style="background:#fcc| 21| December 1| Sacramento| | Jerian Grant (17)| David Nwaba (9)| Kris Dunn (8)| United Center
19,268| 3–18|- style="background:#fcc| 22| December 4| Cleveland| | Kris Dunn (15)| Bobby Portis (9)| Kris Dunn (5)| United Center
21,323| 3–19|- style="background:#fcc| 23| December 6| @ Indiana| | Kris Dunn (18)| Denzel Valentine (8)| Kris Dunn (6)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
13,013| 3–20|- style="background:#cfc| 24| December 8| @ Charlotte| | Lauri Markkanen (24)| Lauri Markkanen (12)| Kris Dunn (12)| Spectrum Center
14,077| 4–20|- style="background:#cfc| 25| December 9| NY Knicks| | Nikola Mirotic (19)| Lauri Markkanen (8)| Jerian Grant (9)| United Center
20,149| 5–20|- style="background:#cfc| 26| December 11| Boston| | Nikola Mirotic (24)| Nikola Mirotic (8)| Jerian Grant (9)| United Center
19,617| 6–20|- style="background:#cfc| 27| December 13| Utah| | Nikola Mirotic (29)| Nikola Mirotic (9)| Kris Dunn (8)| United Center
18,102| 7–20|- style="background:#cfc| 28| December 15| @ Milwaukee| | Bobby Portis (27)| Bobby Portis (12)| Dunn, Holiday (7)| Bradley Center
16,921| 8–20|- style="background:#cfc| 29| December 18| Philadelphia| | Dunn, Mirotic (22)| Nikola Mirotic (13)| Kris Dunn (6)| United Center
20,796| 9–20|- style="background:#cfc| 30| December 20| Orlando| | Denzel Valentine (15)| Denzel Valentine (10)| Kris Dunn (7)| United Center
20,285| 10–20|- style="background:#fcc| 31| December 21| @ Cleveland| | Lauri Markkanen (25)| Justin Holiday (7)| Kris Dunn (14)| Quicken Loans Arena
20,562| 10–21|- style="background:#fcc| 32| December 23| @ Boston| | Bobby Portis (17)| Nikola Mirotic (9)| Kris Dunn (7)| TD Garden
18,624| 10–22|- style="background:#cfc| 33| December 26| @ Milwaukee| | Nikola Mirotic (24)| David Nwaba (9)| Kris Dunn (12)| Bradley Center
18,717| 11–22|- style="background:#cfc| 34| December 27| NY Knicks| | Kris Dunn (17)| Denzel Valentine (9)| Jerian Grant (6)| United Center
21,883| 12–22|- style="background:#cfc| 35| December 29| Indiana| | Lauri Markkanen (32)| Portis, Grant, Markkanen (7)| Jerian Grant (12)| United Center
21,178| 13–22|- style="background:#fcc"| 36| December 31| @ Washington| | Nikola Mirotic (21)| Lauri Markkanen (9)| Kris Dunn (11)| Capital One Arena
20,356| 13–23|- style="background:#fcc"| 37| January 1| Portland| | Kris Dunn (22)| Nikola Mirotic (10)| Denzel Valentine (6)| United Center
20,860| 13–24|- style="background:#fcc"| 38| January 3| Toronto| | Justin Holiday (26)| Lauri Markkanen (12)| Kris Dunn (8)| United Center
20,056| 13–25|- style="background:#cfc"| 39| January 5| @ Dallas| | Kris Dunn (32)| Nikola Mirotic (10)| Kris Dunn (9)| American Airlines Center
20,073| 14–25|- style="background:#fcc"| 40| January 6| @ Indiana| | Bobby Portis (15)| Markkanen, Valentine (5)| Kris Dunn (8)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
17,923| 14–26|- style="background:#fcc"| 41| January 8| Houston| | Bobby Portis (22)| Markkanen, Valentine (8)| Kris Dunn (8)| United Center
17,462| 14–27|- style="background:#cfc"| 42| January 10| @ NY Knicks| | Lauri Markkanen (33)| Lauri Markkanen (10)| Kris Dunn (8)| Madison Square Garden
19,812| 15–27|- style="background:#cfc"| 43| January 13| Detroit| | Lauri Markkanen (19)| Kris Dunn (8)| Kris Dunn (8)| United Center
21,613| 16–27|- style="background:#cfc"| 44| January 15| Miami| | Justin Holiday (25)| Lauri Markkanen (9)| Kris Dunn (10)| United Center
20,546| 17–27|- style="background:#fcc"| 45| January 17| Golden State| | Nikola Mirotic (24)| Lauri Markkanen (8)| Denzel Valentine (7)| United Center
21,372| 17–28|- style="background:#cfc"| 46| January 20| @ Atlanta| | Robin Lopez (20)| Zach LaVine (9)| Jerian Grant (6)| Philips Arena
15,597| 18–28|- style="background:#fcc"| 47| January 22| @ New Orleans| | Grant, Lopez (22)| Lauri Markkanen (17)| Jerian Grant (13)| Smoothie King Center
17,101| 18–29|- style="background:#fcc"| 48| January 24| @ Philadelphia| | Bobby Portis (22)| Bobby Portis (11)| David Nwaba (4)| Wells Fargo Center
20,547| 18–30|- style="background:#fcc"| 49| January 26| LA Lakers| | Nikola Mirotic (18)| Markkanen, Valentine (11)| Jerian Grant (8)| United Center
21,827| 18–31|- style="background:#fcc"| 50| January 28| Milwaukee| | Denzel Valentine (18)| Lauri Markkanen (10)| Grant, LaVine (4)| United Center
21,630| 18–32|- style="background:#fcc"| 51| January 31| @ Portland| | Zach LaVine (23)| Bobby Portis (10)| Grant, Felicio (3)| Moda Center
19,000| 18–33|- style="background:#fcc"| 52| February 3| @ LA Clippers| | Zach LaVine (21)| Bobby Portis (13)| Grant, LaVine (4)| Staples Center
19,068| 18–34|- style="background:#fcc"| 53| February 5| @ Sacramento| | Zach LaVine (27)| Bobby Portis (14)| Jerian Grant (5)| Golden 1 Center
17,583| 18–35|- style="background:#cfc"| 54| February 9| Minnesota| | Zach LaVine (35)| Jerian Grant (8)| Jerian Grant (11)| United Center
21,558| 19–35|- style="background:#fcc"| 55| February 10| Washington| | Justin Holiday (15)| Markkanen, Valentine (10)| Jerian Grant (8)| United Center
21,112| 19–36|- style="background:#cfc"| 56| February 12| Orlando| | Lauri Markkanen (21)| Lauri Markkanen (8)| Jerian Grant (7)| United Center
18,611| 20–36|- style="background:#fcc"| 57| February 14| Toronto| | Bobby Portis (18)| Markkanen, Nwaba (6)| Jerian Grant (7)| United Center
21,006| 20–37|- style="background:#fcc"| 58| February 22| Philadelphia| | Bobby Portis (38)| David Nwaba (9)| Cameron Payne (7)| United Center
21,312| 20–38|- style="background:#fcc"| 59| February 24| @ Minnesota| | Zach LaVine (21)| David Nwaba (9)| Zach LaVine (7)| Target Center
18,978| 20–39|- style="background:#fcc"| 60| February 26| @ Brooklyn| | Kris Dunn (23)| Denzel Valentine (13)| Kris Dunn (4)| Barclays Center
15,081| 20–40|- style="background:#fcc"| 61| February 27| @ Charlotte| | Zach LaVine (21)| Bobby Portis (10)| Cameron Payne (6)| Spectrum Center
14,521| 20–41|- style="background:#cfc"| 62| March 2| Dallas| | Bobby Portis (22)| Lauri Markkanen (12)| Kris Dunn (7)| United Center
21,017| 21–41|- style="background:#fcc"| 63| March 5| Boston| | Denzel Valentine (20)| Noah Vonleh (9)| Kris Dunn (4)| United Center
21,286| 21–42|- style="background:#cfc"| 64| March 7| Memphis| | Lauri Markkanen (22)| Bobby Portis (10)| Kris Dunn (9)| United Center
20,210| 22–42|- style="background:#fcc"| 65| March 9| @ Detroit| | Cameron Payne (17)| Lauri Markkanen (8)| Bobby Portis (5)| Little Caesars Arena
17,406| 22–43|- style="background:#cfc"| 66| March 11| @ Atlanta| | LaVine, Portis (21)| Bobby Portis (10)| Denzel Valentine (7)| Philips Arena
15,266| 23–43|- style="background:#fcc"| 67| March 13| LA Clippers| | Bobby Portis (19)| Bobby Portis (9)| Kris Dunn (6)| United Center
20,912| 23–44|- style="background:#cfc"| 68| March 15| @ Memphis| | Zach LaVine (20)| Noah Vonleh (10)| Cameron Payne (5)| FedExForum
16,511| 24–44|- style="background:#fcc"| 69| March 17| Cleveland| | Denzel Valentine (34)| Cristiano Felicio (10)| Cameron Payne (10)| United Center
22,983| 24–45|- style="background:#fcc"| 70| March 19| @ NY Knicks| | Cristiano Felicio (17)| Noah Vonleh (12)| Cameron Payne (6)| Madison Square Garden
18,835| 24–46|- style="background:#fcc"| 71| March 21| Denver| | Cristiano Felicio (16)| Bobby Portis (8)| Jerian Grant (7)| United Center
20,671| 24–47|- style="background:#fcc"| 72| March 23| Milwaukee| | Denzel Valentine (20)| Cristiano Felicio (11)| Cameron Payne (6)| United Center
21,698| 24–48|- style="background:#fcc"| 73| March 24| @ Detroit| | Denzel Valentine (18)| Cristiano Felicio (9)| Jerian Grant (10)| Little Caesars Arena
19,139| 24–49|- style="background:#fcc"| 74| March 27| @ Houston| | Lauri Markkanen (22)| Noah Vonleh (13)| Grant, Payne, Valentine, Vonleh (3)| Toyota Center
18,055| 24–50|- style="background:#fcc"| 75| March 29| @ Miami| | David Nwaba (15)| Noah Vonleh (13)| Cameron Payne (5)| American Airlines Arena
19,746| 24–51|- style="background:#cfc"| 76| March 30| @ Orlando| | Kilpatrick, Markkanen (13)| Cristiano Felicio (16)| Cameron Payne (6)| Amway Center
18,918| 25–51|- style="background:#cfc"| 77| April 1| Washington| | Lauri Markkanen (23)| Cristiano Felicio (8)| Jerian Grant (7)| United Center
20,466| 26–51|- style="background:#cfc"| 78| April 3| Charlotte| | Lauri Markkanen (24)| David Nwaba (9)| Cameron Payne (7)| United Center
20,139| 27–51|- style="background:#fcc"| 79| April 6| @ Boston| | Sean Kilpatrick (24)| Cristiano Felicio (9)| Jerian Grant (8)| TD Garden
18,624| 27–52|- style="background:#fcc"| 80| April 7| Brooklyn| | Sean Kilpatrick (20)| Cristiano Felicio (9)| Cameron Payne (5)| United Center
21,669| 27–53|- style="background:#fcc"| 81| April 9| @ Brooklyn| | Sean Kilpatrick (16)| David Nwaba (10)| Cameron Payne (6)| Barclays Center
16,187| 27–54|- style="background:#fcc"| 82| April 11| Detroit| | Lauri Markkanen (20)| Markkanen, Portis (8)| Cameron Payne (9)| United Center
21,342| 27–55

Injuries/Personal games missed

Player	Duration		Reason for Missed Time<	--Do not include players who did not play due to coach's decision or were forced upon the inactive list. What can be included, though, are players that were assigned time in the G-League.-->	Games Missed
	Start	End
	February 4, 2017	January 13, 2018	Tore his ACL while playing with Minnesota.	??
	September 6, 2017	Unknown (Three-to-four months)	Had surgery on his right foot.	??
	October 17, 2017	December 8, 2017	Hospitalized for engaging in a fight with Bobby Portis.	23
	October 17, 2017	November 7, 2017	Suspended for punching teammate Nikola Mirotić in his face.	8

Player statistics

Regular season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
	77	37	27.2	.417	.386	.745	5.1	3.2	.8	.1	10.2
	74	26	22.8	.416	.326	.745	2.3	4.6	.9	.1	8.4
	73	4	22.5	.471	.359	.769	6.8	1.7	.7	.3	13.2
	72	72	31.5	.371	.359	.823	4.0	2.1	1.1	.4	12.2
	70	21	23.5	.478	.346	.655	4.7	1.5	.8	.4	7.9
	68	68	29.7	.434	.362	.843	7.5	1.2	.6	.6	15.2
	64	64	26.4	.530	.286	.756	4.5	1.9	.2	.8	11.8
	55	16	17.8	.591	.000	.667	4.2	1.0	.3	.2	5.6
	54	12	15.3	.346	.336	.760	2.4	.9	.4	.3	4.0
	52	43	29.3	.429	.321	.737	4.3	6.0	2.0	.5	13.4
	25	14	23.3	.405	.385	.750	2.8	4.5	1.0	.4	8.8
^†	25	3	24.9	.474	.429	.823	6.4	1.6	.6	.5	16.8
	24	24	27.3	.383	.341	.813	3.9	3.0	1.0	.2	16.7
	24	0	12.7	.415	.290	.833	1.0	1.5	.5	.0	2.0
	23	1	8.5	.286	.136	.824	1.2	.4	.3	.1	2.0
^†	21	4	19.0	.413	.300	.481	6.9	1.0	.6	.3	6.9
	19	0	16.5	.371	.288	.769	1.7	1.1	.4	.1	7.9
^†	14	0	9.6	.303	.222	.917	1.0	1.4	.2	.1	3.9
^†	9	1	23.8	.439	.396	.813	2.8	1.4	.7	.3	15.4
^†	4	0	15.3	.333		.000	2.5	.3	.3	.5	1.0
^†	1	0	3.0	.000	.000		.0	.0	.0	.0	.0

Transactions

See main article: List of 2017–18 NBA season transactions.

Trades

June 22, 2017^[1]	To Chicago Bulls Kris Dunn Zach LaVine Draft right to Lauri Markkanen (pick 7)	To Minnesota Timberwolves Jimmy Butler Draft right to Justin Patton (pick 16)
February 1, 2018	To Chicago Bulls Ömer Aşık Tony Allen Jameer Nelson 2018 Top 5 protected first round pick Right to swap 2021 second round picks with New Orleans^[2]	To New Orleans Pelicans Nikola Mirotić 2018 second round pick (from New Orleans via Chicago)

Free agency

Re-signed

Player	Signed
Cristiano Felício^[3]	4-year contract worth $32 million
Nikola Mirotić^[4]	2-year contract worth $27 million

Additions

Player	Signed	Former team
Justin Holiday^[5]	2-year contract worth $9 million	New York Knicks
Antonio Blakeney^[6]	Two-way contract	Louisiana State Tigers
Ryan Arcidiacono^[7]	Two-way contract	Austin Spurs
Diamond Stone^[8]	2-year contract worth $2.8 million	New York Knicks
Kay Felder^[9]		Cleveland Cavaliers

Subtractions

Player	Reason left	New team
Isaiah Canaan^[10]	Waived	Oklahoma City Thunder
Rajon Rondo	Waived	New Orleans Pelicans
Michael Carter-Williams^[11]	Free Agent	Charlotte Hornets
Dwyane Wade^[12]	Bought Out	Cleveland Cavaliers
Quincy Pondexter	Waived	Unknown
Tony Allen	Waived	Unknown

Notes and References

1. Web site: BULLS ACQUIRE DUNN, LAVINE AND MARKKANEN FROM MINNEOSTA. NBA.com. June 22, 2017. June 23, 2017.
2. Web site: Chicago Bulls trade Nikola Mirotic to New Orleans Pelicans. NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.. February 1, 2018. February 1, 2018.
3. Web site: Bulls re-sign Cristiano Felicio. NBA.com/bulls. July 6, 2017. July 6, 2017.
4. Web site: Bulls re-sign Nikola Mirotic. NBA.com/bulls. September 26, 2017. September 26, 2017.
5. Web site: Bulls sign Justin Holiday. NBA.com/bulls. July 10, 2017. July 10, 2017.
6. Web site: Bulls sign Blakeney to Two-way contract. NBA.com/bulls. July 14, 2017. July 14, 2017.
7. Web site: Bulls sign Arcidiacono to Two-way contract. NBA.com/bulls. August 1, 2017. August 1, 2017.
8. Web site: Bulls sign Diamond Stone. NBA.com/bulls. September 14, 2017. September 14, 2017.
9. Web site: Bulls waive Jarell Eddie and Diamond Stone, claim Kay Felder. NBA.com/bulls. October 16, 2017. October 16, 2017.
10. Web site: Chicago Bulls release Rajon Rondo, Isaiah Canaan. NBA.com. June 30, 2017.
11. Web site: Charlotte Hornets Sign Guard Michael Carter-Williams. NBA.com/hornets. July 7, 2017. July 7, 2017.
12. Web site: BULLS REQUEST WAIVERS ON DWYANE WADE. NBA.com/bulls. September 26, 2017.