I don't mean to start a panic, but the Bulls are slowly morphing into the Knicks.
After the Bulls blew a 12-point lead to the Hawks and lost 119-114 -- their sixth defeat in the past 10 games, which once again sunk them below .500 -- things came unglued in the locker room. Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler openly questioned their teammates' heart and desire:
Wade: "This just can't be acceptable if you want to do anything besides have an NBA jersey on and make some money. That's all we're doing."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 26, 2017
Wade: "I'm 35 years old. I have three championships. It shouldn't hurt me more than it hurts these young guys. They have to want it."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 26, 2017
So that's not great. Part of what should be noted is that they weren't talking about merely their teammates.
In calling out #Bulls teammates--which people love--Wade/Butler also indict Hoiberg's inability to reach players and GarPax for bad roster.
— David Haugh (@DavidHaugh) January 26, 2017
Butler and Wade's frustration seemed to stem from late shots from unproven players, as the two said essentially you have to have established yourself to take those shots in that situation. Which, quite frankly, is incredibly ironic given that Butler was the young star who took over the team early in his career.
This is not a great development. Divides between young players and veterans are hard to rectify because their priorities are so different. It's just difficult to get those two sides on the same page once the veterans decide the youngsters can't be salvaged. And openly blaming your teammates is going to create tension and resentment, because no one wants to be called out like that.
My point is I work hard, I play hard, and I play to win for our team.
— Jerian Grant (@JerianGrant) January 26, 2017
Of course, when you're a superstar, you get the last word:
Mood pic.twitter.com/RgGNH7mRcu
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) January 26, 2017
The Bulls are circling the drain. They keep finding wins here and there, but the chemistry is poisoned, the trust in coaching seems to have eroded, and the price tag is high. Don't be surprised if changes come to the Bulls in some fashion before the trade deadline.