‘Totally Shocked’: Charles Barkley Makes a Bold Claim About the Future of Chicago Bulls

Published 08/26/2021, 6:30 AM EDT

The Chicago Bulls are on the wrong side of history for a long time now. Ever since the Michael Jordan era, they never really became a threat, not even in the Eastern Conference. But as it now appears, the clouds are clearing away and a new era seems to be making its way.

The Bulls are now home to some big names, led by the likes of Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan. In a unanimous voice around the league, almost everyone is agreeing that they’ll have a far better season than they enjoyed in 2020-21.

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Charles Barkley with heavy promotion of the Chicago Bulls

In a recent interview, NBA Hall of Famer and celebrated analyst Charles Barkley cast his bet on the Bulls’ bright future. He endorsed the Bulls’ front office for having the best off-season and showed confidence in their postseason chances.

Interesting opinion from Charles Barkley about the Bulls on @WaddleandSilvy: "I'll be totally shocked if they don't make the playoffs. And I'm not just saying this … I think it's fair to say the Chicago Bulls have had the best offseason in the NBA."
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) August 26, 2021

It has been four years since the Bulls last qualified for the playoffs. They were in the Top 10 for the most part of the 2020-21 season, but faltered, in the end, to settle for 11th place and no shot at play-in.

However, they did show some teeth, which allowed the executives in Jerry Reinsdorf & Marc Eversley to stay confident and promise to improve the roster this season.

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How strong is the Windy City franchise this season?

Well, consider a team built around an Olympic Gold Medalist and the league’s second-youngest slam dunk champion. Zach LaVine is a gifted scorer, an explosive athlete, an electrifying rim finisher, a dynamic cutter, and a decent off-the-dribble shooter.

Then comes DeMar DeRozan with his three-year contract and a promise of diverse skill-set, foul-drawing ability, and phenomenal true shooting. Plus, he’d be hungry to prove that he can help a team get better irrespective of his daunting losses.

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Enters Lonzo Ball and his unselfish offense coupled with quick decision-making/passing and shooting prowess. He can find his Zion Williamson in Zach and also take the lead in terms of scoring 20+ ppg. Throw in the defense of Nikola Vucevic and the off-the-bench efficiency of Alex Caruso and you’re in for a great roster.

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Even a blind man can bet on this roster’s playoff odds. Do you agree with the assessment? Help us know in the comments section below.

Watch this story – Charles Barkley, Steve Kerr, and Other Top NBA Players Whom Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan Ticked Off

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Written by:

Sourabh Singh is an NBA sports analyst for EssentiallySports, who has been working with the site since May 2020. Prior to this, he functioned as Managing Editor at WittyFeed, followed by a stint at Decathlon. The Sports Management graduate leads an active lifestyle, veering to the mountains for off-trail adventures.

‘Totally Shocked’: Charles Barkley Makes a Bold Claim About the Future of Chicago Bulls

Charles Barkley with heavy promotion of the Chicago Bulls

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How strong is the Windy City franchise this season?