The Chicago Bulls have NBA championship aspirations this season and with Derrick Rose returning from his serious injury, the time appears ripe for the team to make a sun, only this time around they will be doing it without a key contributor, as Marco Belinelli is now with the San Antonio Spurs.
Belinelli previously signed with the Spurs back in July on a two-year contract and with the season getting closer to starting, Belinelli explained why he picked San Antonio. According to Pro Basketball Talk, HoopsHype spoke to the player about the move to the West and he said one reason he went was due to the high regard for their organization around the league and also the fact that they are a consistent team that is in the finals conversation.
Belinelli went on to say that the "money was good" explaining that the offer was a combination of getting the deal he wanted and that he also was looking to join a team that would be in the running for the championship. Obviously the Bulls will also be in the running for the championship, but with Luol Deng's contract looming and other players needing to be locked up, Belinelli realized that he wouldn't get the deal he was looking for from Chicago and decided to move on.
Belinelli was a solid contributor to the team while the Bulls made their playoff run without Rose, averaging nearly 10 points in the regular season and he broke out during the postseason, scoring double-digit points in three straight games against the Heat. Belinelli will likely replace Gary Neal in the rotation after he went to the Bucks and he signed soon after the deadline ended over the summer when free agents were eligible to sign.
Belinelli also said that the international flavor on the team helped and after contributing to the 45-37 season for the Bulls, he now is with the Spurs. The Bulls signed Mike Dunleavy during the summer to help with his loss and now the two teams could meet in the NBA finals.
