The Chicago Bulls aired out their frustrations on Saturday night after the team suffered back-to-back losses to the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks. The team is struggling to find their identity and consistency with a new coaching regime in place and it is causing plenty of frustrations moving forward. With Jimmy Butler speaking out against head coach Fred Hoiberg, the rise of younger players could cause some tension when it comes to future contracts.
In the two losses, the Bulls did get a glimpse of a player that could be part of their future moving forward. First-round draft pick Bobby Portis got his first bit of game time over the weekend as he filled in for Pau Gasol who got rest on Saturday following the four-overtime defeat on Friday. The power forward put up 20 points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes of play which means the front-court log jam the Bulls currently have is only going to get worse. Portis has played in just five games so far this year, but Hoiberg intends to increase that as the rookie aims for more playing time.
"That's a great question," Portis said, via ESPN.com. "It's a question I ask myself every day. I kind of be at war with myself sometimes while I'm not playing. But the only solution I have is to keep working hard and to keep being the guy that I am every day. Coming in and busting my butt every day, just trying to get better. As a basketball player you have one job and that's to get better every day. So that's something I try to do every day and I just try to run with it."
Hoiberg told the media he will have to evaluate everything. Right now, Doug McDermott is dealing with a knee injury while Joakim Noah, Gasol, Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic all battle for time on the court. Noah and Gasol are both on the bubble in terms of returning in 2016. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Gasol has confirmed his desire to test the free agent market while Noah is fighting for an extension. After the reports regarding a DeMarcus Cousins trade were denied, Portis could be the biggest knock towards either player coming back next year.
The Bulls will get the rookie into the mix simply to help change things up. Jimmy Butler made it very clear the Bulls have a lot to think about in the coming days as he called out Hoiberg for not being tough enough. Chicago remains contenders in the Eastern Conference, but they will not stay that way if they continue along the path they are on.
"I believe in the guys in this locker room, yeah," Butler said, via ESPN.com. "But I also believe that we probably have to be coached a lot harder at times. I'm sorry, I know Fred's a laid-back guy, and I really respect him for that, but when guys aren't doing what they're supposed to do, you got to get on guys, myself included. You got to do what you're supposed to do when you're out there playing basketball."
