The 2016-17 Chicago Bulls season was a period of transition and intrigue for the storied franchise. Coming off a disappointing 2015-16 campaign, the Bulls made significant roster changes in the offseason, aiming to return to playoff contention. They signed veteran stars Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo to join forces with Jimmy Butler, forming an experienced core meant to fast-track the team’s success. This new trio brought excitement and hope to Chicago, but their on-court chemistry was a question mark throughout the season.
Under head coach Fred Hoiberg, the Bulls had a roller-coaster season, characterized by inconsistency and flashes of brilliance. The team finished the regular season with a 41-41 record, securing the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. While the Bulls displayed potential, their struggles with spacing and shooting were evident. Butler emerged as the team’s leader, delivering All-Star performances and proving to be one of the league’s elite two-way players. However, the integration of Rondo and Wade was not seamless, as their playing styles and desire for ball dominance occasionally clashed with Butler’s role.
The postseason brought a brief glimmer of hope. In the first round of the playoffs, the Bulls faced off against the top-seeded Boston Celtics. To the surprise of many, Chicago took a commanding 2-0 series lead with impressive performances, especially from Rondo, who orchestrated the offense masterfully. However, a thumb injury to Rondo in Game 2 proved pivotal, as the Bulls subsequently lost four straight games, ultimately falling 4-2 in the series. This playoff exit marked the end of the Wade era in Chicago, and the beginning of a rebuild centered around Butler, which would later see him traded in the subsequent offseason. The 2016-17 season was a defining chapter for the Bulls, showcasing both the potential and challenges of the revamped roster.
- Regular Season Record: 41-41
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 2-4
Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats for 2016-17 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Jimmy Butler | 76 | 23.9 | 6.2 | 5.5 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 36.7 | 6 | 22.7 | 7.3 | 4.3 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 26.1 |
| Dwyane Wade | 60 | 18.3 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 31.0 | 6 | 15.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 35.3 |
| Taj Gibson | 55 | 11.6 | 6.9 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 16.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Nikola Mirotić | 70 | 10.6 | 5.5 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 34.2 | 6 | 8.7 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 28.6 |
| Robin Lopez | 81 | 10.4 | 6.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 6 | 12.7 | 7.2 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Doug McDermott | 44 | 10.2 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 37.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Rajon Rondo | 69 | 7.8 | 5.1 | 6.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 37.6 | 2 | 11.5 | 8.5 | 10.0 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Bobby Portis | 64 | 6.8 | 4.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 33.3 | 6 | 6.7 | 6.0 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 46.2 |
| Michael Carter-Williams | 45 | 6.6 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 23.4 | 5 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Jerian Grant | 63 | 5.9 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 36.6 | 5 | 3.2 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 11.1 |
| Paul Zipser | 44 | 5.5 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 33.3 | 6 | 7.3 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 37.5 |
| Denzel Valentine | 57 | 5.1 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 35.1 | 4 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 25.0 |
| Cameron Payne | 11 | 4.9 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 32.4 | 1 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 |
| Cristiano Felício | 66 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 6 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Isaiah Canaan | 39 | 4.6 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 26.6 | 3 | 11.7 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 35.7 |
| Anthony Morrow | 9 | 4.6 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 42.9 | 3 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Joffrey Lauvergne | 20 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 30.0 | 3 | 4.7 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| R.J. Hunter | 3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Chicago Bulls in the 2017 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Boston Celtics
In the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs, the Chicago Bulls faced off against the Boston Celtics. Despite taking a surprising 2-0 lead with impressive performances from Jimmy Butler and veteran guard Rajon Rondo, the Bulls struggled after Rondo's injury and ultimately lost the series in six games. The Celtics adjusted well, capitalizing on their depth and the Bulls' lack of cohesion without Rondo, marking the end of Chicago's playoff run.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2017 | @ Boston Celtics | W 106-102 | |
| Apr 18, 2017 | @ Boston Celtics | W 111-97 | |
| Apr 21, 2017 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 104-87 | |
| Apr 23, 2017 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 104-95 | |
| Apr 26, 2017 | @ Boston Celtics | L 108-97 | |
| Apr 28, 2017 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 105-83 |
Chicago Bulls 2016-17 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 2016-17 season for the Chicago Bulls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 27, 2016 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 105-99 | |
| Oct 29, 2016 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 118-101 | |
| Oct 31, 2016 | @ Brooklyn Nets | W 118-88 | |
| Nov 02, 2016 | @ Boston Celtics | L 107-100 | |
| Nov 04, 2016 | vs. New York Knicks | L 117-104 | |
| Nov 05, 2016 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 111-94 | |
| Nov 07, 2016 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 112-80 | |
| Nov 09, 2016 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 115-107 | |
| Nov 10, 2016 | @ Miami Heat | W 98-95 | |
| Nov 12, 2016 | vs. Washington Wizards | W 106-95 | |
| Nov 15, 2016 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 113-88 | |
| Nov 17, 2016 | @ Utah Jazz | W 85-77 | |
| Nov 19, 2016 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 102-95 | |
| Nov 20, 2016 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 118-110 | |
| Nov 22, 2016 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 110-107 | |
| Nov 25, 2016 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 105-89 | |
| Nov 30, 2016 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 96-90 | |
| Dec 02, 2016 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 111-105 | |
| Dec 03, 2016 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 107-82 | |
| Dec 05, 2016 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 112-110 | |
| Dec 06, 2016 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 102-91 | |
| Dec 08, 2016 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 95-91 | |
| Dec 10, 2016 | vs. Miami Heat | W 105-100 | |
| Dec 13, 2016 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | L 99-94 | |
| Dec 15, 2016 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 108-97 | |
| Dec 16, 2016 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 95-69 | |
| Dec 19, 2016 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 113-82 | |
| Dec 21, 2016 | vs. Washington Wizards | L 107-97 | |
| Dec 23, 2016 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 103-91 | |
| Dec 25, 2016 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 119-100 | |
| Dec 26, 2016 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 90-85 | |
| Dec 28, 2016 | vs. Brooklyn Nets | W 101-99 | |
| Dec 30, 2016 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 111-101 | |
| Dec 31, 2016 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 116-96 | |
| Jan 02, 2017 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 118-111 | |
| Jan 04, 2017 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 106-94 | |
| Jan 07, 2017 | vs. Toronto Raptors | W 123-118 | |
| Jan 09, 2017 | vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | L 109-94 | |
| Jan 10, 2017 | @ Washington Wizards | L 101-99 | |
| Jan 12, 2017 | @ New York Knicks | L 104-89 | |
| Jan 14, 2017 | vs. New Orleans Pelicans | W 107-99 | |
| Jan 15, 2017 | @ Memphis Grizzlies | W 108-104 | |
| Jan 17, 2017 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 99-98 | |
| Jan 20, 2017 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 102-93 | |
| Jan 21, 2017 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 102-99 | |
| Jan 24, 2017 | @ Orlando Magic | W 100-92 | |
| Jan 25, 2017 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 119-114 | |
| Jan 27, 2017 | vs. Miami Heat | L 100-88 | |
| Jan 29, 2017 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 121-108 | |
| Feb 01, 2017 | @ Oklahoma City Thunder | W 128-100 | |
| Feb 03, 2017 | @ Houston Rockets | L 121-117 | |
| Feb 06, 2017 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 112-107 | |
| Feb 08, 2017 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 123-92 | |
| Feb 10, 2017 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 115-97 | |
| Feb 12, 2017 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | L 117-89 | |
| Feb 14, 2017 | vs. Toronto Raptors | W 105-94 | |
| Feb 16, 2017 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 104-103 | |
| Feb 24, 2017 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 128-121 | |
| Feb 25, 2017 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 117-99 | |
| Feb 28, 2017 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 125-107 | |
| Mar 02, 2017 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 94-87 | |
| Mar 04, 2017 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | L 101-91 | |
| Mar 06, 2017 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 109-95 | |
| Mar 08, 2017 | @ Orlando Magic | L 98-91 | |
| Mar 10, 2017 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 115-94 | |
| Mar 12, 2017 | @ Boston Celtics | L 100-80 | |
| Mar 13, 2017 | @ Charlotte Hornets | W 115-109 | |
| Mar 15, 2017 | vs. Memphis Grizzlies | L 98-91 | |
| Mar 17, 2017 | @ Washington Wizards | L 112-107 | |
| Mar 18, 2017 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 95-86 | |
| Mar 21, 2017 | @ Toronto Raptors | L 122-120 | |
| Mar 22, 2017 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 117-95 | |
| Mar 24, 2017 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 117-107 | |
| Mar 26, 2017 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 109-94 | |
| Mar 30, 2017 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 99-93 | |
| Apr 01, 2017 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 106-104 | |
| Apr 02, 2017 | @ New Orleans Pelicans | W 117-110 | |
| Apr 04, 2017 | @ New York Knicks | L 100-91 | |
| Apr 06, 2017 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 102-90 | |
| Apr 08, 2017 | @ Brooklyn Nets | L 107-106 | |
| Apr 10, 2017 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 122-75 | |
| Apr 12, 2017 | vs. Brooklyn Nets | W 112-73 |