The main advantage to having an affiliate within driving distance of the United Center is getting every player within the organization to buy into its philosophy, even if they're not on the pro roster. The Bulls will get to hire their own staff and control every other aspect of the new team. It will particularly be beneficial to rookies and other young players who don't see enough action playing on the main roster. As Gar Forman put it, Bobby Portis and Cameron Bairstow could theoretically practice with the Bulls during the day and get D-League action in at night.
The Bulls previously had a part-time affiliation with the Iowa Energy alongside the Phoenix Suns. The problem there was they had no control of the Energy and there was no guarantee their players would see the floor or adhere to a similar style. A more secondary reason was the injuries of recent years, making them unable to leave any holes on the pro roster. Naturally, the Bulls were typically hesitant to send anyone there, which is why D-League posts on this blog have been few.
All of that changes next year. With the Bulls watching every move and bringing a staff to carry out their vision, the whole organization will be healthy for many years to come. Leading the NBA in players they drafted (10) is impressive on its own. Soon, they will have a chance to maintain or contend for that distinction year in and year out, at least as long as they continue to draft smart.
Bulls fans in Illinois can submit possible names for the the new team between now and Nov. 25. The name will end in "Bulls," so I submitted "Baby Bulls" in the middle of writing this post. Whether you agree with that name or not is up to you, but I'd like that term to mean something a little better than the dark early 2000s for this franchise. If you have a better name suggestion, let me know.
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