Bulls grab some votes in most improved team and most underrated acquisition in NBA GM survey

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The NBA’s GM survey is always a fun lead-in to the regular season.

General managers around the league make various predictions about awards and performances. In this year's edition, the Bulls got some recognition as one of the teams picked to make the most improvement this season. The acquisition of Tomas Satoransky was well received, perhaps leading to the expected improvement.

Before getting snarky, teams aren’t allowed to pick their own teams or personnel. Someone outside the Bulls had to give the Bulls some love for them to get on this list.

The Bulls tied for fourth with seven percent of the vote in most improved team in 2019-20. The Lakers, Mavericks and Clippers were the top three in that category. Strangely, the Clippers are the odds on pick to win the NBA title, but that didn’t get them more than a few votes in most improved team.

The Clippers are the pick of 46 percent of GMs to win the NBA title. Last year the Warriors had 87 percent of the vote, so it’s much more wide open.

Satoransky garnered seven percent of the vote for most underrated player acquisition. That put him fifth in the category. Satoransky and Wendell Carter Jr. each received a vote for player most likely to have a breakout season. Satoransky signed as a free agent in the offseason and was recently named a starter for the season opener.

Most promising young core is a category the Bulls are striving to do well in. Last year, the Bulls were behind the Celtics and 76ers and tied with the Suns for third. Either the league has soured on the Bulls’ core or other teams have passed them. The Bulls still got one vote in this, but missed out on the top five. The Zion Williamson-led Pelicans led the way followed by the Nuggets, Hawks, Kings and 76ers in that order.

Zach LaVine got one vote in most athletic player.

Chris Fleming got a vote as best assistant coach in the NBA. Fleming joined the Bulls from the Brooklyn Nets after last season and spent 20 years as a player and coach in Germany.

Additionally, former Bull Niko Mirotic won a category: best international player not in the NBA. Mirotic is back in Spain with FC Barcelona and took home 55 percent of the vote in that category.

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