Sliding into head-shaking lapses in effort, struggling to adapt to a new scheme while fending off the fatigue from the previous regime, the Chicago Bulls are a team in transition, sputtering along as they seek a new identity with a familiar cast of characters. The Bulls' problems have been masked by superior talent, which has allowed them to win enough fool's-gold games to remain relevant in an improved Eastern Conference. Despite a disappointing surrender to LeBron James and Matthew Dellavedova last postseason, Bulls vice president John Paxson and general manager Gar Forman decided to make one more run with a roster whose longtime core – fueled by Joakim Noah's spirit and the hopeful return of Derrick Rose's ghost – might've already exceeded its expiration date.