[2][3][4][5][6] During the off-season, the team acquired Hersey Hawkins from the Seattle SuperSonics,[7][8][9][10] and signed free agent Fred Hoiberg,[11] and re-signed former Bulls guard B. J. Armstrong, and former Bulls center Will Perdue, who both won championships from the team's first three-peat in the early 1990s.
[12][13][14][15] However, the Bulls' struggles continued as they lost 26 of their first 28 games, posting 10 and 11-game losing streaks respectively.
[16] Along the way, the team signed free agent Chris Carr, who was previously released by the Golden State Warriors,[17] and also signed three-point specialist Matt Maloney.
[16] Brand averaged 20.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and shared Rookie of the Year honors with Steve Francis of the Houston Rockets;[24][25][26] he also won the MVP award in the Rookie-Sophomore Game during the All-Star Weekend in Oakland, California.
[30] Following the season, Hawkins re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the Charlotte Hornets,[31][32] while Brown signed with the Boston Celtics,[33] Maloney signed with the Atlanta Hawks, and Carr, Armstrong, Simpkins and Perdue were all released to free agency.