After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008, there are plenty of members of the Bulls with something to prove this season.
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For the record, this list isn’t just exclusive to players.
Fred Hoiberg, as well as Gar Forman and John Paxson are eligible to make the cut on this list of the current Chicago Bulls with the most to prove this upcoming season.
But before getting to the top five, here are the honorable mentions:
GarPax – Although the Bulls management team has lost a great deal of trust after last season, there is not much they can do during the season to show their worth.
Rajon Rondo – He is a complete head case who could cause major problems in the locker room. However, the fact that he is on a one-year contract with an option for next year hurt his case for making the top five on this list.
Bobby Portis – He had a promising rookie campaign and summer league. In his second year, Portis must build upon his early success.
Jerian Grant – He could be unfairly scrutinized by fans as Derrick Rose’s eventual replacement.
The new Benny the Bull – Benny is recognized as the gold standard of mascots across the sporting landscape. Whoever is stepping in has some big shoes to fill.
Well without further ado, here are the top five Bulls with something to prove this season.
Next: No. 5
5. Tony Snell
Tony Snell has shown the potential to be a valuable rotation player as a three-and-D guy. However, he has not excelled quite enough in either facet of the game since coming into the league. Snell’s defense and shot from three are magnified so closely since there aren’t many areas of the game where he has been a real difference maker.
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Offensively, if Snell is going to be touted as a shooter, then he has to improve his three-point shot. His career high came on his sophomore season where he shot 37 percent. That’s certainly respectable, but if his only role on offense is to shoot, then he has to shoot closer to 40 percent from beyond the arc.
On defense Snell has been solid, but if he isn’t going to contribute much on the offensive end, he has to be elite on defense. With a wing span of nearly 7-feet, he certainly has the length to be disruptive defender. But, he hasn’t been impactful enough on defense to justify keeping him on the floor when his shot isn’t falling.
Snell is coming up on last year of his rookie contract with a qualifying offer for next season. Barring a catastrophic season, he will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. Snell not only has a lot to prove to the Bulls, but the other 29 teams as well.
If he wants to cash in next summer, Snell has to improve his three-point shooting or take his defense to the next level. If he can somehow do both, it wouldn’t be inconceivable for Snell to sign a deal next summer approaching $10 million per year.
Next: No. 4
4. Jimmy Butler
The humble kid from Tomball, Texas has made quite a name for himself since being drafted 30th overall back in 2011. Let’s see if Jimmy Butler can take the next step and establish himself as a top-10 guy in the league.
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This year will be the first year he can outright say that this is his team. Even Dwyane Wade said so. It will also be the worst roster Jimmy Butler will have played with since coming into the league. Things could easily go even worse than last year, but it is up to Butler to lift this dysfunctional roster to new heights.
There was also those constant trade rumors surrounded Jimmy Butler throughout the offseason, especially during the draft. It’s up to him to prove that it would be foolish for Chicago to even consider trading him.
Beyond that, Butler has to prove that he can stay healthy. He has missed a total of 47 games the last three seasons. The last three seasons Butler has finished in the top three in minutes per game, including leading the league in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
With all of the injuries he has dealt with, it would be more ideal for Butler to play closer to 35 minutes per game this season. The problem is, the Bulls are going to need to have Butler on the floor if they want to win.
Next: No. 3
3. Nikola Mirotic
Expectations were high for Nikola Mirotic after finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting. Quietly, he showed some real improvement in the second half of the year.
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Mirotic struggled in the first half before missing a month after undergoing an appendectomy. He did improve his shooting from beyond the arc (up to 35 percent prior to the All-Star break), but he just wasn’t looking comfortable on the floor.
His play after the All-Star break and recovery from the appendectomy was much improved. The biggest sign of encouragement was in his shooting percentages. In the 22 games he played in the second half of the season, Mirotic shot 45 percent, as well as shooting 45 percent from three. His rebounding numbers did fall a bit in the second half (down from 5.9 to 4.7 RPG), but it was very promising to see Mirotic’s shooting numbers improve so greatly.
This season, Mirotic will presumably be get another crack at cementing his role as a starter. It’s vital that he doesn’t struggle coming out of the gate similar to last year. The Bulls need his shooting this year more than ever. Mirotic will have to prove that his numbers post All-Star break were not simply a product of a hot shooting stretch. He has to demonstrate that his shooting can be consistently relied upon.
Next: No. 2
2. Doug McDermott
Since acquiring McDermott in a draft night deal that sent two first-round picks to the Nuggets, the results have been mixed.
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On the positive side of things, McDermott has shown that his shooting is for real. Last year, he even had some nights where he looked like he couldn’t be stopped offensively.
Now, for the bad part: Doug McDermott has yet to figure out how to play defense in the NBA. For most guys, it’s an effort thing. That’s the scary part about McDermott’s defense. The guy tries on defense. He really does. But, he hasn’t had much success on that end. Whether it has been on the ball or away from the ball, McDermott has consistently hurt the Bulls on the defensive end.
Yes, his shooting numbers have been impressive and he is starting to live up to the “Dougie McBuckets” nickname.
But, if McDermott can’t stop anyone on the other end, then it’s a moot point.
Just as the case was with Mirotic, the Bulls are going to need shooting anywhere they can’t get it. If there’s one thing Doug McDermott has shown he can do in his first couple season, it’s shoot.
In his third year, McDermott has to show at least some sort of improvement on defense, especially since his shooting is going to be relied upon so much.
Next: No. 1
1. Fred Hoiberg
Fred Hoiberg has a tall task ahead of him this season managing the personalities of the “Three Alphas.” For a coach who struggled to have a voice in the locker room last season, adding a head case like Rajon Rondo is not exactly ideal.
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Last season, Holberg didn’t have the right personnel to run his offense. However, if he wants to coach in the NBA, he has to be able to adapt to his players.
This year Fred Hoiberg wont be dealing with the optimal personnel for his pace-and-space offense. At least, that will be the case with the starters.
On the other hand, the bench profiles as an excellent group to play pace-and-space basketball. They may not have as much shooting as Hoiberg would want, but the young guys should be able push the pace offensively. This bench unit could be a good barometer of how well Hoiberg’s offense functions in the NBA.
Along with running a successful offense with the bench guys, Hoiberg has to show that he can manage NBA personalities. With the new pieces that have been added, this season may be even more of a challenge than last year. He can’t have the organization’s star player telling the media that he needs to coach the team “a lot harder.”
Fred Hoiberg must exhibit a strong presence in the locker room especially with the players the Bulls have added this offseason. If not, Chicago could be in for another disastrous season.