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Chicago Bulls: Let the tank begin with the 2017-18 season preview

By Michael Whitlow

NEW YORK - JUNE 21: NBA Draft Prospect, Lauri Markkanen speaks to the media during media availability as part of the 2017 NBA Draft on June 21, 2017 at the Grand Hyatt New York in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK - JUNE 21: NBA Draft Prospect, Lauri Markkanen speaks to the media during media availability as part of the 2017 NBA Draft on June 21, 2017 at the Grand Hyatt New York in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Chicago Bulls rookie Lauri Markkanen will have a ton of hype coming into his rookie season.
HELSINKI, FINLAND – SEPTEMBER 5: Lauri Markkanen of Finland during the FIBA Eurobasket 2017 Group A match between Greece and Finland on September 5, 2017 in Helsinki, Finland. (Photo by Norbert Barczyk/Press Focus/MB Media/Getty Images) /

Lauri Markkanen: is the Finnish star for real?

This season won’t be completely terrible if Lauri Markkanen turns out to be the star the Bulls need him to be in the future.

He’s always going to be seen as one of the guys that replaced Jimmy Butler, a proven star in the NBA during the time of the trade. That shadow is going to be casted onto Markkanen. But, if his performance against some of the best basketball talent not in the NBA today at EuroBasket was a telling sign, the Bulls’ gamble might pay off.

Remember, the Bulls didn’t even interview or invite Markkanen in for a private pre-draft workout before taking him with the pick they swapped for in the 2017 NBA Draft back in June. This is a huge risk that the Bulls front office took in doing that, but Markkanen looked like a future star for Finland against the likes of France and Slovenia, led by Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic and potential future teammate on the Bulls: 2018 draft prospect Luka Doncic.

He’s got plenty of question marks surrounding him. Is he going to be strong enough to become a valuable rebounder? Can he score from the blocks while maintaining a strong percentage from the perimeter? “The rookie wall” that young players hit in their first season is inevitable, but can Markkanen handle the rigors of an 82-game season for years to come?

From the looks of things so far, it looks like he can. Not only is he some Mirotic insurance in case things don’t work out between the two sides, he’s got the potential to be a much better player than Mirotic. He can really shoot it from deep. He’s got a nice, feathery touch on his jumper. He can score from anywhere. And, despite the questions about his defense and rebounding, he’s already shown glimpses that he can handle the NBA’s best up front in what could be a bright future for the 20-year-old out of Arizona.

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