So, we know the Chicago Bulls have the first piece of the puzzle in place in Lauri Markkanen. But really, what else do they have? As they head towards the 2018 NBA Draft and then free agency, what do they need to get back into contention?
Watching Chicago Bulls games last season was a unique experience for Bulls fans. On one hand, it was fun to see the growth of Lauri Markkanen. The Finnish sensation had a superb rookie season, averaging 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. On the other hand, most fans saw losing games as many games as possible the best opportunity to win for the future. Now, after 55 losses last season, the Bulls hold the 7th pick in this year and have cap space for free agency this year and potentially more space for 2019. But still, there are more questions than answers going forward. What do the Bulls need in order to be a contender in the Eastern Conference?
True identity
Who are the Bulls? For years we knew the Bulls as a tough as nails defensive team under Tom Thibodeau. We knew every night would be a grind, for both the Bulls and their opponents. Now, under Fred Hoiberg, the Bulls are trying to run more of a pace-and-space offense. Last season, according to basketball-reference.com, the Bulls averaged 98.3 possessions per game, their highest since the 1985-86 season.
However, it didn’t always lead to points as the Bulls had a 103.7 offensive rating, which has third worst in the league. By contrast, again according to basketball-reference.com, the Houston Rockets averaged 97.6 possessions and had a 114.7 offensive rating. Conversely, the Bulls had a 110.8 defensive rating, their worst since 1985-86. I won’t bore you with more analytical stats, but the point is, the Bulls need to be more efficient on offense AND defense.
Too often last season possessions ended without Markkanen getting a touch. That simply cannot happen going forward. Markkanen is the future for the Bulls and his development is critical for them to succeed. 46% of his field goal attempts came from beyond the 3 point arc, which is too high for a player with his skill set. Markkanen would benefit from more playmaking from Kris Dunn and less ball dominance from Zach LaVine. Going forward, it’s crucial that Markkanen is established as the focal point of the Bulls offense.
More shooters
Having shooters in today’s NBA is like pitching in baseball, you can never have enough. Quite frankly, the Bulls simply need more shooters. After the Bulls traded away Nikola Mirotic, their best 3 point shooter was Denzel Valentine. In my opinion, that’s not the best case scenario for the Bulls. Valentine averaged 38% from the arc last season. The Bulls simply need to have better shooters if they want to compete for a playoff berth in 2018-19. One player the Bulls could target with the 22nd pick might be Maryland’s Kevin Huerter. The 6’7″ swingman averaged 42% from downtown last season as a sophomore and could be a sharpshooter for the Bulls off the bench.
Stabilize the defense
The Bulls were terrible on defense last season, ranking 24th in defensive rating. The Bulls allowed teams to shoot 47% from the field and 53% from inside the 3 point line. They have to get better here. There are a few options available for Chicago to turn to this off season. In free agency, the Bulls could target Clippers center DeAndre Jordan. He won’t come cheap however, but with few teams having available cap space, the Bulls should at least explore this possibility. The most likely avenue for the Bulls to improve defensively would be through the NBA Draft.
Texas big man Mohamed Bamba could solidify the backend of the defense. At 6’11”, Bamba has a ridiculous 7’10” wingspin. Yes, almost an 8 foot reach. That would translate to a lot of blocked shots, especially with porous defenders like Zach LaVine in front of him. The Bulls could seemingly funnel their defense to the middle where Bamba awaits. Drafting Bamba could allow the Bulls to move Robin Lopez. While he’s a nice player, Lopez is probably more suited for a back up role at this point in his career, and with the Bulls, he would be an expensive role player. Perhaps Lopez could render a late first-round pick in a draft day trade.
Find a real back up point guard
Even if the Bulls draft Oklahoma’s Trae Young, who I can’t see lasting past Orlando and the 6th pick, the Bulls are trusting Kris Dunn to run the team. He’s the team’s leader both on offense and defense. However, when Dunn isn’t on the court, the Bulls cannot have a drop off at the lead guard position.
I cannot see Jerian Grant and Cameron Payne being the answer on the court. They just are not good enough for an NBA team to trust to run an offense efficiently. A veteran point guard like Tony Parker could help in theory, though he’s lost a step or two and isn’t a strong defender. I see Parker as more of a mentor to Dunn on how to be a championship point guard.
See what they have in Zach LaVine
It’s important for the Bulls to get a full, healthy season from Zach LaVine. Predictably, LaVine’s 24 game season was a roller coaster. Fred Hoiberg needs to develop LaVine into his system offensively. LaVine was often too ball dominant and that is simply not Hoiberg’s offense. We should remember that there is still plenty of upside for LaVine as he is still only 23. With his restricted free agency this July, it will be interesting to see how the Bulls value LaVine, but I don’t see a scenario where he isn’t a Bull next season.
Stick to the plan
Finally, the Bulls front office need to stick to the plan, whatever it may be. John Paxson and Gar Forman need to allow the development of their young players to continue. Bobby Portis had a nice season in 2017-18 and figures to be a big part of the future. Valentine is a nice shooter off the bench but struggles when asked to be anything more than that.
Next: Report: The Bulls really like Young and Sexton
The Bulls need to allow young players time to grow and let them fail. Remember this is a marathon, not a sprint. If healthy, adding a solid young rookie with the 7th pick should allow this team to compete for a playoff berth in the east, but “the process” shouldn’t be rushed and realistic expectations should be measured.