The Chicago Bulls are about to embark on a season full of intrigue. Here are their biggest strengths heading into the 2018-19 NBA season.
The Chicago Bulls are coming off a 27-55 season that was filled with ups and downs. Whether it was starting 3-20 and then going on a 7 game winning streak, or dealing with a plethora of injuries, the 2017-18 season was, in a word, unique.
Despite the lack of success (and experience) that this Bulls team has, they actually have a lot of good things going for them. With that being said, let’s go through some of the Bulls strengths as they head into the 2018-19 season.
Note: These strengths aren’t necessarily the same as they were last season. This evaluation is based on a combination of trends we saw last season and the updates made to the roster.
Strengths
Athleticism: This Bulls team is the most athletic team they’ve had in a very long time. If everyone stays healthy, their ceiling is sky-high.
Picture Wendell Carter Jr. snagging a defensive rebound, hitting Kris Dunn with the outlet pass, and then Dunn flying up the court with Jabari Parker and Zach LaVine on the wings and Lauri Markkanen trailing.
They have the potential to be one of the most lethal run-and-gun teams in the league. Don’t be surprised if they are among the league leaders in pace.
Versatility: Assuming Wendell Carter Jr. starts, Kris Dunn will be the worst shooter in the starting lineup. Dunn’s shot isn’t terrible – it’s definitely not good – but it isn’t terrible. LaVine, Parker, Markkanen and Carter, on the other hand, can all space the floor and shoot the ball with ease.
The ability that the Bulls’ bigs have to stretch the floor should lead to open driving lanes for slashers like LaVine and Parker. Along with that, the ability that LaVine and Parker both possess on the perimeter means Markkanen and Carter should have room to operate in the post. There should be tons of different ways this Bulls team can score the basketball.
If you’re a fan of offense, this will be a fun year.
Depth: I’m a little uneasy about this one. The Bulls should, in theory, be a pretty deep team during the 2018-19 season.
Bobby Portis is coming off a career year and he seems poised to make a run at the Sixth Man of the Year award. Combine him with Chandler Hutchison, Denzel Valentine, Cameron Payne, Justin Holiday and either Robin Lopez or Wendell Carter Jr. (depending on who starts), and this should be a Bulls bench unit that’s capable of putting up big numbers.
Cameron Payne is the key, though. If he can take care of the ball and be the floor general for the second unit, they’ll be solid. Having a quality point guard coming off the bench is critical in this league, and Payne needs to prove he can be that guy.