Chicago Bulls: 3 takeaways from the final preseason game

1. Wendell Carter Jr. should start

Continuing with this discussion of starters vs. bench players, Wendell Carter Jr. should definitely be in the starting lineup.

Originally, I thought it made more sense to start Robin Lopez at center and bring Carter off the bench at the beginning of the season while Carter familiarizes himself with the NBA. Now, I think that would be a mistake.

Carter got off to a slightly rough start in the preseason, but he’s one of the smartest and most mature rookies in the entire NBA – he’s catching on quickly.

Against the Nuggets, Carter looked fantastic on both offense and defense.

Carter finished the game with 10 points, 9 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals on a nice 4-of-8 shooting from the field.

Carter’s ability on the offensive end to set good screens, make the right pass and knock down shots makes him an extremely dangerous weapon for the Bulls – he makes everyone else’s job easier. He also has a positive impact on the defensive end of the floor. He’s long, he can move his feet and his ability to remain vertical around the rim makes it difficult for smaller guards to finish when he’s in front of them.

Wendell Carter Jr. should absolutely be the day one starter.