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Chicago Bulls: 3 goals for the new year

By Luke Askew

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 28: Robin Lopez #42 of the Chicago Bulls looks on against the Washington Wizards in the second half at Capital One Arena on December 28, 2018 in Washington, DC. 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. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 28: Robin Lopez #42 of the Chicago Bulls looks on against the Washington Wizards in the second half at Capital One Arena on December 28, 2018 in Washington, DC. 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. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

2. Develop the young guys

The young guys that the Bulls have on their roster are the main reasons for Bulls fans to stay positive. That’s why the Bulls need to focus on developing their best young guys in 2019.

Zach LaVine has gotten far too much hate from the NBA world. He’s been unreal so far this season. The 23-year-old is averaging a somewhat efficient 23.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. Yes, he has his problems on the defensive end, but he’s one of the league’s elite scorers, and he’s only 23. Because of all that, LaVine is actually the young guy that I’m least concerned about.

Lauri Markkanen is a close second in terms of which young guys I’m least concerned about. He’s developed far faster than most people expected and he has an incredibly bright future. However, he still has a lot to work on. Most importantly, he needs to improve his playmaking and defense.

Wendell Carter Jr. has had a lot of ups and downs in his first 37 games as a pro. His defense is really good, but there’s a lot that needs to improve on offense. Most of his struggles on offense, though, seem to be with confidence. He’s an incredible player and has insane offensive skills, but he often passes up open jump shots and looks to defer to his teammates. No one is expecting him to turn into Joel Embiid on offense, but he needs to become more of a threat.

Oh, and Carter needs to stop fouling. That should come with experience, though.

The last guy that the Bulls need to focus on in terms of player development is Kris Dunn. The jury is still out on whether or not Dunn is the point guard of the Bulls’ future. Is he capable of being a starting point guard in the NBA? Absolutely. Can he be the starting point guard on a championship team? It’s too early to tell, but he needs to continue improving on offense if he wants to be a Bull long term.

Sidenote: The Bulls obviously need to work on developing every player, not only the four that I mentioned, but those four are the most important. 

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