The Chicago Bulls have a ton of options for how to improve at the point guard position, but Malcolm Brogdon isn’t the answer.
The worst kept secret in the NBA this summer is that the Chicago Bulls are desperate for an upgrade at the point guard position. Whether that improvement comes via the draft, free agency or trade is yet to be seen, but it’s coming.
One guy that Bulls fans have been salivating over recently is Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon.
Let me preface the rest of this article by saying that I absolutely love Malcolm Brogdon. He’s a heck of a player and will likely be a part of multiple deep playoff runs in the near future. But I can’t stress this enough: He’s not the guy to fix the Bulls’ point guard problems. I mean, he’s not even a point guard.
I understand the love surrounding Brogdon and his game. He’s a good defender, he works hard, he’s unselfish, he’s smart and he can shoot the three ball. All of those things make him an ideal two guard on a championship-level team. You know, a team like the Milwaukee Bucks.
Zach LaVine, the Bulls’ current shooting guard, is a better playmaker than Brogdon, and even LaVine isn’t ready to be the lead ball handler for the Bulls. If LaVine and Brogdon were sharing a backcourt, I have a feeling Zach would be handling most of the on-ball duties, defeating the purpose of bringing Brogdon in.
If the Bulls were to explore using Zach LaVine as a trade chip this summer, then I would support Chicago making a run at Brogdon. He’s a really solid two guard. But again, he’s not a point guard. (By the way, I really hope the Bulls don’t explore trading LaVine. That’s a topic for another day, though.)
When evaluating Brogdon, it’s also important to remember that he’s already 26 years old. Yes, he’s only played in the NBA for three years, but he was an extremely old rookie. Now, 26 isn’t exactly old, but it’s not super young either. He should be entering the prime of his career right about now, and he’s not advanced enough as a playmaker to be the lead ball handler on a rebuilding team.
Rather than focusing on trying to get an established two guard to run the point for them, the Bulls should be looking for someone who more closely aligns with how a point guard should look in today’s NBA. If they can trade up in the 2019 NBA Draft for Darius Garland or Coby White, both of those guys would be promising options. If they can’t get one of those two in the draft, then they should try to get someone like Mike Conley or Ricky Rubio. (I know Rubio isn’t the typical point guard for this era of the NBA, but he’s a pass-first guy who knows how to run an offense. He’s more than qualified to be the Bulls’ starting point guard.)
Malcolm Brogdon is a stellar player with an extremely bright future, but it would be a huge mistake for the Bulls to think he’s the guy to solve their point guard problems.