Ranking the five best Chicago Bulls players of the decade
By Luke Askew
5. Lauri Markkanen
It feels a little odd to put a 22-year-old who’s only played 120 NBA games on my list of the top five Bulls of the decade, but Lauri Markkanen deserves it.
Lauri had huge shoes to fill when the Bulls traded Jimmy Butler to Minnesota for a package that included him as the centerpiece of the deal. He didn’t disappoint, though. He actually shattered expectations during his rookie year, averaging 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while showing Bulls fans that he’s capable of becoming the franchise’s cornerstone.
An elbow injury sidelined Markkanen for the start of his sophomore season in Chicago, but he returned in style. He only appeared in 52 games this past season, but he showed progress in pretty much every area of his game and averaged an impressive 18.7 points per game on .430/.361/.872 shooting splits to go along with 9.0 rebounds.
Markkanen hasn’t accomplished much from a team perspective yet, but a lot of that is on the front office and the players surrounding him. He’s done everything he’s been asked and more. He’s the real deal. He’s the truth. He’s the future.