3-on-3 basketball will be an official event in the 2020 Summer Olympics. If the Chicago Bulls were to form a 3-on-3 team, what would be the best way to do it?
The 2020 Summer Olympics will be immeasurably more fun now that 3-on-3 basketball will be an event. I mean, the Olympics are already amazing, but adding another basketball event? Say no more. Unfortunately, it looks like there won’t be many – if any – NBA players competing in the 3-on-3 event. Regardless, it’ll be an incredibly fun event to watch. Basketball is basketball.
This all got me thinking: What if there was a 3-on-3 NBA tournament where each team had to pick four players (three starters, one bench guy) to represent their team? More importantly, if I were tasked with selecting the players to represent the Chicago Bulls, who would I pick?
There are two main schools of thought that need to be considered:
- Overall talent
- Fit
Luckily for me, the Bulls have a diverse group of talent. They have quality big men, talented wings and dynamic ball handlers.
Let’s get this rolling.
Starters
There are two guys that need to be in the starting lineup with no questions asked: Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen. Both of those guys have an incredible skill set for the 3-on-3 style. LaVine can break defenders down, make the right pass, score from all three levels of the floor and create shots out of thin air. Markkanen can rebound, spread the floor and post up.
Defensively, this isn’t a great duo. LaVine’s defensive struggles are well documented and Markkanen is still a work in progress on that end of the floor. But in a 3-on-3 format, it should be easier for both of them to lock in. I mean, there’s only three guys to worry about. Plus, it’s not like athleticism is the concern with those two on the defensive end. Markkanen is crazy-athletic for a seven-footer and LaVine is one of the best NBA athletes of all time. It’s just a matter of getting them to buy in, and I think we (the coach, their teammates, and me – the GM) could get them to do that. It’s way harder to hide your weaknesses on the court when there are only three guys out there.
Picking the third starter is a much tougher decision. Thaddeus Young would provide the Bulls with a defensive anchor – someone to do the dirty work. Tomas Satoransky would give the Bulls a secondary ball-handler with incredible size (6-foot-7). Otto Porter Jr. would supply a lengthy presence on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. He’s also the best shooter on the Bulls’ roster. And a guy like Wendell Carter Jr. would add another big body that could protect the rim – a critical part of 3-on-3 hoops.
There are a lot of good options to fill this spot, but I’m going with Otto Porter Jr. He’d be able to switch on all three guys, which would give the Bulls the option to play small-ball (more on this later). Plus, you can never have too much shooting.
Starters: LaVine, Porter, Markkanen
Bench
Now that we have our starting three in place, it’s time to pick the one reserve to have on the roster. Picking the reserve isn’t about picking the best guy left – it’s about creating opportunities for unique lineups. That’s why Wendell Carter Jr. is an automatic scratch. Bringing Carter off the bench either means having to play two bigs or never giving LaVine or Porter a breather. Both of those are options I’m not a fan of.
Thaddeus Young would give the Bulls some nice versatility. He could replace Otto on the wing and play next to Lauri and Zach, or he could replace Lauri and play the small-ball big. Still, we’re left with the problem of not being able to give Zach a breather. I mean, an Otto-Thaddeus-Lauri lineup would be a disaster. Zach would have to stay on the court for the entire game.
So who’s the guy? Tomas Satoransky.
At 6-foot-7, Sato would give the Bulls’ 3-on-3 team a plethora of unique lineup combinations. He could replace Zach as the primary ball-handler. He could play on the wing next to Zach while Lauri works in the post. He could even sub in for Markkanen and force opposing teams to guard three perimeter guys for short stints. Can you imagine a 3-on-3 small-ball lineup made up of Satoransky, LaVine and Porter? That’s a menacing offensive unit.
Sato would be the Bulls’ best bet to round out this hypothetical team.
Bench: Tomas Satoransky