Chicago Bulls: Who should be the starting point guard

The Chicago Bulls have collected a solid group of point guards this offseason, adding to an already strong rotation. The question now; who should start?

In terms of point guards, it’s been a very successful offseason for the Chicago Bulls. They were able to bring back both Shaquille Harrison and Ryan Arcidiacono, both solid contributors off of the bench. They drafted UNC’s Coby White with the 7th pick, and in free agency were able to sign 6-foot-7 guard Tomas Satoransky, previously of the Washington Wizards.

Despite speculation, they are also yet to trade last years starting point guard Kris Dunn. This begs the question, who should be Chicago’s starting point guard?

Kris Dunn

The returning starting point guard, the role is currently Kris Dunn’s to lose. Despite immense media speculation over the NBA offseason, Dunn has yet to be traded by the Bulls. John Paxson has also said that the Bulls “still value Kris Dunn very much”. Dunn is a capable floor general, averaging 11.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6 assists over the 2018-19 season.

He is most known for his defensive presence, both on and off the ball. However, Dunn is not the most successful facilitator, featuring on a team that could greatly value this. There are also doubts surrounding his versatility as a scorer, primarily his shooting from deep. He is a career 32.3 percent shooter from three, which is below average. For Dunn to assume the starting role, he must be able to take better command of the team and be capable of reading the floor and making the correct play.

Tomas Satoransky

Chicago signed Tomas Satoransky to a 3 year, $30 million contract this offseason, one of their bigger splashes in a relatively quiet free agency. Standing 6-foot-7, Satoransky is more of a point forward but is a versatile player who proved his ability to score during his tenure with Washington.

He averaged 8.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5 assists last season, in around 27 minutes. While able to score from a multitude of areas on the court, Satoransky also somewhat lacks experience in running a team and playing that facilitator role.

However, a lineup featuring Satoransky at the point is a very interesting idea, a potential nightmare for opposing teams to match up with. Ultimately, his value to this team is better served off the bench.

Coby White

The Bulls were glad to draft Coby White at seven, after initially fearing that he may not fall that far to them. White comes out of the University of North Carolina, where he averaged 16.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, leading his team to the Sweet 16 before a surprise loss to Auburn. While a score-first guard, White does have the court vision and passing skills, which he will be required to utilize to a higher degree coming into the league.

White somewhat impressed during summer league, despite shooting abysmally from three (3-30). However, he also lacks the leadership and experience to properly run point for the Bulls, skills which he must develop under his vets. He could viably move into the starting lineup during the season depending on his progress and success but should be coming off of the bench to start the year.

Conclusions

In considering all options, it seems that Kris Dunn is the most fitting to return to the starting point guard slot. If Coby White can improve throughout the season, the Bulls could look to move Dunn before the trade deadline and hand Coby the keys to the kingdom. However, as everything currently stands, Dunn is the best and most experienced of Chicago’s guards and has the best chance at bringing the team together to work towards a possible playoffs berth.