1. Strong Support Role from Porter Jr.
They say there is no I in team, and while LaVine has taken over his share of games with dominating offensive play, he can’t carry the entire team on his back again for the full season. Not after the awful disaster that was last year, at least.
For any remotely fathomable chance for the Bulls to make the playoffs this year, they absolutely need Otto Porter Jr. to step into a strong supporting role alongside LaVine.
Porter Jr. has shown that he is capable of stepping up and into a go-to option on offense when needed. With a lengthy wingspan, he’s proven to be a disruptive and dynamic defensive asset capable of guarding the 2, 3, 4, and even 5 spot at times, as well.
But amidst a dramatic season under a brand new coach and with a brand new team, understandable inconsistency proved to be a worthy opponent for Porter Jr. last year.
With a full off-season, training camp, and preseason with the team now under his belt, the time for him to shine is now.
We know about LeBron and A.D., Curry and Thompson, Durant and Irving, and the reunion of Westbrook and Harden. Could LaVine and Porter Jr. rank well amongst these All Star dynamic duos? Only time will tell. But if the Bulls have any chance at all of seeding in the playoffs, they’ll need to put up great numbers and lead this team for years to come.
Prediction: Bulls break even on the season and rightfully earn a seventh or eighth seed heading into the playoffs as long as they can achieve these five keys. Adding some starter level talent to the rotation, notably at point guard, could increase those odds.