Center: Wendell Carter Jr.
What he’s done well
One of the very few positives that shined through for the Chicago Bulls so far this season is the play of former Duke Blue Devils seventh overall draft pick and second-year center Wendell Carter Jr. He’s averaging 12.7 points per game, 9.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 0.8 blocks, on 56.9 percent shooting from the field.
Carter Jr. is improving on both ends of the floor with a very solid 122 offensive rating and a progressing 107 defensive rating. He’s also nearly doubled his win shares per 48 minutes, now sitting at .166.
How to use him different
How in the world is Boylen giving the ball to Carter Jr. less this season than he did last. Carter Jr.’s usage rate is down by about three percent, even though his efficiency and per game numbers are up pretty much across the board elsewhere.
Let Carter Jr. facilitate with the ball in his hands more often, and continue to allow him to improve his shooting ability from 12-feet and beyond. He’s not going to be a distributing or distance shooting stud immediately, but that skill set will come along in due time.
Backup center: Daniel Gafford (and Luke Kornet if he shows any signs of life)
I mentioned at the beginning of this rotation fix for Boylen and the Bulls that I don’t think that Kornet should have much of a role at all. That is at least until he shows that he can be a competent big man on the front end.