3. Adjust to maximize Luke Kornet’s elevated role
Thanks to Boylen somewhat re-shaping the look of his rotation and scheme in the frontcourt for the Chicago Bulls in the midst of all these injuries to the centers, center Luke Kornet is elevating his play. The former New York Knicks center Kornet is getting his three-point shooting up around 30 percent (which is a big improvement from the sub-25 percent clip he was at prior to the turn of the calendar year).
Since WCJ hasn’t really developed his range yet and Gafford is limited with his jump shooting ability, Kornet might be the best floor spacing big man the Bulls have, outside of Markkanen. That is unless you count forward Thaddeus Young as one of the Bulls big men. Boylen certainly isn’t playing Young like a traditional big, though.
Kornet does have a slightly better three-point shooting percentage for his career than Young does. As about a 35 percent career three-point shooter, Kornet should be shooting better than 29 percent from downtown this season. But allowing him to work from the outside-in more and giving him more open looks with the first and second units results in Kornet hitting his looks at a much more efficient clip.
If the Bulls can get the most out of Kornet’s ability to space the floor and protect the rim alongside either Markkanen or Young, then the frontcourt rotation could be salvaged. But giving more playing time to the Brazilian overpaid big man Cristiano Felicio should not be one of the options that the Bulls consider at the moment.