Chicago Bulls: Player grades for 2019-2020 season
- Coby White, Chicago Bulls (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
Coby White
Coby White got off to a rocky start to his rookie campaign. This is not uncommon for young players at all, as rookie scorers such as White tend to struggle with shot selection. Although the Bulls got a lot of heat for it, bringing the North Carolina product off of the bench was not the worst idea in the world.
Off of the bench, White was able to focus more on finding his scoring rhythm and spots in professional games. In spite of his at times questionable shot selection, he showed that volume scoring and floor spacing are very realistic roles for White.
The ‘end’ of the 2019-2020 campaign increased the fans’ confidence in him immensely. In the eleven game stretch after the 2020 NBA All-Star game, White averaged just shy of 25 points-per-game on very efficient shooting numbers, and even passed the ball above expectations. The biggest question mark with White going forward is his ability as a playmaker and fit next to LaVine.
We all know Coby and score at a high level, but in order to bring this team and his own game to the next level, he will need to make strides as a passer during his sophomore season.
Grade: B
Daniel Gafford
When Daniel Gafford fell all the way down to the 38th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, I was of the impression that the Bulls came away with two first-round talents. Gafford played as well as anyone could have asked him to in limited minutes, leading the NBA’s rookie field in blocks per contest.
In fact, Gafford was the only rookie in 2019-2020 to average over a block per game. Although his ceiling is relatively low, being that his jumper is non-existent, Gafford should get solid minutes next year backing up Wendell Carter.
Gafford’s hard-nosed rebounding and shot-blocking is a lost art in today’s NBA, but is still something that is incredibly valuable for any team. Even outside of rebounding and defense, Gafford impressed this season in his ability to play above the rim. He and Tomas Satoransky could prove to be a very solid pick-and-roll combo next season, as Gafford loves to go up and get lobs. As long as his playing time increases in his second pro season, look for Gafford to make some nice strides in 2020-2021.