Chicago Bulls: 3 players that outlived their welcome in the Windy City

3. Denzel Valentine, Shooting Guard

One player that Bulls fans have to already be tired of talking about is the fourth-year former Michigan State Spartans shooting guard Denzel Valentine. This 6-foot-4 and 210 pound former 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft of the Bulls has yet to live up to the hype of a lottery selection in almost any regard.

There was some optimism entering the 2019-20 season that Valentine would be able to stay healthy and provide valuable wing depth for the Bulls. And the main problem for Valentine in the season that was for the Bulls was not staying healthy, for the most part. His production and role just dwindled down the stretch prior to the hiatus.

Valentine played in 36 games during the 2019-20 regular season for the Bulls (starting in five of them). He averaged 6.8 points per game, 2.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.2 blocks. Valentine shot 40.9 percent from the field, 33.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 75.0 percent from the free-throw line.

That amounted to actually a career best -0.5 box plus/minus rating, .048 win shares per 48 minutes, 0.2 value over replacement player rating, and a 51.1 true shooting percentage.

What Valentine brings to the table is theoretically a lot of what the Bulls need. He’s a decent facilitator, consistent outside shooter (at least usually), and helps on the wing in a small ball lineup. But Valentine is reliable enough from deep anymore, and he’s definitely not consistently healthy enough for the Bulls to keep on the 15-man roster heading into next season.