Chicago Bulls: 3 underrated players ready to breakthrough in 2020-21
3) Underrated Chicago Bulls ready to breakout
Daniel Gafford. 3. 24. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Center. Age: 22
It’s not so much the development of the game of the former Arkansas Razorbacks second-year big man Daniel Gafford that needs to happen this season for him to truly break through. The consistency and usage in the rotation needs to be where Gafford finds his constant role this season with the Bulls.
Last season, Gafford proved to be one of the true hidden gems in the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft. The Bulls snagged him with the 38th overall pick in the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft, and he was essentially able to make an immediate impact. The problem was that Boylen often gave more minutes in the frontcourt rotation to the likes of Luke Kornet and Crisitiano Felicio early last season.
During the shortened 2019-20 regular season, Gafford played in 43 games for the Bulls as a rookie (seven of which he started in). And he averaged 5.1 points per game, 2.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks. Gafford shot 70.1 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from the free-throw line.
Basketball-Reference projects Gafford to average 14.1 points per 36 minutes this season, to go along with 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.9 steals, and a whopping 2.8 blocks, during the 2020-21 season. And he’s projected to shoot 63.7 percent from the field and 59.5 percent from the free-throw line.
If Gafford continues to be a force on the defensive end and one of the hardest workers on the glass on the offensive end, he’ll be even more of a force to be reckoned with this season compared to last.