3) Chicago Bulls defensive liabilities who must improve
Two of the Bulls players on this list that were mostly defensive liabilities over the course of the last three seasons (and now maybe for a fourth) are also key pieces of the young core. The first up is the fourth-year seven-footer and 23-year-old power forward Lauri Markkanen. In his first game of the regular season, Markkanen didn’t have his best showing on the defensive end.
The way that Markkanen’s game on the defensive end of the floor was trending last season looked to actually be going in a positive direction. He registered a career-best -0.8 defensive box plus/minus rating, 110 defensive rating, 1.6 defensive win shares, 1.4 steal percentage, and 1.5 block percentage. Four of those five numbers were either set in stone career highs, or tied for.
In the Bulls regular season opener loss to the Hawks at home on Dec. 23, Markkanen registered a rather poor 120 defensive rating, to go along with one steal, no blocks, and he was a -34 when on the floor. What was odd about Markkanen’s +/- was that he was maybe the Bulls most efficient offensive player in the loss to the Hawks.
Nonetheless, the Bulls are going to need Markkanen and center Wendell Carter Jr. to improve vastly on the defensive end of the floor if this rebuild is to take a bigger step in a positive direction in its fourth year. Getting off on the wrong foot doesn’t mean that Bulls fans should press the panic button with Markkanen, especially with how efficient he was on offense.
His goal for improvement is simple on the defensive end. Stick to his assignments off ball more consistently and don’t get lulled to sleep when facing a settled offense.