2) Why the play of Chicago Bulls PG Coby White is concerning
Zach LaVine is already taking some of the primary ball handler duties away
Although the aforementioned assist-to-turnover ratio for White has improved of late, he still managed to lose some of his primary ball handler duties in the offense to the standout 25-year-old shooting guard Zach LaVine. Throughout the last few seasons, LaVine was the highest usage player in the Bulls rotation by a good margin.
And that trends looks to be holding true so far this season.
LaVine is well ahead of the second two highest usage players on the Bulls so far during this regular season slate. His usage rate sits at a whopping 30.7 percent through six games. White and power forward Lauri Markkanen sit in second place in usage rate on the team, tied at 22.4 percent.
The lone per game stat that White edges LaVine in at the moment that is significant (outside of turnovers) is assists. That is good news if Donovan continues to entrust White to be the starting point guard. But LaVine is still commanding a lot more usage in this offense than White is in the last few games.
LaVine has started in all six games he’s played in so far this season, averaging just shy of 32 minutes per game. And he’s averaged 22.2 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks, and a whopping 4.3 turnovers. LaVine shot 43.7 percent from the field, 29.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 88.2 percent from the free-throw line.
If White can get in better rhythm shooting from the field, and getting to the free-throw line more often, then more usage will go back to him instead of LaVine. The latter of those two Bulls starting guards is actually shooting much worse from downtown than the former North Carolina Tar Heel so far this season.
There is ample opportunity for White to get more of his role as a higher usage volume scorer and a developing facilitator back from LaVine if his efficiency gets an uptick in the near future.