Chicago Bulls: 3 most efficient role players coming off the bench

2) Chicago Bulls efficient bench players

Otto Porter Jr., Small Forward

Although he’s started in a good portion of the games he’s played in for the Bulls so far this season, Donovan usually intends veteran small forward Otto Porter Jr. to come off the bench when his rotation is fully healthy top-to-bottom. And the last game that OPJ played in with the Bulls saw the 27-year-old two-way wing come off the bench with the return of fourth-year power forward Lauri Markkanen to the starting five.

When the likes of WCJ, Markkanen, rookie forward Patrick Williams, etc. are healthy and ready to go, then it looks like Donovan will keep OPJ in more of a sixth man role. That is a decent fit for the former Washington Wizard too. OPJ gives a whole new dynamic to the second unit for the Bulls off the bench, and helps maneuver the wing rotation to a way that does provide more versatility for the coaching staff.

In a dozen games played with the Bulls so far this season (half of which he’s started in), OPJ is playing in around 23-24 minutes on the floor per night. He’s averaged 12.5 points per game, 6.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.1 blocks, and 1.2 turnovers. OPJ shot an efficient 46.0 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 85.7 percent from the free-throw line.

That all has amounted to him registering a solid 0.8 box plus/minus rating, 0.2 value over replacement player rating, .125 win shares per 48 minutes, 0.7 total win shares, 59.8 true shooting percentage, 117 offensive rating/113 defensive rating, and a 17.4 player efficiency rating. While the defensive play of OPJ definitely needs to improve in the near future, he’s picking up the pace in pretty much every other significant area of his game this season.