Chicago Bulls big man Lauri Markkanen has unfinished business ahead of being a restricted free agent this off-season.
The fourth-year forward has had a complicated season for the Chicago Bulls. While his on-floor production has moved in the right direction and has been promising for his NBA future, he simply has not taken the court enough to justify a long-term deal in Chicago.
Markkanen entered this season as one of the Bulls with the most to prove due to his upcoming restricted free agency. Halfway through the season, the situation may be even more complicated now than it was coming in.
Markkanen has played in a grand total of just 14 games for the surprising Bulls but has produced at a high level in those 14 games. Not only is he averaging what would be a career-high 19.1 points per game, but he is also doing so on efficient numbers. His three-point percentage ad field goal percentage would both be career highs as well.
The problem is obvious in evaluating this production – sample size. Markkanen needs to find himself on the court more often than not in the second half of the season or the Bulls are going to be in a tough situation this offseason.
Sure, the team could luck into no team offering him a big deal and get him at a discount moving forward. More likely, though, is that one of the teams that cleared cap space and missed on top free agents decides to give him a hefty contract that the Bulls are forced to either match or let him walk for nothing.
If Markkanen isn’t healthier in the second half of the season, the Bulls are going to be guessing when it comes to their long-term projections for the sharp-shooting big man.