2) Players dragging the Chicago Bulls down of late
Denzel Valentine, Shooting Guard/Wing
One player that had a really promising start for the Bulls this season, but has seen his production and efficiency wane as things have moved along is the 27-year-old sharpshooting 6-foot-4 shooting guard/wing Denzel Valentine. This crafty former Michigan State Spartan got a one-year contract extension from vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas last offseason, but he’s not getting the most out of it of late.
Valentine is actually shooting around two percent worse from beyond the arc and more than two percent worse from the field so far this season compared to his career averages. His player efficiency rating (just shy of 11) and box plus/minus rating (-2.7) are also around his career average or worse up to this point.
The way that Valentine has played not just since the All-Star Break, but through the last dozen games or so as a whole have not been up to par for Donovan and the Bulls. In his two games played since the All-Star Break concluded, Valentine averaged just north of three points per game, four rebounds, and one assist. And he’s shot just 25 percent from beyond the arc, 43 percent from the field. That comes along with a poor 86 offensive rating/107 defensive rating, and a 50 true shooting percentage.
The Bulls need Valentine to be better down the stretch to provide them a more consistent boost on the offensive end of the floor as a wing coming off the bench. He’s played well in spots for them this season, filling a much needed role as a second or third unit catch-and-shoot wing and offensive spark plug. His production is just down in the last dozen games or so.