Chicago Bulls: 3 players that should be starting down the stretch

2) Players who should be in Chicago Bulls starting 5

Otto Porter Jr., Small Forward

Getting the veteran small forward Otto Porter Jr. back in the rotation post-All-Star Break could be really big for Donovan and the Bulls down the stretch. He was slotted in more of a sixth man role at the outset of this regular season, but has also got a number of starts under his belt at this point. OPJ was productive and efficient for the Bulls when healthy this season.

Just like all three Bulls players on this list were at some point over the course of the last calendar year, OPJ sat in the midst of a number of trade rumors for the looming March 25 deadline. OPJ has one year left on his current contract, which makes him a valuable commodity in discussions. He could serve a lot of utility in trade talks for the Bulls new front office regime.

If the Bulls do decide to keep OPJ around beyond the deadline, then slotting him back in the starting five could be a good move down the stretch. Inconsistent production from rookie forward Patrick Williams this season isn’t problematic for the young core over the long haul. But it could be for the Bulls playoff chances in the immediate future.