Chicago Bulls offensive adjustments without Zach LaVine: More Post ups/Inside touches for Nikola Vucevic
If any Bulls fans still (somehow) wonder what Nikola Vucevic brings to the team offensively, they are going to get a full display of his skillset in the coming games. Vucevic is more than capable of being the focal point of an offense and that is what Billy Donovan is going to ask of him.
Vooch is one of the most talented bigs in the game and that will be on full display with LaVine out of the lineup. While the big man has been displaying a lot of his strengths as a shooter and roll man, expect to see other areas emphasized in the near future.
Specifically, Vucevic is going to be getting more post-up opportunities now that LaVine is set to miss time. His post-ups per game only dropped by one from the Magic to the Bulls (4.6 possessions per game in Chicago).
He is more effective in the role with the Bulls so far, though. This area has now replaced LaVine pick and rolls as the easiest way for the team to get good looks and because of that, it will be a primary play used moving forward.
Vooch’s excellent passing and vision help a lot here. You can continuously go to a guy like him in the post because he will always find open shooters or cutters when he has the ball. He is not the type of post player who catches the ball and gets tunnel vision until taking an eventual shot.
Expect a high dose of inside looks for the big man and an increase in possessions where the ball reaches him down low early in the shot clock.