Chicago Bulls: It’s clear this team is still a work in progress

The Other Guys

Everyone has talked about the improved play of Coby White.

He had an off night (at the worst time) against the Nets, but he was averaging 18.7 points and 5.8 assists per game before that, while slashing .445/.414/.901 and did a lot in the way of creating doubt over whether or not the Bulls should try to move on from him this offseason.

While he’s been much better scoring, he had a backslide with his turnovers and is coming off a stretch where he averaged 3.4 per contest.

Lauri Markkanen is another story entirely, as he’s struggled mightily since being moved to the bench. He’s averaged 9.0 points and 4.5 boards and, despite some plus outings, has kept up the same lack of aggression on most nights that got him, and the Bulls, in this situation.

What happens to both will likely be the biggest storyline for the Bulls, at least of the things that are under their full control.

We told you of the importance of Garrett Temple saying positive things to the media but let’s not forget how much of a factor Thaddeus Young has been this season. He seems like a candidate to be moved this offseason given he has one year left on his contract. But it does depend on how far along he and the Bulls front office think this re-build is.

They’ve been open in wanting Daniel Theis to return but he should be a hot commodity after the things he’s put on tape since coming over from Boston at the trade deadline.

How the Bulls handle these five players could have just as much of an impact as the opinions around the league of LaVine and Vucevic as cornerstones. What good is a “Big 3” if you don’t have a strong cast of role players to support it?