Where to look for Chicago Bulls in free agency?
Victor Oladipo
Like Dinwiddie, Victor Oladipo is an All-Star caliber guard who has lost a lot to injury. A ruptured quad tendon in his right knee in January 2019 abruptly ended his 2018-2019 season. Since then, he’s played just 52 games in the past two seasons.
When healthy though, Oladipo is one of the best two-way players in the NBA. In three seasons with the Pacers, he was selected to two All-Star teams, averaging 20.7 PPG and playing elite defense.
The fit in the backcourt next to Zach LaVine may seem strange at first, considering both traditionally play the two-guard position.
However, slotting LaVine over to point guard to put Oladipo next to him in the backcourt could make the Bulls better on both ends of the ball.
LaVine’s 23.4 assist percentage this season was comparable to Kemba Walker (23.8%), Lonzo Ball (25.4%), and other starting point guards. He was by no means elite last season in his focus on playmaking, ranking 36th in the NBA with 4.9 assists per game, but definitely showed promise as an improved passer.
Slotting 2017-2018 All-Defensive First Team guard Oladipo next to LaVine could help cover for his defensive deficiencies. It would also give Chicago another go-to scoring option, and an extra ball-handler for when LaVine is off the court.
Despite a rough 2020-2021 season in which he played just 33 games for three different teams, Oladipo still has a lot to offer on both ends of the ball when healthy. Playing next to LaVine could be the stabilizing force his career needs.