Chicago Bulls: Who stays and who needs to go?
The Bulls are a team that will be defined by their young depth. The question is, which young gun do you trust pulling the trigger?
KEEP: Patrick Williams
Fresh off an All-Rookie Second Team nomination, I believe the sky is the limit for Patrick Williams. ‘The Paw’ — as he’s been affectionately named by fans likening him to superstar forward Kawhi Leonard — pieced together a promising rookie campaign averaging 9.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest. Despite playing less than 30 minutes per game on average, he still started every game and was often tasked with guarding the other team’s best player.
The other end of the court is where the concern lies for Chicago right now, however, as Williams repeatedly demonstrated a timidness on offense. If Williams is going to be a star in this league, this is an issue he will have to correct sooner rather than later. Fortunately, his efficiency indicates this might not be too tall of a task, seeing as his promising mid-range game was complemented by 39.1 percent shooting from three-point range. Ideally next season Williams picks up a few tools to finish at the rim and becomes the complete package.
OUT: Denzel Valentine
After winning the 2016 Naismith College Player of the Year award, Denzel Valentine failed to deliver on any promise of potential during his time with the Chicago Bulls. Averaging 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists with good three-point shooting in his sophomore season, things only went downhill from there. Injuries have plagued Valentine’s career to date, delaying any development into the shot-making playmaker the Bulls have been looking for.
Denzel immensely benefitted from seeing more time at shooting guard this season, seeing as his on-court Plus/Minus increased by 7.2 points per 100 possessions. That being said, this season was far from a statistical achievement for Valentine, posting an absolutely horrid 47.9 true shooting percentage couple with a -2.9 Box Plus/Minus. These failings indicate Denzel is still far below a league-average player; Chicago would likely improve through simple addition by subtraction if they let Valentine walk this summer.
ON THE FENCE: Devon Dotson
Devon Dotson carried a feel-good hometown kid story into Chicago, it’s hard not to root for him. Despite his slender 185 pound frame, Dotson’s natural scoring ability and fluidity on offense make comparisons to Isaiah Thomas not so difficult to visualize.
Unfortunately, Dotson only saw the court for 50 minutes this season, hardly enough of a sample size to make any assumptions on his development. While he might not be ready for the NBA just yet, another year playing in the G League for the Windy City Bulls may be just what Dotson needs to get his feet under him and make the jump.