Chicago Bulls: Isaiah Hartenstein can fill the need at power forward

Most of the options that I’ve personally taken into consideration that make sense for the Chicago Bulls to fill this looming need at the four include Paul Millsap, Nicolo Melli, Patrick Patterson, etc. But there is another name that could come to the forefront for the Bulls to fill the need at the four if the restricted free agent and fourth-year power forward Lauri Markkanen doesn’t return next season.

A potential replacement for the Bulls could emerge at the four in the former Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Houston Rockets big man Isaiah Hartenstein. The sizable 7-foot and 250-pound power forward/center has played for those three different teams in the span of just three seasons.

Hartenstein was originally the 43rd overall pick of the Rockets in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft. He got his first taste of NBA action during the 2018-19 campaign, where he played in 28 games.

Showing flashes of becoming a solid contributor in a reserve role in the past two seasons, Hartenstein ended the 2020-21 campaign on a high note. In 16 games played with the Cavaliers down the stretch last season, he averaged a career-best 8.3 points per game, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.2 blocks. And he shot 58.2 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 68.6 percent from the free-throw line.

The solid production for Hartenstein with the Cavs down the stretch last season netted him a career-best 1.3 box plus/minus and .151 win shares per 48 minutes.

Isaiah Hartenstein is a potential target worth mentioning for the Chicago Bulls to fill the need at PF

Hartenstein has parts to his game that could make him at least a decent replacement for Markkanen. While Lauri is a better and more fundamentally solid shooter from downtown, Hartenstein can more effectively defend down low and he is still a solid rebounder.

The defensive rebounding percentage that Hartenstein posted down the stretch last season around 29 with the Cavs is a mark that Markkanen has never accomplished.

While bringing Markkanen back would certainly be ideal for the Bulls to fill this looming need at the four, that might not be in his interests at this point. A sign-and-trade deal to ship off Markkanen still seems like the most likely scenario ahead of next season.

If that is the case, Hartenstein could be one of the better remaining options for the front office to look to in free agency. Hartenstein is switchable enough to play at the four and the five, similar to that of rookie Bulls big man Marko Simonovic.

But the Bulls need help at the four this offseason, and Hartenstein would probably most get minutes at that spot if he is signed.

Hartenstein had a player option that he declined this offseason that would’ve paid him just north of $1.7 million next season. His next contract is likely to still be for a minimum amount salary-wise.

The Bulls don’t have a lot of cap space to work with, to say the very least. But this need at the four has to be filled before the start of the upcoming regular season. It would be good if the front office could get it taken care of before Training Camp begins on Sep. 28, so we have a little more than one month until then.

The Bulls are set to open up the regular season slate on Oct. 20 on the road against the Detroit Pistons. And the preseason slate will open up on Oct. 5 at home at the United Center against the Cavs.