Chicago Bulls bench players that could become starters: Javonte Green
Is it an overreaction to say that the former Boston Celtics shooting guard Green would be a nice addition to the starting five solely based off how he played in the preseason opener win over the Cavs earlier this week?
Absolutely.
But you have to consider Green as someone that should at least get an uptick in minutes off the bench for Donovan and the Bulls this season based off the value he brings to the table in this backcourt/wing unit. The level of versatility that Green brings for this rotation is something that shouldn’t be undervalued in the eyes of the coaching staff or the fan base.
Green is one of the best on-ball and help defenders on this Bulls roster. He actually led the team in defensive box plus/minus last season, which also saw him register 2.8 steals per 36 minutes and 1.1 blocks. In the Oct. 5 preseason win over the Cavs, Green led the way for the Bulls on defense with two steals and a game-high four blocks.
If Green can become at least a decent knockdown shooter for the Bulls from the outside, then he could have a spot in this starting unit in two different scenarios. The first is if the coaching staff decides that someone like Williams or Lonzo would be a better fit coming off the bench, but still getting starter level minutes.
The second reason why Green could see more appearances in the starting unit is exactly why he got a start in the preseason opener, and might against the Pelicans on Oct. 8 too. If injuries pile up at any point for the Bulls, Green is a nice plug-and-play option from the one through the three to help fill any defensive holes.