Chicago Bulls: Projecting the full rotation ahead of regular season

Chicago Bulls bench

The bench looks to be much improved for the Bulls heading into the regular season, compared to what Donovan had at his disposal last year. The Bulls signed quite a few new players that are good fits with Donovan’s system. This bench should be part of the reason why the Bulls can be real postseason contenders in the Eastern Conference this season.

It is worth noting that the Bulls do have one key piece of the bench missing for the regular season opener. Third-year point guard Coby White is set to likely return next month to make his season debut as he’s still working his way back from a shoulder procedure.

Here’s a look at how each position group should line up for the Bulls bench this season.

• Point Guard

  • Second Unit: Alex Caruso

  • Third Unit: Ayo Dosunmu

• Shooting Guard

  • Second Unit: Javonte Green

  • Third Unit: Matt Thomas

• Small Forward

  • Second Unit: Derrick Jones Jr.

  • Third Unit: Troy Brown Jr.

• Power Forward

  • Second Unit: Alize Johnson

  • Third Unit: Tyler Cook

• Center

  • Second Unit: Tony Bradley

  • Third Unit: Marko Simonovic

A few notes on this depth chart/rotation projection for the Bulls early in the regular season.

The first is that White should likely be able to fill a combo guard role where he mostly plays in the second unit. That would likely slide Javonte Green down to more third unit minutes off the bench.

Among the third unit players, expect Troy Brown Jr. to get the most minutes. With the ability of Derrick Jones Jr. to play second unit minutes in a small ball four lineups, that could mean more second unit minutes for Brown at the three.

It is also a very close margin to decide who will get third unit minutes at the one in the absence of White. Rookie point guard Ayo Dosunmu and second-year point guard Devon Dotson are very close in this battle for minutes at the one at the end of the bench.