Most disappointing new signings for the Chicago Bulls this season: Alize Johnson
One of the free agent signings that I was highest on leading up to the start of Training Camp and the preseason for Donovan and the Bulls was the former Indiana Pacers and Nets power forward Alize Johnson. Yet, the fit with Johnson in this rotation hasn’t worked out very well at all yet.
The reasons why Johnson has disappointed out of the gates this season could be chalked up to multiple factors. While his playing time has greatly dwindled of late in the Bulls’ rotation, Johnson has still got some level of minutes in well over a dozen games this season.
And whenever the Bulls get short in the frontcourt unit on the bench, Johnson is likely going to see an uptick in minutes.
The problem for Johnson in this rotation I believe traces back to how he’s just not all that effective playing minutes at the five on both ends of the floor. Johnson has played more than three-quarters of his minutes at the five for the Bulls this season. And that has resulted in a career-low -27.3 plus/minus per 100 possessions this season.
There’s still room for growth with Johnson I believe in the Bulls rotation this season. But it is likely going to take him playing more minutes as a power forward that can even space the floor. Let him play as a true four, and Johnson might be able to contribute more value for the Bulls than playing all of these minutes at the five.