2. Troy Brown
Troy Brown is a slashing wing that doesn’t necessarily push the envelope — in 63 games with the Bulls he’s averaging four points in 15 minutes of play. He’s shooting 35% on catch-and-shoot 3-point opportunities and is worse off the dribble, shooting 26% on pull-up shots.
He’s not going to give the Bulls any impactful scoring … but he doesn’t need to. The Bulls’ role guards — Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Alex Caruso — currently set in the rotation should be able to step up and create offense. Brown is needed on the defensive end.
The Bulls’ perimeter defense has been awful. Opposing guards are able to get paint touches at will and the team does not fare well in scrambles, leading to open shots on the perimeter. The Bulls are 17th in the league in 3-point defense and are 17th in interior defense. Brown is a 6-foot-8 player who can move his feet. He can give a minimum 10 minutes a game dedicated to strictly defense.
As the game slows down, being able to defend in the half court set will be the difference in the first round. The Bulls may need to revive Brown’s minutes in order to compete on defense.