The Chicago Bulls haven’t been getting the production they would prefer out of their role players during the second half of the season, and it’s played a big part in their downfall.
The Bulls need reliable 3-point shooting and wing defense. Coby White, in theory, was supposed to be able to at least fulfill the first need. And he has been able to at times — but more often than not he hasn’t been that reliable scorer to assist the star players.
When DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine are trapped or even just struggling to find their shots, they can’t look to White to be a knockdown sharp shooter. White also isn’t providing any worth on the defensive end to lessen the blow of his offensive droughts.
The team’s first-round series against the Bucks may be the breaking point for Chicago in regards to White’s tenure with the team. If so, these three players are the perfect replacements for White come the offseason.
These three players are possible replacements for Bulls guard Coby White
3. Landry Shamet
Landry Shamet is literally the player that the Bulls want White to be in their current roster construction. The stars need a viable kick-out who can shoot a minimum 36% from three. White is shooting 25% from the three in this playoff series and 26% on two-point shots.
The Bucks haven’t had to fully respect the Bulls’ outside shooting and have instead packed the paint in and trapped Chicago’s best scorers.
On the other hand, Shamet shoots 42% on catch-and-shoot opportunities in his playoff career and has registered high-quality playoff games. He’s only 25 years old, meaning he could be a player of the future for the Bulls, serving as a complement to Patrick Williams.
He is a pesky defender who has had playoff success against the best of the best, including the 2019 Golden State Warriors. In that series, Shamet defended the Splash Brothers and was a key contributor in that Los Angeles Clippers’ 30-point comeback victory.
Shamet poses the same issues as White as far as their size at the shooting guard slot. Neither guy is the right height to play two guard position, but Shamet is a much better defender. He can defend opposing point guards while LaVine or DeRozan defend the shooting guard spot. On offense, Chicago primarily has the ball in the hands of their star guards, but when Lonzo Ball is healthy he would be running the point, allowing Shamet to be the floor spacer.
Shamet’s rookie contract expires after this season and will be there for the taking for Chicago.