5 Chicago Bulls who shined brightest in preseason play

After a shaky start in their first preseason contest against the Pelicans, the Chicago Bulls continued to look better and better with each passing game and racked up victories over the Nuggets, Raptors, and Bucks to cap off an otherwise very successful warm-up to the 2022-23 campaign.

Last year, fans were treated to their taste of the Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan tandem; but this year it was largely the role players who stepped and made an impact. In fact, Chicago’s primary offensive option LaVine ranked 8th in points per game across the Bulls’ four preseason games, proving just how comfortable the team was to allow lesser players to step up and make an impression.

Among the bunch, we had a few fighting for a starting position in the lineup, and others out looking to prove that they were the free agent addition the Bulls had been lacking all along. These five players may have enjoyed an outstanding preseason, but now I can’t wait to see how they perform when the games matter most.

These 5 players each left a positive lasting impression in what was a very successful preseason for the Chicago Bulls.

5. DeMar DeRozan

Leading the Bulls in points, assists, and steals per game in preseason play, DeMar DeRozan has once again proven that this team runs through him. While it’s still to place too much weight on preseason performances, it’s clear to see that this offense will once again run through him in 2022-23.

Through no fault of his own, the Bulls actually played some of their most exciting basketball when DeMar was off the court. Knowing they could not just rely on DeRozan to bail them out at the end of each possession, the Bulls played much more involved as a unit. If they can figure out how to maintain this level of activity when he’s on the court, Chicago will be even more dangerous than last year.

4. Ayo Dosunmu

Heading into preseason play, the question at the forefront of everyone’s minds was in regards to who would be replacing Lonzo Ball while he recuperates from knee surgery. Once Ayo Dosunmu got his hands on the starting spot, he proved that he won’t be letting go any time soon. Ayo bested competitors Alex Caruso and Goran Dragic and proved he deserves to be the starter after showcasing his fit with the starting five. Moving forward, Dosunmu’s development is one of the Chicago Bulls’ clearest paths toward being a better team than they were last year.

3. Andre Drummond

Watch out, Andre Drummond can shoot threes now? Whether or not you expect this newfound long-range skill to carry over into the regular season matters little, because what’s important is that Drummond seems to be acutely aware of the flaws in his game and is willing to work towards addressing them.

Drummond’s presence proved how big of a difference simply having a competent backup center can make, as the Bulls’ rim protection, rebounding, and scoring in the paint all looked vastly improved over the course of a 48-minute game thanks to Drummond.

2. Nikola Vucevic

Perhaps best of all, Drummond allowed Nikola Vucevic to take ample rest whenever necessary. As a result, Vucevic looked far more aggressive and had the stamina to battle down low in the paint. Vooch averaged 14.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in just 24 minutes per game. His shooting percentages also skyrocketed to 67.6% from the field and 50% from deep, in stark contrast to his poor shooting stroke last season.

If Vucevic can once again play at an All-Star caliber level, I have no reason to doubt their ability to not only make the playoffs, but also make a legitimate run through the East.

1. Javonte Green

This preseason was intended to be a precursor to Patrick Williams’ breakout junior campaign, but we were instead treated to Javonte Green stealing the starting spot from right beneath Pat’s feet. Javonte scored the second-most points of any Bull this preseason, averaging 15 points per game on a ridiculously hot 71.4% from the field. His lack of size may be an issue in particular matchups, but it’s a relief to know that the Chicago Bulls may actually have a starting-caliber power forward on the roster this season — regardless if Pat makes a leap in his development or not.