The Chicago Bulls should sign Dillon Brooks to have legitimate wing options
The hardest place to find talent in the NBA is on the wing. Players who can reliably guard multiple positions, stretch the floor for others, and even create in a pinch are some of the hottest commodities on the market.
Especially in the playoffs, where the best wings in the league are on full display (Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum) or coaches look for size to shut down elite guards (Stephen Curry, De’Aaron Fox, Ja Morant).
In the second Play-In Tournament game, the Chicago Bulls rolled out a starting lineup with three guards, Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso, and the recently-signed Patrick Beverley. LaVine has played up a position in the past but I believe his best-case scenario is as a guard while DeMar DeRozan is strictly a four now.
Patrick Williams is supposed to be the 3-and-D wing on this roster. Part of the reason he was drafted so highly was because of his physical tools and Arturas Karnisovas was excited by what he may be able to do in today’s NBA. Through three seasons, it doesn’t look promising.
Derrick Jones Jr. has long been an option to fill that role but his lack of an outside shot has forced teams to play him at the four on offense and if you’re trying to fill out the rest of your starting lineup to suit DJJ, then the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
At 6’7”, Brooks isn’t the most intimidating perimeter defender but he has a reputation on that end and has done a solid job on the defensive end in the playoffs.
Maybe I’m damning with faint praise but for where the Chicago Bulls are, they’re not in a position to demand the best of the best, an undervalued option might just sneak into their price range and they should pounce.