Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is building this Chicago Bulls team with a specific vision: Use a deep rotation, play at a blistering pace, and drown opponents in movement. The Bulls also have a unique roster filled with positional size at nearly every spot... except center.
That hole in the formula is keeping head coach Billy Donovan from an advantageous wrinkle: Jumbo lineups that include skill, athleticism and shooting at every position.
Size is back in vogue in the NBA. There aren't many Draymond Greens playing the five anymore.
The Houston Rockets play two centers, Alperen Şengün and Steven Adams, next to another 7-footer in Kevin Durant.
The Denver Nuggets can roll out two-big lineups with Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas.
But Donovan could concoct a plan potentially even more dangerous than those. Except he doesn't have all the pieces.
Bulls are one player short of an exotic five-man lineup
Short of a group that led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a championship, no NBA team has what the Bulls could potentially have.
The Rockets can add 6-foot-11 Jabari Smith Jr., 6-foot-8 Tari Eason or 6-foot-7 Amen Thompson to their aforementioned trio. Denver has 6-foot-8 wings Peyton Watson and Cam Johnson, as well as 6-foot-8 forward Aaron Gordon.
Those groups have holes, whether it's 3-point shooting, athleticism, playmaking or defense.
The Bulls can run out a few lineups with all those skills included -- except for that center to boost the defense.
If everyone is healthy, Chicago would start Josh Giddey (6-foot-8) at point guard, Coby White (6-foot-5) at shooting guard, Isaac Okoro (6-foot-4) at small forward, Matas Buzelis (6-foot-10) at power forward and Nikola Vucevic (6-foot-10) at center.
Substitute Kevin Huerter (6-foot-7) for Okoro, and the Bulls have five players 6-foot-5 or taller. Put Huerter in for White and Patrick Williams (6-foot-6) in for Okoro, and all players are 6-6 or taller.
And that's not including 6-foot-5 guard Ayo Dosunmu, 6-foot-7 swingman Dalen Terry or 6-foot-10 forward Noa Essengue, who's making his own case to steal minutes.
Chicago could have multiple do-anything groups
Each player brings a unique skill set to the floor. Giddey is a pure playmaker and developing scorer. White is a high-level scorer, shooter and underrated playmaker. Huerter is a threat as a knockdown shooter and a connective piece. Buzelis is explosive off the bounce and at the rim and is shooting nearly 37 percent from three. Dosunmu can get to the rim almost at will.
Buzelis is an elite athlete, and Dosunmu is well above average. Giddey's length and IQ help him hold his own on defense.
All that's left is Vucevic -- a square, defensively-challenged peg being forced into a round hole.
The 35-year-old has never been more than an average athlete at best. He's never been able to pass for a rim protector. He's developed into a 40 percent shooter from three and still has a productive post game, but he's not the athlete the Bulls need to complete one of these groups of five. Zach Collins isn't the answer either. Nor is Jalen Smith.
Add an athletic rim runner and shot blocker (like Anthony Davis. Just saying.), and Donovan has a lineup that can compete with any in the league. With Giddey, it would have playmaking and floor spacing. With White, it would have scoring and even more playmaking. With Dosunmu, it would have a player who can break down defenses. With Buzelis, it would have explosion, finishing and more spacing. Huerter would be a ball mover and a 3-point threat.
The only thing holding the Bulls back from exploiting opponents with this advantage is Karnisovas's inability to acquire a center to be the final piece.