There's no way around it: the Chicago Bulls' defense is beyond bad. At 123.1 points per game, the Bulls allow the second-most points in the NBA. Chicago's opponents shoot 48.6 percent from the floor, scoring an unruly 58.8 points in the paint per game—four more than the second-worst New Orleans Pelicans.
It's evident the Bulls require help on the interior. Rim-protecting centers anchor several of the NBA's best defenses. Just look at the effect Rudy Gobert has on his team's defense every year. Gobert's teams have ranked in the top 10 in defensive rating in four consecutive seasons.
While acquiring a defensive stalwart is no easy task (just ask the Minnesota Timberwolves), potentially unearthing one from the G-League or fringes of the rotation is the more likely solution for Chicago in a pinch. For reference, the Memphis Grizzlies signed 7-foot-1 center Jay Huff to a two-way contract in the offseason following several productive seasons in the G-League.
Huff continued his productivity in the preseason which carried over to the beginning of the regular season. After averaging double-digit points and recording four blocks through his first two games, the Grizzlies signed Huff to a multi-year contract. The 27-year-old big averages 1.5 blocks per game in only 14.9 minutes of action. He's been a major catalyst in Memphis's sixth-ranked defensive rating.
Signing a G-Leaguer may be Chicago's best bet to improve its defense
Signing an All-NBA-level defender from free agency isn't likely to happen, but the Bulls need all the defensive help they can get, and the most simplistic solution is to pluck a player from the Windy City Bulls' roster. Replicating the Grizzlies' valuable Huff acquisition isn't out of the picture.
Several quality two-way and G-leaguers are capable of making a difference on the defensive end. For starters, two-way signee E.J. Liddell is a 6-foot-6, 240-pound forward who's just 23 years old. Liddell was a second-rounder in 2022, hailing from Ohio State. He missed his entire rookie season because of injury before playing sparingly for the Pelicans a year ago.
After signing with Chicago in the offseason, Liddell has made an early impression suiting for the Bulls' G-League affiliate. He's averaged 16.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. But more importantly, Liddell leads the team in blocks—averaging 2.2 swats per game.
The former Buckeye is strong and more agile than his size would suggest. His combination of height and strength allows him to defend multiple positions. Liddell's high block totals at 6-foot-6 indicate that he could be a useful defensive playmaker at the next level.
Two Windy City Bulls bigs are appealing options
Besides Liddell, two Windy City Bulls bigs are making noise on the less glamorous end. Adama Sonogo, an undrafted free agent out of UConn, and David Muoka, another undrafted player who attended Lamar and UNLV collegiately before making his way to the G-League.
Sanogo, like Liddell, is signed to a two-way contract. He's played three games for Chicago this season, albeit for only 14 minutes of action. In the G-League, the 6-foot-9 center has averaged 11.3 boards and 1.5 blocks in 31.5 minutes per game. Sanogo boasts an impressive physical profile, standing 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan.
At nearly 250 pounds, he's a load to handle on the interior. The 22-year-old has the makings of rotation big. To add further intrigue, Sanogo has begun shooting threes; he's 2-of-5 in four appearances thus far.
Finally, Muoka is far less seasoned than either of the previous two players mentioned, but his block totals are too inflated to ignore. Muoka is averaging 2.5 blocks per game in 22.4 minutes of action. At 6-foot-10 and 235 pounds, he's another imposing interior presence who'd boost Chicago's defense without having to be relied upon offensively.