Whether it's a wise roster-building decision or not, the Chicago Bulls will likely re-sign free-agent point guard Josh Giddey this summer, which could cost them up to five years and $150 million. It's at least a little understandable why the organization would take this path: To put it simply, the Bulls are at their best when Giddey is at his best.
The 22-year-old averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists while shooting 45.7 percent from three in his 19 games after the All-Star break. Chicago was 12-7 in those games and 7-3 in the final 10 with Giddey on the floor.
Coby White had plenty to do with the Bulls' late-season surge, and rookie forward Matas Buzelis had his moments, as did Kevin Huerter, but Giddey was the engine that drove head coach Billy Donovan's up-tempo offense.
Nikola Vucevic bounced back from a mid-season slump to average 16.6 points and 9.5 rebounds with shooting splits of 50/47/77 after the break, but the 34-year-old isn't a fit in Chicago's new scheme and is entering the last year of his contract. Zach Collins and Jalen Smith were effective in bursts, but nothing in their play suggested they're a long-term answer up front.
A specific type of big man is necessary in Donovan's pace-and-space style, and he's certainly not on Chicago's current roster. Unfortunately, the ideal archetype for the new-look Bulls isn't present on many NBA rosters at all. That's a problem, considering the team's massive defensive struggles and their hindrance to playing winning playoff basketball.
Bulls will be forced to find a "unicorn" center to fit new scheme
Chicago was second in the NBA in pace during the regular season behind only the Memphis Grizzlies. The Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards and Oklahoma City Thunder rounded out the top five.
When Alex Sarr, an uber-athletic big man, was on the floor, the Wizards were in the 99th percentile in terms of possessions that started in transition, per Cleaning the Glass. They were also tanking and had no desire to pull back the reins and contend.
Memphis has three big men who were a large part of its transition game in Brandon Clarke (when he was healthy), Zach Edey (who swats shots and gobbles up rebounds) and jack-of-all-trades Jaren Jackson Jr.
When Clint Capela was on the floor, the Hawks were in the 78th percentile in that same category. Chet Holmgren allowed the Thunder to grab-and-go at any pace they desired.
The Bulls were in the 14th percentile in Vucevic's minutes.
The Indiana Pacers were seventh in pace. Their main big men are Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner, who can block shots, rebound and stretch the floor. The Denver Nuggets were eighth; they have Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon. The Cleveland Cavaliers, with their own athletic bigs in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, were 10th in pace.
There's a theme here: Teams that play fast and compete in the playoffs typically have a big man, or multiple big men, who can protect the rim, rebound and keep up in transition. Collins may be the closest thing Chicago has to that. Vucevic certainly is not.
The Bulls need to solve this problem or risk remaining mediocre. Maybe that means drafting a center like Duke's Khaman Maluach, who can block shots, rebound and run. Maybe Chicago should throw a dump truck of money at Turner, who's a free agent this summer. Whatever the offseason plan is, this run-and-gun system, if it's here to stay, needs someone other than Vucevic to work.