2. High-Volume Outside Shooting
Ranking 30th, 30th, and 26th in three point attempts per game over the last three seasons, long range shooting hasn’t really ever been an integral part of this iteration of the Bulls offensive game, which is to be expected when a renowned midrange specialist like DeMar DeRozan is taking the lion's share of the shots.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Plenty of elite teams in the modern NBA don’t rely on high volume from beyond the arc to succeed. Look no further than the defending champion Denver Nuggets, who were the only team this season to finish behind the Bulls in three-point attempt rate. Other solid playoff teams like the Lakers also ranked near the bottom of the league in three-point attempts but were able to find plenty of success.
That’s where a very important caveat comes in. If you’re going to attempt that few threes as a team, you better be efficient while doing it. While the Lakers and Nuggets both finished in the top ten in three-point percentage, the Bulls were a lowly 20th.
Chicago did employ some effective catch-and-shoot guys last season (Caruso, Dosunmu, Patrick WIlliams, etc) but they lacked shooters who could create for themselves when Lavine went down outside of Coby White, a problem that will only become more apparent if Zach is traded in the offseason.
Even if DeRozan does return to the Windy City for another ride, he’s only getting older and the Bulls will need to think about how they want their offense to run in his absence. A great way to start would be taking a wing in the 2024 draft who can take over some of his offensive production and funnel it to the perimeter.