The Chicago Bulls still have plenty of questions lingering over them after a confusing offseason that left them without a clear direction.
Trading Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic would help, but for now, they are on the roster and the Bulls seem comfortable with that even though the end result might be another team on the fringes of the playoffs.
Assuming LaVine and Vucevic are on the roster, there is a projected starting lineup that makes sense but is certainly not set in stone:
-Josh Giddey
-Coby White
-Zach LaVine
-Patrick Williams
-Nikola Vucevic
A lot could change that would alter this, including trades, some of the bench players outplaying their counterparts or Billy Donovan mixing and matching to get different skillsets on the floor.
Here are three players who will be fighting for spots in the starting lineup and might end up winning them.
Matas Buzelis
Are we sure we should be penciling Patrick Williams into the starting five? He got the big contract this offseason, so it makes sense, but he’s done little to earn that spot and is coming off an injury.
Then there’s the fact that Buzelis was impressive in Summer League and looks like a guy they’ll be building around. If the Bulls want to get that future started now, Buzelis could play his way into the starting five very soon, as he’s already shown he can block shots and is a matchup problem on offense.
Williams is a better 3-point shooter at this point in their respective careers, but Buzelis is more dynamic offensively and can create with the ball in his hands.
This will be one of the best training camp competitions to watch, as Buzelis is confident and isn't going to just accept that he's coming off the bench in his rookie season.