3 Positional battles that will define the Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls won’t just be battling the competition. 

There will also be compelling battles within the roster for minutes and roles, and how they are allocated will tell us a lot about where the Bulls are headed. 

These head-to-head competitions on the Bulls will help define the identity of the team moving forward and may also decide which players are eventually traded. 

Nikola Vucevic vs. Jalen Smith 

We’ve talked about this one already, so I won’t belabor the point. Vucevic will go into training camp with a clear advantage as the established veteran, but given the Bulls’ lack of depth at center, both guys should get plenty of minutes. 

Smith makes the Bulls a little more dynamic on both ends, as he’s more athletic, can hit 3-point shots and is far more efficient around the rim than Vucevic. 

Smith is also better at defending in space, so we could see him used frequently in small-ball lineups when the Bulls are trying to get maximum shooting and athleticism on the floor. 

If Smith is playing as much as Vucevic and playing well, it might speed up the process of trading Vooch.  

Smith may not be the center of the future, but he could potentially supplant Vucevic if he can stay healthy, as the Bulls need better efficiency from center than a guy who shot 48 percent last season. 

It wouldn’t be surprising to see these two split minutes. The early edge will go to Vucevic until Smith shows he can be more than just a backup playing 17 minutes per game.