Chicago Bulls: Ranking all five of their potential starters

<span class="call_to_action">Related Story:</span> Grading NBA extensions handed out before deadline </a> </div> </div> <p>The <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/04/15/chicago-bulls-coby-white-starter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rollercoaster ride</a> that was White’s 2019-20 season featured some dazzling flashes of brilliance, but once those heat checks simmered, a number of cracks in his game showed; cracks that would preclude you from fully endorsing this experiment.</p> <p>Much like his backcourt mate, Zach LaVine (who we’ll get to later), White struggled to create opportunities for his teammates last year, and if that trend continues in 2020-21, the offense will sputter out once again.</p> <p>It’s encouraging to hear White <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/coby-white-set-be-bulls-lead-ball-handler-not-yet-named-starting-pg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">point out</a> his need to improve his passing and decision making, but we’ll see if the work put he’s put in translates to on-court production.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 4 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_380550" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-380550" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1187384565.jpeg" alt="Chicago Bulls" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1187384565.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1187384565-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>4. Lauri Markkanen (PF)</h2> <p>More than four years removed from the Bulls trading away Jimmy Butler and we’re still wondering <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/10/22/chicago-bulls-lauri-markkanen-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whether Lauri Markkanen can become a good player</a>.</p> <p>Like a lot of the young guys on this team, we see the glimmers of what the fuss is about: the ability to attack off the dribble, the potential to space the floor (87th percentile in BBall Index’s 3-point per game gravity), and, at least, the idea that he could feast in the post when smaller players switch onto him.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="light" data-text="Bulls: 5 steps Billy Donovan must take to succeed" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/15/steps-billy-donovan-must-take-to-succeed-as-chicago-bulls-head-coach/" data-call-to-action="Related Story"> <div class="story-link-related"> <a class="story-link-related-btn" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-related-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/15/steps-billy-donovan-must-take-to-succeed-as-chicago-bulls-head-coach/"> <span class="call_to_action">Related Story:</span> Bulls: 5 steps Billy Donovan must take to succeed </a> </div> </div> <p>But, through a combination of injuries and underwhelming play when he was on the court, things haven’t worked out that way. With a career -0.3 Box Plus/Minus (BPM), Markkanen has earned FiveThirtyEight’s “rotational player” projection and if that’s all he turns out to be, Chicago may think twice about signing him to a lofty extension when this season concludes.</p> <p>His .380/.310/.333 shooting line this preseason didn’t give anyone reason to be encouraged, but that won’t matter if Markkanen comes out and shoots the way everyone expected him to coming out of college. If he doesn’t, defenses will stop respecting his shot and dedicate their efforts elsewhere. And that’s the last thing this Bulls team needs on their plate.</p> <p>Oh, and if he could at least become a respectable team defender who can protect the rim, that would help, too.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 3 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_413379" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-413379" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1211473451.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1211473451.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1211473451-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>3. Wendell Carter Jr. (C)</h2> <p>This site <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/16/chicago-bulls-wendell-carter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has covered</a> Wendell Carter Jr.’s, ahem, “progress” as a floor spacer as recently as last week, and if you don’t want to click the link for the details, the Spark Notes version goes like this: defenses are still sagging off of him to clog the paint and Carter’s shooting has given them little reason to abandon this strategy.</p> <p>Carter holds obvious value as a rim roller (87th percentile in per game rim gravity) and as a rim protector (opponents shot just 56.6 percent against him from inside 6 feet; 62.3 percent was the league average). So if there’s enough spacing, his threat to finish near the cup will open things up for the other perimeter shooters.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="light" data-text="Bulls: 3 things to know about Patrick Williams" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/28/chicago-bulls-patrick-williams/" data-call-to-action="Related Story"> <div class="story-link-related"> <a class="story-link-related-btn" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-related-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/28/chicago-bulls-patrick-williams/"> <span class="call_to_action">Related Story:</span> Bulls: 3 things to know about Patrick Williams </a> </div> </div> <p>But the Bulls want to also use him in pick-and-pop actions — likely along with some handoffs that essentially serve the same purpose — and those will only work if teams respect his shooting enough to clear paths for the dribble penetrators (and make opponents pay for ignoring him behind the arc).</p> <p>If everything goes right for Carter this year (including health), he could become the Bulls’ best player. But there are enough concerns on both sides of the floor (his slight-for-his-position frame makes him prone to getting moved off of his spots in the post) to keep him slotted here.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 2 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_413246" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-413246" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1211550224.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1211550224.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1211550224-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>2. Otto Porter Jr. (SF)</h2> <p>Frankly, the first three names on this list could’ve received the “if they stay healthy….” disclaimer, though Otto Porter Jr. is the most glaring example of the three.</p> <p>Porter played only 14 games last year, but in that brief span, he showed some positive signs as a shooter (38.7 percent from 3-point range on 4.4 attempts per game), defender (0.2 Defensive BPM), and as a tertiary ball-handler (76th percentile in points per possession as a pick-and-roll ball-handler), so if he can extrapolate those numbers through a full season — assuming we get a full season without a stoppage — he would give the Bulls the sort of versatile swingman that most teams covet.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="light" data-text="Bulls: 5 goals for Otto Porter Jr. in 2020-21" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/09/chicago-bulls-otto-porter-jr-goals/" data-call-to-action="Related Story"> <div class="story-link-related"> <a class="story-link-related-btn" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-related-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/09/chicago-bulls-otto-porter-jr-goals/"> <span class="call_to_action">Related Story:</span> Bulls: 5 goals for Otto Porter Jr. in 2020-21 </a> </div> </div> <p>But, again, that’s all contingent on Porter remaining available for at least 70 percent of the season. If the Bulls didn’t have concerns about this, they probably wouldn’t have used this year’s fourth overall pick on Patrick Williams, who’s basically a cheaper version of Porter (though lineups featuring the both of them seem just as likely).</p> <p>Porter gets plenty of flack for his large contract (which only matters because there’s a salary cap), but 3-and-D guys who can handle the rock a bit are hard to find/develop. If he avoids injury, Porter will have a chance to show why.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 1 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_393390" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-393390" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_3170,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1209941953.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="3170" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1209941953.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1209941953-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1209941953-768x761.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>1. Zach LaVine (SG)</h2> <p><a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/02/28/chicago-bulls-zach-lavine-overrated/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sigh, okay, here we go</a>. We know <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lavinza01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Zach LaVine</a>, who led the team in scoring and ranked ninth in the association in points per 100 possessions, will probably serve as the team’s number one option again. And given his obvious talents as a shooter (38.0 percent from deep on 11.2 attempts per 100) and as a penetrator, you could do a lot worse than him.</p> <p>That said, his struggles as a facilitator (69th in assists per 100 and finished with the 13th most turnovers per 100) will always inhibit how far he can lead a team. Combine that with his less-than-stellar defense — he does alright in spots, but struggles with making the right rotations — and you get a player that often hurts his team as much as he helps it (the Bulls’ net rating went from -5.0 to 0.0 when LaVine was off the floor last year).</p> <p>This year, however, LaVine isn’t playing for a coach he <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://ftw.usatoday.com/2020/02/zach-lavine-jim-boylen-chicago-bulls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obviously dislikes</a> and Billy Donovan’s <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/how-bulls-plan-adapt-their-pick-and-roll-defensive-coverages-season#:~:text=Leaning%20on%20the%20blitz%20(or,ninth%2Dplace%20teams%20in%20the" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more conservative defensive approach</a> will likely ease LaVine’s defensive responsibilities enough that Chicago won’t turn into one of the worst defensive teams in the league when he plays.</p> <p>Offensively, LaVine will keep them afloat — the Bulls offense improved by four points per 100 when he was in the lineup — but now is the time to show whether he can provide more to this team than just scoring.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="NBA Predictions: 2020-21 NBA win total projections" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/01/nba-predictions-2020-21-win-total/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/01/nba-predictions-2020-21-win-total/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> NBA Predictions: 2020-21 NBA win total projections </a> </div> </div><!—pageview_candidate—>">