Chicago Bulls: 5 goals for Lauri Markkanen in the 2020-21 season

Chicago Bulls</a> in the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves and marked the beginning of their rebuilding process, Markkanen figures to be one of the cornerstones of the franchise for years to come.</p> <p>His second season was enough to get fans in the Windy City excited about his potential, as he averaged 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. It appeared that a star was born. However, last season was a disappointment for Lauri Markkanen, and Bulls fans are now left hoping he can return to his former levels of productivity.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="light" data-text="Bulls: 3 options for the No. 4 pick in the draft" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2020/10/30/chicago-bulls-3-options-nba-draft/" 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/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/10/30/chicago-bulls-3-options-nba-draft/"> <span class="call_to_action">Related Story:</span> Bulls: 3 options for the No. 4 pick in the draft </a> </div> </div> <p>In the 2020 season, he produced career-lows in points per game, rebounds per game and 3-point shooting percentage. Although the future still looks bright for Markkanen, he must realize that 2021 must be a bounce-back season for him if his career is going to reach the trajectory that once looked certain.</p> <p>The Chicago Bulls need Lauri Markkanen to be every bit of the player he has the potential to be if they’re going to make the playoffs in 2021. Let’s take a look at the steps he must take to get there.</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/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Stay healthy </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_393972" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img class="size-full wp-image-393972" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2148,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1219023614.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2148" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1219023614.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1219023614-768x516.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>Lauri Markkanen’s first goal: Stay healthy</h2> <p>To be fair, injuries have served as an impediment to Lauri Markkanen’s growth as a player. Even in his second season, the most productive of his career to-date, a sprain to his right elbow cost him the first 23 games of the year. It’s hard for anyone to find their identity as a ballplayer when dealing with limited in-game reps due to missed contests.</p> <p>Chicago has a young team; Otto Porter Jr. is the oldest player in their core group and he’s just 27 years old. The foundation of the team hasn’t been together long, and they must be on the court at the same time to learn how to best function as a unit.</p> <p>Last season, a stress reaction to his right pelvis cost Markkanen 15 games. That could very well be a factor in his decreased productivity from year two to year three. It’s no secret that players oftentimes hide nagging injuries from team doctors and even play through them because they don’t want to miss being on the court with their teammates.</p> <p>There’s no telling how long the injury was hampering Markkanen before it became too much to bear and he was forced to take time off. Bulls fans can only hope that Lauri has taken full advantage of this extended off-season to rest and recuperate. To see him at 100 percent would be refreshing, especially knowing how effective he can be when his unique skill set is utilized properly.</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/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Improve as a 3-point shooter </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_412360" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img class="size-full wp-image-412360" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2066,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1197977901.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2066" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1197977901.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1197977901-768x496.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>Lauri Markkanen’s second goal: Improve as a 3-point shooter</h2> <p>Bulls fans are more than comfortable when they see an open Lauri Markkanen catch a pass behind the 3-point line off a drive and kick move from Coby White or Zach LaVine. It’s a shot he’s proven he can knock down over the course of three seasons. He must continue to shoot the open three when defenses collapse on Chicago’s guards, who have the proven ability to create when they penetrate the paint. However, Lauri also must begin knocking down the shot with the regularity with which he shot it in his second season in order to be effective.</p> <p>Last season Markkanen shot a career-worst 34.4 percent from 3-point land. That’s down from the 36.1 percent he shot from deep in his second season. Although the comparison may be premature, many have observed that Markkanen could be a poor man’s Dirk Nowitzki under the right circumstances. The two players are about the same height, possess a similar skill set, and Lauri is more athletic than Dirk was.</p> <p>One of the main differences, though, is that Dirk was without question a knockdown shooter. In the 2007 season, he joined the hallowed 50/40/90 club while averaging 24.6 points per game on his way to MVP honors. While no one in Chicago is ready to heap those types of expectations on Markkanen’s young shoulders, Dirk’s game provides a blueprint for what he could look like if he takes advantage of his unique skill set.</p> <p>Aiming to shoot 40.0 percent from 3-point territory next year is a good place to start.</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/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Increase trips to the free throw line </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_393331" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img class="size-full wp-image-393331" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2130,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1187269686.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2130" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1187269686.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1187269686-768x511.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>Lauri Markkanen’s third goal: Increase trips to the free throw line</h2> <p>While being able to launch from deep is of increased importance in today’s NBA, Markkanen must not forget that he is 7’0” tall. It would be a shame to waste that height on strictly perimeter play and forget to put pressure on opposing defenses by attacking the rim. To be fair, Lauri has put a couple of unsuspecting defenders on posters with rim-rattling dunks over the last few seasons. Just ask Nikola Vucevic of the Orlando Magic if Markkanen knows how to attack the basket. All that being said, last season he shot 3.1 free throws per game compared to 3.8 free throws per game the year before.</p> <p>To put this trend in reverse, Markkanen must take advantage of his height and put pressure on opposing defenses to stop him in the paint. Doing this will inevitably cause shorter power forwards to commit fouls when trying to prevent him from getting easy buckets. Getting the opposing team’s front line in foul trouble will force them to alter their rotations, which will ultimately cause match-up problems.</p> <p>Markkanen has the height of a center and the agility of a small forward, which makes him a match-up nightmare for most of the players at his position. If he uses all his advantages, he could easily average around six free throws a night.</p> <p>This will translate to easy points for a player who’s been a consistently good free throw shooter throughout his career. He’s never shot under 80 percent from the free throw line over the course of a season in his career. Markkanen will give opposing coaches nightmares if he makes up his mind to take more trips to the charity stripe.</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/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Improve rebounding numbers </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_403030" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img class="size-full wp-image-403030" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1071,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1213932589.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="1600" height="1071" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1213932589.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1213932589-768x514.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>Lauri Markkanen’s fourth goal: Improve rebounding numbers</h2> <p>One of the most impressive aspects of Markkanen’s game in his second season was that he didn’t just focus on scoring the basketball. He was also a very solid rebounder. Having the ability to shoot the ball from deep, Lauri could easily fall into the trap many other “stretch-fours” fall into and neglect the responsibility to hit the boards the way a forward should. However, in his second campaign, he averaged a respectable 9.0 rebounds per game.</p> <p>Unfortunately for Bulls fans, Lauri’s rebounding took a significant drop in his third season, down to 6.3 per game. An elite rebounder, especially on the offensive end, can put significant pressure on opposing teams by creating second shot opportunities.</p> <p>The emergence of Coby White means that the Bulls have another guard in addition to Zach LaVine who they must prioritize getting shots for. This does not mean, however, that Markkanen is free to disappear during games, which he was accused of doing at one point during last season.</p> <p>One way to stay engaged is to crash the boards, even if he’s not getting as many touches as he’d like on a given night. At 7’0” tall, Markkanen can be a threat to average double-digit rebounds per game. That would have an enormously positive impact for the Bulls, and it’s a goal Markkanen should set for himself going into next season.</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/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Be more aggressive on offense </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_378892" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img class="size-full wp-image-378892" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"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%2F1184256064.jpeg" alt="Chicago Bulls Lauri Markkanen" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1184256064.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1184256064-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>Lauri Markkanen’s fifth goal: Be more aggressive on offense</h2> <p>Even with the progression of Coby White and Wendell Carter Jr., along with the addition of Otto Porter Jr., Markkanen is still clearly Chicago’s second-best player behind Zach LaVine. Even after a third season that saw a significant drop in production when compared to the previous year, there’s no denying that the Bulls would be doing themselves a disservice not to empower Markkanen to flourish as an individual.</p> <p>One area that can be immediately addressed is his offensive assertiveness. In his second season, Lauri looked for his own shot to the tune of 15.3 field goal attempts per game. Last season that dropped to 11.8 field goal attempts per game. Sure, Coby White’s ability to score and Otto Porter’s ability to score may have caused Markkanen to defer but that trend cannot continue if Chicago wants a shot at making the playoffs next season.</p> <p>At the very least, Markkanen must return to taking as many shots per game as he did during his second campaign. An athletic seven-footer who can shoot from deep and is comfortable going to the rim off the dribble is the kind of player opposing coaches should lose sleep over. Last season there were too many games when Markkanen let opposing teams off the hook by not realizing that he poses a match-up nightmare for them.</p> <p>The Chicago Bulls are a proud franchise and no one in the organization wants to go a fourth straight season without making the playoffs. Markkanen has the tools to be an All-Star. If the Bulls are to reach their potential as a unit, he’s going to have to understand what he brings to the table and assert himself. He’s shown the ability to produce before. The only thing missing has been consistency. The time for excuses is over. The time for Lauri Markkanen to realize his potential is now.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Ranking the last 50 NBA champions" data-url="http://hoopshabit.com/2016/07/18/nba-ranking-last-50-champions/" 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/2020/11/03/chicago-bulls-goals-lauri-markkanen/"http://hoopshabit.com/2016/07/18/nba-ranking-last-50-champions/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Ranking the last 50 NBA champions </a> </div> </div><!—pageview_candidate—>">