2019–2020 NBA Season Previews: Chicago Bulls
Head Coach: Jim Boylen
Last Season: 22–60, 13th in Eastern Conference
Projected Starters:
- PG: Kris Dunn
- SG: Zach LaVine
- SF: Otto Porter
- PF: Lauri Markkanen
- C: Wendell Carter Jr.
Additions: Daniel Gafford (R), Luke Kornet, Adam Mokoka (R), Tomas Satoransky, Coby White (R), Thaddeus Young.
Losses: Rawle Alkins, Antonio Blakeney, Walt Lemon Jr., Robin Lopez, Timothe Luwawu, Brandon Sampson, Wayne Selden.
The Chicago Bulls were a straight disaster to start last season. Many players on the team were dealing with injuries, and after a 5–19 start, Chicago fired Head Coach Fred Hoiberg. Hoiberg’s replacemenet, Jim Boylen, didn’t get off to the best start either, as his relationship with players was awful due to extreme practice routines. These factors led to the Bulls finishing the season 22–60, their worst record since they finished 15–67 in the 2000–01 season.
While their record may not have indicated it, there was some hidden optimism at the end of last season for the Bulls. Boylen was able to repair his relationship with the team, and many young players showed signs of promise for Chicago, including Zach LaVine, Wendell Carter Jr., Lauri Markkanen and Otto Porter.
Many people questioned the Chicago Bulls decision to sign LaVine to a four-year, $78 million deal on July 13 of last year, but LaVine proved last season he may be on his way to earning that money. The former UCLA Bruin and current Bulls shooting guard averaged a career high 23.7 points per game and also set career bests in rebounds per game, assists per game and steals per game. LaVine came out of the gate scorching last season as he averaged 28.1 points per game in October. While he eventually came down to Earth, LaVine was still the best offensive player on a team that desperately needed scoring.
Wendell Carter Jr., put together a solid rookie season for Chicago. Despite battling injuries, he showed great versatility on both ends of the floor. The 6-foot-10 big man has great post skills, good hands and can pass out of the post to open shooters or cutters as well. The only thing that has yet to translate to the pros is his 3-point shot, but as we saw in his one season at Duke, Carter is more than capable of knocking them down.
Where Carter is even more exceptional is on the defensive end. Carter had a block rate in the 16th percentile last season and has a very high basketball IQ. When you combine his instincts with his impressive athleticism and wingspan, Carter has all the tools to become an elite NBA defender and rim protector.
Another young big man who battled injuries last season was the seventh pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Lauri Markkanen. After missing the first 23 games of the season due to an injury he suffered in training camp, Markkanen returned with a bang and averaged 18.7 points and 9 rebounds per game.
It appears the Bulls may have gotten the better end of the Jimmy Butler trade that took place on draft night back in 2017, as Markkanen looks to be a big part of the Bulls future moving forward. February was the Finnish big man’s best month last year, as he averaged 26 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. A combination of injuries and defense held Markkanen back last season, as he ranked just 80th out of 98 power forwards in Defensive Box Plus-Minus. While Zach LaVine had a breakout season last year, this is still Markkanen’s team moving forward.
Back on February 6, the Bulls acquired Otto Porter from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Jabari Parker, Bobby Portis and a 2023 second round draft pick. While there wasn’t much hype at the time of the deal, this was a fantastic trade for Chicago. Porter played very well in his 15 games with the Bulls last season, as he averaged 17.5 points per game and shot 48.8% from 3-point range on over five attempts per game. They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and once the Wizards felt they had to dump salaries, Chicago pounced on the opportunity to grab Porter. Porter is one of the most efficient 3-and-D wing players in the NBA, and while he isn’t a go-to scorer just yet, he has all the tools to become a star in this league.
While the Bulls didn’t have a spectacular off-season on paper, their signings of Tomas Satoransky and Thaddeus Young will help them win more games. Satoransky will prove to be a solid, temporary option at the point guard spot while Coby White develops. He will be a good fit for Jim Boylen’s system where both guards are ball handlers, as he can play both guard positions and stretch the floor from deep. Satoransky uses his size to find teammates and pass over defenders, and has proven to be a slick, serviceable combo guard.
Thaddeus Young has been one of the more solid and reliable role player options in the NBA throughout his career. Young is a very smart player who provides consistent production on both ends of the floor. The 12-year veteran is an energetic defender who racks up plenty of steals (1.5 per game for his career), takes smart shots on offense and takes care of the basketball. The only real glaring weakness in Young’s game is his inconsistency shooting wise. Regardless of how reliable he is as a shooter, Young is a great veteran presence for a young team Chicago team that could use some experience.
Another option for the Bulls at point guard is the seventh overall pick from this year’s draft, Coby White. White had a exceptional season offensively at North Carolina, as he averaged 16.1 points and 4.1 assists per game as a freshman. White was a good spotup shooter with the Tar Heels and was a better playmaker than his assists per game would indicate. White doesn’t project as a great defender and relies a little too heavily on his 3-point shot at times, but is still a good prospect who should get more reps as the season progresses.
One man who may be the odd man out in the Bulls point guard equation is Kris Dunn. In his three year career, Dunn hasn’t progressed as much on offense. The former lottery pick back in 2016 has been detrimental on offense to this point, as he’s totaled just -2.7 offensive win shares. While he plays at a high speed and can create for his teammates, he often times gets out of control and can be turnover prone. Dunn is also an exceptional defender, he can also be too aggressive at times and get himself into foul trouble.
If any player on the current Bulls roster is traded this year, it will be Dunn. As previously mentioned, Boylen likes to run an offense where two guys can set up and make plays. At this point, Dunn is mostly ineffective without the ball in his hands as he has yet to develop a consistent jumpshot. Dunn would benefit from being on a squad where he has full control of the offense and has the ball in his hands as much as possible, and the Bulls don’t give him that opportunity. Chicago also now has White, Satoransky and Ryan Arcidiacono, who led the Bulls in win shares last season, at the point guard spot.
X-Factor: Otto Porter
Otto Porter could be primed and ready for a breakout season this year. As I mentioned before, Porter has the skillset and intelligence to be a great player in this league, and I believe he’s only scratched the surface of his potential so far. Porter will get more opportunities to thrive in Chicago than he did in Washington, and is one of the most efficient players out there.
Simply put it, Porter can do it all for your team. He shoots at high percentages, grabs steals and rebounds, and rarely turns the ball over. Porter will play a huge role in the Bulls success this year as he looks to carry on the production he showcased at the end of last season in Chicago.
Questions:
Can this team make the playoffs?
Despite losing more than 50 games in each of the last two seasons, I believe this Bulls team is a major sleeper for the playoffs. That expectation may be lofty for a team that won 22 games last year, but hear me out.
This Bulls team has been plagued by injuries over the last few years. The young group of Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr., has played just 191 minutes together to this point. Injuries ran rampant to the point where the Bulls used 27 different starting lineups in the 2018–19 season.
While there are plenty of new faces and players still getting acclimated to one another, this Bulls team should mesh well moving forward. I believe the Bulls will start off slow, but get better as the season progresses. If they can stay healthy, the Bulls could sneak into the eighth spot in a relatively weak lower half of the Eastern Conference.
Can Zach LaVine make the All-Star team?
It’s no secret that Zach LaVine can score the rock. Whether it’s from postups, mid-range, the 3-point line, or throwing down ferocious, rim-rattling dunks, LaVine is going to find a way to put the ball in the basket.
Last season, LaVine’s 23.7 points per game ranked him 16th in the NBA. 14 of the 15 players that finished ahead of LaVine in that stat, were All-Stars. If LaVine wants to join that company, he has to continue to improve his defense. The 6-foot-5 guard has gotten slightly better on D over the past few seasons, but it’s still nowhere near the point where he should be an All-Star. LaVine is an elite scorer, and if he can improve the other facets of his game, he should warrant an All-Star selection soon.
Verdict:
Do not sleep on this Chicago Bulls team this year. Even if they don’t make the playoffs, they are almost certain to improve their win total from last season. They didn’t lose anyone who made significant contributions last year, brought in two valuable veterans, and should continue to see growth from their young core. For the first time in three years, the Bulls will be playing meaningful basketball late in the year and will be right in the thick of the playoff hunt.
