Despite a highly disappointing start, the Chicago Bulls are within shouting distance of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference. That says as much about the state of the East as it does about Chicago but, after an interesting offseason, there is plenty of talent suiting up for the Bulls and that leaves plenty of intrigue for the present and future.
In this installment of our Holiday Wishlist series, we’ll examine what the Bulls will be on the hunt for during the holiday season, including concerns with the current roster and what might coming in the future.
#1: Otto Porter at full health
It’s not ideal to have the highest-paid player on the roster on the shelf. Porter isn’t the best player for the Bulls even when he’s healthy, but the combo forward does check a lot of boxes. He hasn’t appeared in a game since Nov. 6 and, when he’s off the floor this season, Chicago just hasn’t been the same.
Porter might be opting in to a $28.5 million salary for next season and, if that happens, the Bulls will need even more from him. In the meantime, the Bulls are left without anyone that can do what he does on the basketball court. If you need more evidence of that, look no further than Chicago’s justifiable decision to play Kris Dunn at the small forward position on a regular basis.
#2: Lauri Markkanen finding himself
In year three, Markkanen is having the worst season of his career. That isn’t how this is supposed to work, but the former lottery pick is putting up career-worst numbers in field goal percentage (41.1 percent), three-point percentage (33.2 percent), scoring (14.7 points per game), and rebounding (6.8 per game). At least some of that downturn could be attributed to small sample size but, with the roster how it is, the Bulls just can’t afford it.
Markkanen was always a player with question marks on the defensive end and, to this point, those questions are answered. It is easier to build around him if the offense clicks, though, and the Bulls have done a good job at surrounding him with talent that fits in acquiring Thaddeus Young and drafting Wendell Carter. The entire theory of Markkanen is that he would be a dynamic all-court option as an offensive player and the Bulls need that player to reappear.
#3: Offensive help
Some of Chicago’s offensive struggles can be traced to Markkanen struggling to find his footing but, even if he was cooking, it wouldn’t solve everything. Right now, the Bulls have exactly one player (Zach LaVine) that would be described as genuinely above-average on that end of the floor, and that’s just not a recipe for sustained scoring.
Chicago ranks solidly in the bottom five by most offensive metrics and, while LaVine is capable of carrying large usage, he can’t do it alone. Some of the team’s issues stem from the fact that rookie lottery pick Coby White isn’t ready to play but, as the Bulls are actually holding up defensively, they are making big-time tradeoffs. The urgency level to make a move in-season probably isn’t there given where Chicago is but, in the grand scheme, it isn’t hard to figure out that offense is the problem.
