While the Chicago Bulls have some talented players, it’s unclear how well they fit together, particularly in the projected starting lineup. The team currently lack a clear identity. They’re not that bad to be in full rebuild mode, but they also aren’t good enough to raise concerns for opponents.
The Two Glaring Problems in Bulls’ Starting Lineup
Projected Starting Five
Unless there are trades or injuries before the season starts, the likely lineup on opening night looks like this:
Giddey and White are set to be the backcourt for both now and in the future. The Bulls recently traded for Giddey and want to see if White can elevate his game in a bigger role. LaVine and Vucevic need to be in the lineup to boost their trade value. Thus, LaVine must demonstrate his health, while Vucevic has to show he can score.
After giving Patrick Williams an inexplicable $90 million contract, benching him for a rookie would be challenging. However, this act wouldn’t be surprising if it happened during the season. There are various factors influencing these choices beyond just fit, as different combinations could offer a better balance.
Defensive Struggles
However, there are more significant issues to address. This team is likely to struggle defensively. The Bulls could potentially have one of the worst defenses in history with this lineup.
LaVine has never been a strong defender, and recent surgery may have impacted his mobility. White is undersized, Giddey performed poorly enough to be benched in the playoffs, and Vucevic struggles to defend both the rim and in space, leaving four out of five starters as below-average defenders. Even Williams is overrated as a defender, and the comparisons to Kawhi Leonard were overblown, leaving many gaps in the lineup.
Incorporating Ayo Dosunmu or Lonzo Ball could improve the defense, but who would you bench? It’s tough to sit a player earning over $40 million or a newly acquired player you envision as the future point guard. The Bulls will need to score heavily with this lineup since they’re likely to give up a lot of points.
Who Runs the Offense?
The plan since acquiring Giddey has been to let him lead the offense. However, this raises questions about how that will work when both LaVine and White require the ball to be effective. White has struggled as a catch-and-shoot player, and LaVine has a 29 percent usage rate during his time with the Bulls, meaning he’s not accustomed to playing off the ball.
With Vucevic also needing his touches, this situation could become complicated. On one hand, it’s a good problem to have due to the shooting potential; if the team plays selflessly, they could be tough to stop offensively. On the other hand, it might force Giddey to play off the ball like he did in Oklahoma City, where that strategy didn’t yield great results. If LaVine is traded, this issue may resolve itself, but for now, with three ball-dominant players in the starting five, managing touches and shot distribution will be a challenge.
