Chicago Bulls season in review: Michael Carter-Williams
How do I put this nicely…
Season Recap:
Michael Carter-Williams was acquired by the Chicago Bulls from the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 17, 2016 in exchange for former Bulls first-rounder Tony Snell. A move that was really out of the blue looked to be a steal for the Bulls. Snell, drafted 20th overall by Chicago in the 2013 NBA Draf,t never really panned out in a Bulls uniform. The New Mexico State forward only averaged 5.3 points per game over three seasons, so acquiring a former Rookie of the Year point guard in Michael Carter-Williams seemed like a no brainer for the Bulls front office. Carter-Williams suffered a bone bruise in his knee, as well as a sprained hand on Oct. 31 and would not return to action until Dec. 26, 2016. After a career average of 14.3 points per game, Carter-Williams saw a significant drop in offensive efficiency, scoring only 6.6 points per game while struggling to stay in Fred Hoiberg’s “name out of a hat” lineups. MCW shot just 36 percent from the floor, while only dishing out two assists per contest. While being young, Carter-Williams does not fall in the “athletic” category, which is what the Bulls claimed they were looking for. The 6-foot-6 point guard struggled to defend and could not keep the pace moving on offense. There was very little production from Carter-Williams in his lone Bulls season.
Season Highlight:
Feb. 3, 2017: The Chicago Bulls were in Houston to play James Harden and the Rockets. It was MCW’s night to start for the Bulls, and the point guard scored 23 points on 11-of-18 from the floor while dishing out six assists. The Bulls did lose this game in overtime, but it was Carter-Williams that kept them in the contest throughout the night.
Season Lowlight:
The lowlight for Micahel Carter-Williams 2016–2017 Bulls season was pretty much everything else. The guard battled injuries while struggling to stay in the lineup even when healthy. During a game against Tom Thibodeau’s Minnesota Timberwolves, Michael Carter-Williams led a 4-on-1 fast break and threw the ball away.
This was probably MCW’s worst play of the season, along with being seen dancing on the sidelines with Cameron Payne in a blowout loss.
Looking Ahead:
Carter-Williams is a restricted free agent, but it is hard to imagine Chicago matching any offers for him with their current log-jam at the point guard position. With Jerian Grant, Isaiah Canaan and Cameron Payne already under contract and Rajon Rondo likely to be back, there is simply no room for the oversized MCW, even with his best years behind him.
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