Let’s take a preview into the Bulls wing depth
Porter is easily the most efficient player on the team, averaging an incredible 0.8 turnovers per game while shooting 40.5% from 3-point range for his career.
1. Who is Jim Boylen’s likely starter at the position?
This shouldn’t really be debatable. Otto Porter Jr. is the highest-paid player on the Bulls’ roster this year at a little above $27 million and led the most memorable stretch of the Bulls season last year after the All-Star break. Porter is easily the most efficient player on the team, averaging an incredible 0.8 turnovers per game while shooting 40.5% from 3-point range for his career.
The Bulls are a pretty youthful squad but Porter is not technically old enough to be considered a seasoned vet as he just turned 26 years old a few months ago. He has experience beyond his years and naturally leads. Porter will be the starter because he can spread the floor by knocking down 3-pointers when left open and remember, he hit a remarkable 48.8% of his 3-point shots in the 15 games he has played with the Bulls thus far.
2.Who should start?
To no coincidence, Porter should rightfully be the starter. He is seen as “the savior from the trade deadline”. When all hope was lost last season Otto brought back life and hope. There are big question marks to who will be the small forwards playing behind him so by default and by earning it, Porter should be in the starting lineup to take the pressure off of Zach LaVine and everyone else on the floor.
If Otto can stay healthy, it wouldn't surprise me if he picks up exactly where he left off last season. It’s hard to see him surpassing the 18 points per game average but if he can stay close to that mark he will be more than helpful to this offense that was once lost without him.
3.Who should be the primary backup?
I am going to go against the grain here: I think Satoransky should be the primary backup to plug into the wing if Otto Porter needs a blow or is out with injury. I expect them to use Coby White and Kris Dunn extensively in patches before the end of quarters at the point guard position while inserting Satoransky at small forward. the Bulls want to be fast on the court and may go small frequently. Chandler Hutchison had an uncanny summer league entering his second year and can't seem to keep the injury bug away. Denzel Valentine needs to slowly be worked into the rotation seeing that he hasn’t played in two seasons.
The intelligent move would be to use Satoransky’s 6-foot-7 height at the small forward position occasionally as Porter’s primary back up, even though Satoransky will simultaneously be the starter at point guard (I know, it sounds weird). Even though Thaddeous Young will make an immediate impact on this team, its hard to fathom him truly stretching the floor as a modern small forward. He is more of a traditional power forward if we are being honest. Lauri could very well fit as a primary backup while being a starter too but Boylen already admitted that he wants to play many scenarios where the Bulls go small and play Lauri as the man-in-the-middle (center).
This doesn’t mean Lauri, Thad, Hutch, or Valentine won’t get opportunities at small forward, it’s just that Satoransky will be a hybrid and high usage player this upcoming season making him an ideal backup on the wing.
4.Confidence meter (scale of 1–10): 3.5
Last year Otto Porter Jr. only played 15 games, Chandler Hutchison faced some injuries in his rookie year, and Denzel Valentine has missed two seasons. By suggesting the potential starting point guard also fill in as a primary small forward backup should immediately give you a signal that I have little faith in this wing rotation. Boylen will have to come up with a game-plan every night to combat this rotational issue and may have to look outside the organization for more help. This is the deepest threat for the Bulls and if it gets exposed too often the Bulls will be in for a troublesome season.
