The Bulls Have a Hot Seat at the Small Forward Position
The Bulls ended their 2019–20 season with a repugnant 22–43 record, and one of their biggest gaps was at the small forward position. With the NBA draft approaching in less than two weeks, the Bulls have a promising opportunity to draft a prospect that can be the future of this franchise with the fourth overall pick, and many believe they will draft a small forward. Let’s analyze the current roster and also look at some of the projections where the Bulls may look in the draft.
Otto Porter Jr. was an exciting addition during the 2018–19 season, but he only played 15 games with the Bulls that season and only 14 during 2019–20, both seasons cut short by injury. At this point, his health has become a huge liability, and he has created an unreliable reputation for himself. Porter is the highest-paid player on the Bulls’ roster this upcoming season, expecting to make around $28 million. We have seen great flashes of what Porter can do with the current core that the Bulls have, and he fit pretty seamlessly being able to spread the floor and facilitate, but his best ability should be availability at this point of his career. With this year being a contract year for him, I highly expect him to play through some injuries, but it is unclear if he fits the future timeline for the Bulls.
Chandler Hutchison also missed a lot of games this past season and has yet to finish an entire NBA season in his career. This past season, Hutchison showed slight progression and aggression on the court but it wasn’t at a high clip and he was very inconsistent, plus catching the injury bug obviously didn’t help. Hutchison has noticeable holes in his game, such as 3-point shooting and free-throw shooting. Hutchison is a good team player, but his individual growth is key, and with him reaching 25 years of age and being a former first-round pick many expect larger strides in development. The Bulls have to figure out if he is a good fit for this the future even though they have more flexibility with his contract. After this season, Hutchison does have a team option left on his contract, but the Bulls need him to show up for more than just half of the season and injuries should not be an acceptable excuse for him.
Denzel Valentine had an odd 2019–20 season seeing that he missed a great majority of the season “Because I said so…” according to Jim Boylen, the former Bulls head coach. Denzel Valentine seemed like he lacked focus last season, also dropping a music video titled “Introduction” during the middle of the season. Valentine is approaching a contract year as well and there is no telling if he has a future on this roster either. Valentine is one of the best 3-point shooters and team defenders on the team, so we know the value he adds and he is a definite role player/rotational guy. Valentine was plagued in the past from a serious ankle injury that required surgery, but he has proved that he is past that.
Based on rumors and speculation, it is assumed that the Bulls expect to address the small forward position in the 2020 NBA Draft. One of the most interesting prospects on the Bulls’ radar is Deni Avdija who has received comps to Hedo Turkoglu and Danillo Gallinari. Deni Avdija is a 6-foot-9 forward that played in the Israeli Basketball Premier League. Avdija is touted for his playmaking ability, versatility and basketball IQ. Avidja showed that he is a decent passer and team defender, but his free-throw shooting could use some improvement. Avdija also has been noted as a jack-of-all-trades lacking athleticism and missing a true niche to his game, but he is considered a safe pick and probably one of the most NBA ready players. Plus, he could fit in easily with this Bulls core. A lot of Bulls fans are buying the hype on him but I am not buying it because he wasn’t a consistent starter for his Israeli team with a season high of 13 points and he doesn’t have a very huge ceiling. Despite my thoughts, the Bulls and Arturas Karnisovas have deep connections in the Euro League and I’m sure Avdija has been deeply evaluated in person. Deni Avdija averaged 9.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assist, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, and a 50.5 field goal % per game during his 2019–20 season.
“I think my technique is good. I just think people don’t see the surroundings. People forget that I was young, I was going through a team with a lot of experience, with a lot of pressure, with a lot of fans every night. I played several kinds of minutes — sometimes less, sometimes more, sometimes there’s more pressure — so it was kind of ups and downs in the shot”, Said Deni Avidja When asked about his free throw shooting
Isaac Okoro the 6–6 guard/forward from Auburn is considered a top notch defender and is exceptionally athletic. His offense creates huge question marks for the Bulls, especially seeing that offense is an area the Bulls severely struggled with outside of Zach LaVine and Coby White last season. Specifically, he is a dismal shooter but he is an able passer and facilitator. Okoro would require a great development staff around him to help develop his game. Mo’ Cheeks and John Longstaff on the Bulls coaching staff brings me confidence that they can work with him ,but he may be too much of a project for a team that is still looking to find an identity. Many think his flaws aren’t deal breakers because they are aspects that can be taught. Okoro is probably the best man-to-man defender in the draft, and the Bulls may not be keeping Kris Dunn any longer. Okoro would thrive more on a playoff contender where he wouldn’t be expected to play much right away, but he is one of best small forwards in the draft with huge upside towards the long run. Isaac Okorro averaged 12.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 51.4 percent from the field for Auburn during the 2019–20 season.
Devin Vassell is a 6–7 forward from Florida State that has gotten recent projections in the earlier picks of the draft and is known as a reliable 3-and-D guy. He has a decent mid-range jumper that he can pull off the dribble, can also play the pick and roll, and is a capable rim protector. His off-the-ball defense may be the best out of any player in the draft as he has a huge knack for reading passing lanes and playing team defense as he is always anticipating when to provide help. Vassell was a 41.5 percent 3-point shooter this past season but he shot very low attempts.
Devin Vassell lacks strength and quickness, and could also use some work getting deep into the paint. His obvious skills of making threes and playing defense shows he will be a pretty good NBA player and he could make an impact right away since his floor is pretty high. He has clear skill sets that the Bulls can implement right away. However, he might slip under the Bulls radar because he is just starting to get noticed as of recently. Devin Vassell is ultimately my favorite prospect for the Bulls as he led his Florida State team to a 26–5 record in a very tough ACC. If everything goes right he could be a legit third option on an NBA playoff team. Devin Vassell averaged 12.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.0 blocks, and a 49.0 percent from the field during his sophomore season at Florida State.
Furthermore, the Bulls obviously can choose to go in a totally different direction in this years NBA draft such as drafting the best player available if James Wiseman, Lamelo Ball, or Anthony Edwards are available. Also many people favor other players such as Tyrese Haliburton or Killian Hayes. The Bulls could also astonish everyone by trading back in the draft. Overall, there is no definite draft order as a lot of the draft boards you will find over the internet have players varying from as many as ten spots. The small forward position is the elephant in the room for the Bulls and they know it, so expect them to relieve that small forward anxiety one way or another.
