Grading the Chicago Bulls Bench from the 2012-13 Season

I wrote an article last week discussing the starting five for the Chicago Bulls from this past season.

With the exception of Rip Hamilton, most of the starters received favorable ratings.

So did this year's version of the "Bench Mob" carry their weight, or were their performances forgettable at best?

Let's take a quick look at how the second unit graded out this year.

Vladimir Radmanovic

Grade: F

Wait. Who?

If this face does not look familiar to you, there is a good reason for that.

While Vladimir Radmanovic was acquired to provide the team with outside shooting at the forward spot, he spent most of the year watching the games from the bench.

Buried at the end of Tom Thibodeau's rotation, Radmanovic recorded career lows in points (1.3) and minutes per game (5.8).

In addition to that, Radmanovic shot a dismal 30 percent from the field, including just 19 percent from beyond the arc.

That said, he was a huge disappointment this year, and it is very doubtful he will return in 2013-14.

Marquis Teague

Grade: C-

With Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson occupying the point guard position, Marquis Teague was not expected to see significant playing time.

However, as the injuries continued to mount, Tom Thibodeau was forced to use the first-year point guard, and the results were favorable at times.

If you are looking for great numbers, you will not find them here. Teague averaged just two points per game in 48 appearances during the regular season.

Along with that, he connected on just 38 percent of his field-goal attempts while shooting 56 percent from the free-throw line. Needless to say, his game has room for improvement.

On a positive note, Teague has shown the ability to get to the rim while playing fairly well on defense, despite being used sporadically. 

Daequan Cook

Grade: D-

The Bulls signed Daequan Cook with hopes to bolster a team that ranked 21st in the league in three-point shooting.

This appeared to be a wise move at the time because Cook was a career 36-percent shooter from beyond the arc.

Unfortunately, for the Bulls, Cook never lived up to that expectation. He connected on just 30 percent of his field-goal attempts, including a woeful 28 percent from distance.

Being that outside shooting is one of the areas Chicago will address in the offseason, it is very unlikely that Cook will be on the roster next year.

Malcolm Thomas

Grade: D

Malcolm Thomas was acquired late in the season to provide depth at the forward spot.

Unfortunately, for Thomas, his playing time was very limited to say the least.

In 12 appearances for Chicago, he averaged just 1.3 points and 1.3 rebounds per contest.

Thomas' best performance was a six-point, eight-rebound outing against the Toronto Raptors on April 9.

Despite showing promise as an inside scorer and capable rebounder, Thomas was unable to crack the regular rotation and appeared in just three playoff games for a total of six minutes.

Although his production was not significant, he receives a passing grade because the expectation bar was not high and he made the most of the playing time that was given to  him.

Nazr Mohammed

Grade: C

Nazr Mohammed was acquired to fill the void left by the departure of Omer Asik.

Like a few of the players who were new to Tom Thibodeau's system, Mohammed struggled during the early part of the season and did not see much playing time initially.

However, Mohammed stayed prepared and provided the team with quality minutes down the stretch.

His best performances include a 16-point,13-rebound effort against the Toronto Raptors on April 12 and a 17-point, seven-rebound outing in the regular season finale against the Washington Wizards five nights later.

The one moment most fans will remember is one that Mohammed would like to forget.

In Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Miami Heat, Mohammed was ejected after shoving LeBron James to the floor after the two players became entangled near half court.

While Mohammed did provide the Bulls with inside scoring in spurts, his return is doubtful as the team is expected to go with a younger backup for Joakim Noah.

Taj Gibson

Grade: C

Taj Gibson signed a four-year extension worth close to $40 million on the opening night of the season, so many fans were hoping for a breakout season from a key member of the second unit.

While Gibson's 2012-13 averages (8.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG) were somewhat better than his career averages of 7.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, he struggled to play with the same consistency he did the past two seasons.

Gibson's best outing came against the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 2. In that game he scored 19 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in 45 minutes of action.

However, Gibson was slowed with a knee injury during the latter portion of the season and the playoffs. In the series finale against the Miami Heat, he recorded more personal fouls (four), than points (two).

In addition to an aggressive offseason regimen to help get his injured knee back into shape, Gibson will also need to work on his mid-range jumper to help him return to form in 2013-14.

Marco Belinelli

Grade: B

Much to the dismay of some Bulls fans, Marco Belinelli was bought in as a cheap replacement for departing sharp-shooter Kyle Korver.

Labeled as just a shooter coming into the season, Belinelli put that generalization to rest once he was inserted into the starting lineup and averaged a respectable 13 points and 2.6 assists per contest.

Unlike most of the previous players who have been discussed so far, Belinelli had a number of solid performances during the course of the season.

In the month of December, Belinelli reached double figures in 11 of Chicago's 15 games.

Along with that, he recorded game-winners against the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets and the Utah Jazz, proving to be a reliable scorer in crunch time.

What stands out the most about Belinelli from this past season is the fact that he became a better defender in Tom Thibodeau's system and played effectively at both guard positions.

Based on these trends, it would make sense for the Bulls to make an attempt to bring him back for another season.

Jimmy Butler

Grade: A

Coming into the season, Jimmy Butler was not a household name by any stretch of the imagination.

However, when Luol Deng was sidelined with an injury in mid-January, Butler proved to be more than just your average replacement.

During that stretch, Butler averaged over 15 points and eight rebounds, while logging over 45 minutes per contest.

As the season progressed, not only did Butler's game continue to improve offensively, he also became one of the Bulls' best defenders behind Luol Deng.

Butler had one of his best outings in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Miami Heat, scoring 21 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. 

Not an easy feat considering he was assigned the task of containing LeBron James.

The sky is the limit for Butler, and if he continues to improve his perimeter game during the summer, he will be a tough cover for opponents next year.

Nate Robinson

Grade: A

Nate Robinson was one of several players acquired to help rebuild a bench that suffered several departures last season.

As noted in a previous article, Robinson's contract was not guaranteed until January, but you could not tell that was the case based on the way he played each night.

One of the knocks on Robinson was his shoot-first, pass-second mentality. However, with averages of 14.8 points and 6.1 assists per outing as a starter, he proved that he can set up his teammates as well as create shots for himself.

Robinson was the team's second-leading scorer (16.3 PPG) behind Carlos Boozer in the postseason, and he had two outstanding performances that fans will not soon forget.

In Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets, Robinson scored 34 points, including 23 points in the fourth quarter, to help the Bulls erase a large deficit and send the game into overtime. 

He followed that up with another solid outing in Game 1 against the Miami Heat. Robinson scored 27 points, including two huge baskets late in the fourth quarter, to lead the Bulls to a surprising victory over the defending champions. 

Robinson drives Tom Thibodeau crazy with his shot selection at times, but the good definitely outweighs the bad.

During a season in which the Bulls struggled to score, Robinson proved to be one of the few players with the ability to carry the offense at various stretches during the season.

That said, Robinson will come with an expensive price tag, and it will be interesting to see if the Bulls will make an effort to retain his services.