Who Should Start for Chicago Bulls at Small Forward?

The Chicago Bulls have an interesting problem to deal with heading into the season. As opposed to the situation in years prior, the Bulls actually have plenty of legitimate depth that could start for multiple other teams.

The additions of Pau Gasol, Nikola Mirotic and prized rookie Doug McDermott could make an impact on the starting lineup, and Taj Gibson's role could potentially change as well.

The biggest difference from last season to this upcoming year, however, is who starts at the small forward position.

Here's Kelly Scaletta for Bleacher Report:

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[Jimmy] Butler will get the nod at shooting guard and was named to the All-Defensive second team. The Bulls are hoping his offense bounces back this year after his field-goal percentage dropped below 40 percent last year, but he’ll log minutes regardless because he’s one of the best wing stoppers in the league.

Mike Dunleavy Jr. stepped into Deng’s spot after he was traded on Jan. 7. There’s a good chance he moves back to the bench at some point in the season, if not to begin it.

That means McDermott starting alongside Butler is a viable option. He’s not projected to be an elite defender, but he doesn't need to be. In fact, he can survive as a below average one.

As a rookie, he will have a learning curve, but in this case that’s actually the reason it makes more sense to start him. And that’s also one of the keys to getting sufficient minutes to all the rotation players, counterintuitive as it may seem.

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Butler can play and cover either the 2 or 3, which makes him a good fit with just about anyone on the wing. While the Bulls lack some ball-handling and distributing ability with Butler in there, he'll defend his tail off and protect Derrick Rose at point.

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Really, it's a question of who would mesh better with the rest of the starters.

Is it Mike Dunleavy, a dangerous spot-up shooter and underrated rebounder and defender? Or is it McDermott, a player who should be more capable of creating his own shots and scoring at a higher rate?

It would seem, at least initially, that Dunleavy should be considered the heavy favorite to start opening day. He's the veteran who understands head coach Tom Thibodeau's defensive schemes, and his proven track record of being a great perimeter shooter is something the Bulls should want in the starting lineup.

The flip side of that argument, though, is that Dunleavy was much better last season coming off the bench than he was with the starters. In 21 games off the bench, Dunleavy connected on 42.3 percent of his threes compared to just 36.8 percent in 61 games as a starter. That makes sense, as it's almost always easier to score against second-unit defenses as opposed to the first string.

That may be a bit of a small sample size, though, and Rose returning to the starting lineup should impact things quite a bit.

It's still something to be considered, though, especially if McDermott is effective in training camp and preseason. 

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Thibodeau hasn't relied heavily on rookies in general over the years, although he's never had a rookie as highly regarded as McDermott. The full college career and proven track record probably mean McDermott is a little more capable to contribute offensively as a rookie than someone like Tony Snell was last year.

Speaking of Snell, he's a dark horse to contend for some minutes as well. After a strong Summer League showing, his athleticism could be a luxury if his shooting range is extended and consistent. Remember, given Butler's offensive struggles last year, the Bulls will need someone who can at least be a threat on the wing.

There's also the chance that Thibodeau reaches for his security blanket and tosses Kirk Hinrich some minutes at the 2 next to Rose in order to lessen his responsibilities. Again, Butler can easily play the 3, so Thibodeau has options. 

Here's Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated:

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The strategic wheels are already in motion for Thibodeau, who singled out Chicago's decision to re-sign Kirk Hinrich as key in allowing Rose to spend some extra time off of the ball. Thibodeau seemed ready to welcome back a player who was still capable of displaying elite athleticism but who also has added a richer comprehension of the action.

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Ultimately, it would be a surprise if Dunleavy wasn't tabbed as the starter. He helped keep the Bulls afloat after the Luol Deng trade last year, and he's a smart veteran player who will be able to find his role rather quickly, something that might not happen with McDermott right off the bat.

Here's what Dunleavy told Sam Smith at Bulls.com about last season:

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'Ultimately I came here for the core beliefs and culture and the way this organization went,' said Dunleavy. 'They could have guys come and go and be injured and those things stayed the same. They did and that’s why we were able to have a successful season.

'Sure, when Derrick went down and Lu was traded everyone was questioning everything,' Dunleavy acknowledged. 'But we stuck with it and this has been the most rewarding season I’ve had as a pro by far.'

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In a sense, Thibodeau might want to reward Dunleavy with the chance to start. Even though Dunleavy has spent plenty of time in his 12-year career coming off the bench, the lack of an established player to replace him probably won't push him there quite yet.

McDermott and Snell have to prove to Thibodeau that they're ready for the responsibility of playing in a demanding defensive system, but Dunleavy already passed his initial test. If this is about trust more than it's about potential, Dunleavy should get the nod.