Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott Proving They're Too Good Not to Play
Chicago Bulls rookies Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott have shown over the past few weeks that they deserve to be part of the rotation.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau has shown that rookies can play on his team. Granted these two are the most NBA-ready he's had since coming to Chicago, but the Euro star and the Creighton product have earned their spots.
"I'm very pleased with both of those guys. They just got to keep working. When they get in there, get the job done. I like them a lot, and they're only going to get better and better as time goes on," said Thibodeau about his two first-year players, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
The promise both rookies have shown in the early stages of the season should give Bulls fans reason to get excited going forward.
At 6'10", Mirotic is the stretch 4 Chicago has never had during the Derrick Rose era. Coupled with his ability to put the ball on the floor as well as his play in the post, the 23-year-old Montenegrin is primed to be a featured player in years to come.
As one of the best three-point shooters coming out of college, McDermott gives the Bulls a perimeter threat and should be able to provide spacing in Chicago's inside-outside offense. With Mike Dunleavy's contract expiring after this season, McDermott is the favorite to earn that starting role for 2015-16.
However, before we can talk about the future, we have to look at the present, and it has certainly been a rocky start for Chicago's rookie duo.
Let's take a closer look at how Mirotic and McDermott have performed thus far as well as how their game can help the Bulls by season's end.
Year 1 Struggles
Nikola Mirotic
Perhaps the toughest part of Mirotic's transition into the NBA will be adapting to Thibodeau's defensive scheme.
Mirotic has the quickness and willingness to become a good defender, but he tends to gamble a lot defensively in the post. It might be due to his slimmer frame at 220 pounds, but it often leads to easy baskets for the opposition or a teammate picking up an unnecessary foul on a late rotation that shouldn't have to happen in the first place.
It's bound to take him a good amount of time to get the defense down, but it's his offense that can't falter. How often has Mirotic received the ball outside of the three-point line with his defender a few steps away and he just does a pump fake?
The answer: Every game he has played.
Mirotic has proved he's a viable and above-average long-range shooter, but he still passes up open shots on a frustratingly consistent basis. His pump fakes work more often than not, and he's able to attack the paint. He usually ends up passing it away because the defense is able to rotate and close his lane, though.
Thibodeau made note of this after Chicago's game versus the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 20, per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
"In this league, it's critical to know when to shoot and when to pass. If you're passing up an open shot, you usually end up with a much tougher shot. He's a very unselfish guy. He's learning. Come in each day and make the necessary corrections and move forward.
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Mirotic knows he has to work on that aspect of his game: "I'm playing European basketball. When I see somebody open, I always try to pass to him. I know maybe I need to shoot a little bit more. Coach has confidence in me. That's very important."
The Spanish Cup MVP could improve on a few things, but at least he hasn't had the ugly start fellow rookie McDermott has had.
Doug McDermott
It couldn't be a worse beginning for Chicago's first-round pick.
McDermott looks lost most of the time and somewhat hesitant and uncomfortable while on the floor. He's struggling in half-court sets as well, and he's responsible for approximately 21 percent of the team's turnovers when he's on the floor, per NBA.com. Of the 12 giveaways he's had this season, six have been due to bad passes.
The chemistry will come over time, but he's struggling on both ends of the floor.
McDermott also has the worst offensive and defensive rating on the team among players averaging 13 minutes or more, per NBA.com. As he continues to adjust to the speed of the game, his defense will improve, but quicker and more athletic wings have taken advantage of him whenever possible.
After a strong preseason, the young sharpshooter has also failed to get his shot going, making an abysmal 24 percent of his attempts from downtown.
Despite his struggles from beyond the arc, Thibodeau is confident his rookie will pick it up soon, per Cowley:
"That's the way I want him to play. When he's open, I want him to shoot, it's that simple. In practice he's great. He's still finding his way. He's going to be terrific. I just think it's going to take a little bit of time. The way he shoots the ball, even though he missed those shots, he shot them great. I have a lot of confidence in him. I just want him to keep shooting.
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The encouragement is great, but it shouldn't really be a surprise the former National Player of the Year is seeing such limited time. Similar to Mirotic, McDermott also has better players ahead of him.
Jimmy Butler is Thibodeau's new iron man, so his 35 to 40 minutes per game are guaranteed. Mike Dunleavy has also been very effective, shooting 38 percent from downtown, often serving as a spark to Chicago's offense.
McDermott's saving grace has been Thibodeau's continuous distrust in sophomore guard Tony Snell, who is averaging just 12 minutes per game and did not play in three games due to a coach's decision.
The three-time All-American has a ways to go, and he knows that: "It's going to take time to get that trust. I look forward to gaining that,” said McDermott, per James Herbert of CBSSports.com.
If there's one thing we've seen, it's that this rookie duo has all the tools to become true offensive weapons for Chicago.
Mirotic is surprisingly quick for a player his size; he has an explosive first step, and he's not afraid to draw contact inside and get to the line. He has benefited from the Bulls' frontcourt injuries, averaging around 20 minutes per game since Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson went down with calf and ankle injuries respectively.
In the three-game stretch, Mirotic averaged 14 points and nearly eight rebounds per game.
His best night came against the Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 21, when he posted his first career double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds. The former Spanish League MVP made 57 percent of his three-point shots and got to the free-throw line eight times.
This doesn't exactly mean he's won a bigger role. At least not yet.
As Thibodeau said, Mirotic is playing behind three better players (Gasol, Gibson and Joakim Noah), but the 23-year-old rookie is prepared to fight for a bigger role, per the Chicago Sun-Times:
"I understand that [there are better players in front of me]. You know, it's not easy to have all these players in my position, but the good thing is I am learning every day from them in the practice...
This is my first year, they have helped me, so I am not worried about minutes. The only thing I need to think is if I play five minutes, I need to play those five minutes 100 percent, play them with confidence. I need to compete. If I play 15 minutes, the same thing. This is the only way I'm going to progress like an NBA player.
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Mirotic doesn't just have premier offensive potential, though. He could turn into an above-average defender with Thibodeau.
The former Real Madrid star is laterally quick, and he's shown a willingness to be physical inside on both ends of the floor. He'll have to bulk up a bit so bigger players don't bully him in the post, but he's shown good technique and has solid timing when he goes up to block shots.
Fellow rookie McDermott has been quieter, but he's had some flashes. He has a well-rounded offense and can attack defenders off the dribble. He even has a solid post game given his 225-pound frame.
Whether it's coming off screens or on a catch-and-shoot, McDermott can space the floor. While he hasn't been knocking down shots, it's something that is likely to wear off sooner or later. He can also get out on the break, and his ability to finish around the rim and shoot the three make him a serious threat on three-on-two or four-on-three situations.
The Bulls have a great rookie class this year, but the way the roster was constructed this past summer has limited both players a bit. There's a ton of potential going forward, though.
The 2014-15 campaign is just a handful of games in, and as the season progresses, both Mirotic and McDermott should play better if they're adjusting accordingly. Even if their impact isn't felt this season, Chicago has two pieces who could ultimately be a part of a new core as contracts expire and players leave.
The Bulls' championship aspirations for this year aren't resting on their two rookies, but they could end up playing a bigger part than initially expected.
Note: Stats gathered from Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise stated.
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