Power Ranking Each Chicago Bulls Player Heading into 2015 NBA All-Star Break
The Chicago Bulls’ 2014-15 season has been a protracted search for identity; luckily, their self-discovery quest has not been a detrimental one as the team is 34-20 and atop the Central Division.
Expectations seemed high for this club following its highly successful summer of acquisitions. General manager Gar Forman struck a nice balance of veteran and young talent to go along with an experienced core.
There have been improvements with the team’s scoring ability. The Bulls are averaging 102.2 points per game, their best posting under head coach Tom Thibodeau. The downside to that newfound offensive zeal is that it has led to more touches for their opponents; hence, the defense is allowing the most points since the former Boston Celtics assistant took over back in 2010.
Injuries are still a nagging problem. Chicago has played without one key player or another at various points in the season. Thibodeau has played his desired starting five only 16 times out of the more than 50 games that have come and gone. That lack of continuity is a big reason why this assemblage has not excelled like some people expected.
As for each individual player, there have been some surprising, disappointing and regular performances. The proceeding rankings consider the entire body of work that each individual has contributed. Progress and consistency will be the driving criteria, while injuries and recent play will get modest consideration.
Bottom Grouping
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15. Cameron Bairstow
Bairstow has been undergoing the typical rookie treatment under Coach Thibs. The former New Mexico standout has done more watching than playing. He’s only seen the floor in 12 games, but he did start for the team in the November 25 contest against the Denver Nuggets. Those were good times.
14. Nazr Mohammed
Mohammed’s role on this team is definitely more of a mentor than contributor. The third-string center has played in the fewest games of any Bulls player, but he does average more rebounds than Bairstow. When the 16-year veteran is ready to hang up his sneakers for good, he may be able to trade them in for clipboard.
13. E’Twaun Moore
Moore is filling the role once occupied by the likes of Mike James and John Lucas III. Those are not big shoes to fill. Actually, the former Big 10 standout has been serviceable in the limited time he’s received. If nothing else, he takes care of the ball and follows the game plan.
12. Doug McDermott
McDermott has been somewhat of a disappointment, so far. The front office actually traded two first-round picks to acquire the sharpshooting guard in hopes that his long-range accuracy would make him an instant asset, yet it has not worked out that way.
He started the season getting regular minutes but saw his playing time taper off around late November. The rookie then sat out December and most of January with a knee injury and has all but fallen out of the rotation since returning.
10. Tony Snell
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From November 28 to December 29, Tony Snell played 13 consecutive games where he logged single-digit minutes. He registered 12 or more minutes in 17 straight games from January 9 to February 12. That is the long and short of Snell’s season.
The second-year wing created a lot of buzz for himself with a splendid showing during the 2015 Las Vegas Summer League, but that momentum dissipated quickly once the regular season tipped off. Snell was more of a victim of personnel depth than anything else. Playing both shooting guard and small forward, he was already behind three other guys in the rotation.
Thibodeau has always espoused that the next man on the roster has to be ready at any given time. Snell’s patience paid off when Chicago went into January short-handed. Over his last 15 games he has averaged 11.8 points on 52.4 percent shooting from the field. The young man may not be a go-to guy, but he has separated himself from the end-of-the-bench dwellers.
9. Kirk Hinrich
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Kirk Hinrich is a veteran presence who is supposed to help anchor Chicago’s second unit; however, he has been more of a load than anything this season. The wily veteran is one of Thibodeau’s favorite players, but that affinity seems to have tainted the coach’s perception just a little.
Hinrich plays 27 minutes per game and contributes 6.5 points and 2.5 assists; two other players on the team play fewer minutes and score more per game. Stretch his output over a per-36 model and the former Kansas Jayhawk has the fourth-lowest scoring average on the team. Granted, it’s not all about the numbers and hypothetical models, but he hardly contributes anything now that can’t be filled by another player, and better even.
As a third-string guy who helps the starting guards steal three to five minutes of rest, Hinrich is the man, but he is not a primary reserve who should be the first off the bench for anything. Maybe the prior two seasons of playing an inflated role took the last of his productive mojo. He's not the worst player on the team; however, his abilities do not merit the workload with which he is trusted.
8. Nikola Mirotoc
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Nikola Mirotic has maximized the modest amount of playing time given to him during his rookie campaign. Luckily, it’s still more minutes than Thibodeau usually gives to his greenhorns. The young Montenegrin was preceded by a reputation of being an offensive virtuoso, and that aptitude has been evident over the course his inaugural season.
Mirotic has played in every Bulls game so far and has scored in double figures in 20 of those contests. He’s also demonstrated a knack for getting rebounds, a definite plus when you’re a big man playing for Thibs.
All is not perfect, though. Mirotic still seems to be getting used to playing NBA-style defense. He is not used to guarding physical low-post forwards, and he needs to improve his footwork in order to keep up with smaller players.
The ceiling remains high with Mirotic, though. At times, he has executed things that let everyone know that they haven’t even glimpsed what he can really do. One such example would be his insane alley-oop pass to Moore during the November 7 contest against the New Orleans Pelicans.
For every critique that can be made of Mirotic, there are two commendations that can be attributed to him as well. He’s done a good job of holding his own while acclimating to the NBA game.
7. Joakim Noah
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A season ago, Joakim Noah would have been at the top of this list; in fact, he would have occupied the top three spots because no one was a close second. What a difference a little time makes. One year removed from the 2013-14 season that earned him a Defensive Player of the Year nod and Most Valuable Player consideration, the emotive big man is posting his lowest output of points and rebounds per game since his second year.
Noah spent the early part of the season trying to play through the lingering effects of his summer knee surgery. It was clear that he was not the same player. He was sidelined for brief stretches in hopes that the rest would bolster his healing, and even that didn’t seem to take.
The once-nimble center was slow-footed and weighted down. He had no ability to guard out on the perimeter like he used to and was not explosive when fighting for rebounds. His effort and heart were still there, but the capacity was definitely diminished.
Noah got another extended leave in January. Soon after suiting up for his return, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune got the former Florida Gator on record, who reassured everyone that he is doing well—“This is the best I've felt physically all season."
This time around it seems to be true. Noah is starting to do all of those things that earned him his fiery reputation. It’s good to see him return to form. Had his season not been rife with struggles early on, he would have placed higher in these rankings.
6. Taj Gibson
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Taj Gibson is once again Chicago’s premier sixth man. Overall, his numbers are fairly close to what they were last year. His rebounds and blocks per game, as well has his field-goal percentage, are comparable to last year’s final numbers. This element of consistency is what has him placed higher than longtime frontcourt teammate Noah.
Gibson’s scoring decline is what keeps him mired right in the middle of the pack. His points per game and free-throw percentage are significantly down. Hidden underneath those numbers is the disappearance of his mid-range jumper.
Last season it seemed as if the veteran reserve forward was starting to expand his offensive repertoire. He added a short jump shot to his arsenal and was connecting from 15-19 feet with 40 percent accuracy—not great but a good start. Gibson is currently shooting 31.7 percent from that same range this season. Not only is he contributing fewer points, but he also has fewer options for putting the ball in the bucket.
There is nothing wrong with securing rebounds and putting up more than 10 points per game; however, it is a frustrating knowing that he could do more.
5. Aaron Brooks
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The Bulls have always had success with filling their backup point guard position, and Aaron Brooks is no exception. He has the crucial role of being the offensive creator of the reserve unit. His skill set is one that can generate opportunities for himself, as well as his teammates.
Brooks also give Thibs the option of playing two guards who can easily break down the opposition’s defense. For example, whenever he is paired with Rose, their offensive rating is 115.9.
The most standout statistic has been his three-point shooting. The former Oregon Duck is shooting a career-high 44.3 percent from beyond the arc.
One could argue that Brooks is the best backup point guard of the Thibodeau era. His overall game is more polished than that of C.J. Watson. He may not be as irrationally confident as Nate Robinson, but he has that big-shot ability. If nothing else, Brooks’ performance so far has made it difficult for fans to pine for players from seasons past.
4. Mike Dunleavy
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While the preceding players have been placed for what they do on the floor, a big part of Mike Dunleavy’s positioning is because of what happens when he is off the floor. The 12-year veteran had to sit out a long stretch that started on January 3 and didn’t end until the February 10 game against the Sacramento Kings.
Chicago played 19 games over that span, going 9-10. His nonappearance showed just how important floor spacing is to the team’s offensive execution. Opposing defenses didn’t have to stretch themselves thin and leave penetration lanes open for Chicago’s slashers. There was one less player on the floor who was able to make that well-timed smart decision. It was telling of how the former Duke Blue Devil has evolved into the glue guy for this club.
The Bulls are now on a four-game winning streak, three of which have included Dunleavy being back in the fold. Even when he is not putting up outstanding numbers, he is still commanding respect from the other team and contributing in imperceptible ways thank to his high basketball IQ.
3. Jimmy Butler
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No one could have predicted the kind of season Jimmy Butler is having. He is posting a career-high scoring average and doing so many other things well that it’s even earned him an All-Star nod. He won’t be playing due to a shoulder injury, but the selection was great validation for his tremendous work ethic.
So why isn’t he higher on this list?
Ranking him third might seem like a slight, but let’s not forget the role that consistency has in placement. Butler started off the season with a roar but seemed to hit a wall in January. Over that month he averaged 17.9 points per game with drops in his field-goal percentage and free-throw attempts. He was one of the players who benefited from having Dunleavy on the floor and could not adjust well enough when his colleague was out.
He was still one of the team’s better players over that stretch, but it was a fall-back-to-earth moment for the fourth-year guard.
Overall, Butler is still doing well. Before aggravating his shoulder, he was improving on his January slump. Hopefully, that re-emergence continues after his convalescence.
2. Derrick Rose
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It is obvious that Derrick Rose has learned a lot from his two season-ending injuries about easing back into the saddle. His approach in this second return has been the quintessential slow-and-steady angle. When the season began, it was apparent that he still had the ability, but the young guard didn’t have the game legs to pull off the moves that everyone had grown accustomed to seeing.
There would be some nice games here and there, but Rose stayed in the lower gear most of the time. Then he started to gradually turn it up. His month-by-month numbers show a steady improvement: Rose scored 18.3 points per game in December and 20.3 in January and has started February with a 21.2 points-per-game average.
Along the way he had some telling performances that foreshadowed that he was starting to turn a corner. He logged back-to-back games with a points/assists double-double on January 16 and January 17. On January 27, the team went to the Golden State Warriors, where Rose sealed an overtime win with a step-back jumper over Klay Thompson. He just helped his guys trounce the Cleveland Cavaliers, contributing 30 points and seven assists.
Rose has been on the rise, and it should not be surprising to anyone who has been watching. It all seems to be coming together at the right pace. Come playoff time, he may be ready to go full-throttle.
1. Pau Gasol
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Pau Gasol fits into the top spot the same way he fits into the Bulls lineup—perfectly. He gets this distinction because he has been everything that Chicago has needed since it started building a better club around Rose back in 2010.
The team needed a low-post scorer. Gasol shoots 57.2 percent within five feet of the basket and 42.3 from the five-to-nine-foot range. He even gives the Bulls a little floor spacing with his mid-range shot, which falls 49.4 percent of the time.
There was a need for another big man who could carry some of the defensive load. Gasol is pulling down 12.1 rebounds and blocking 2.1 shots on a nightly basis. There was a time where his defensive ability was being questioned, but that was the same stretch where Noah was not active. As a help defender, Gasol is more than capable, and the detractors will be silent again now that the frontcourt is properly staffed.
The veteran Spaniard has done it consistently as well. Gasol has never averaged fewer than 16 points per game for any given month. In fact, his lowest output was actually during December when the team played its best stretch of basketball. When the Bulls were struggling through January, he was producing more than his overall season numbers.
Gasol has more than complemented Rose; he has become the co-anchor who can help carry this team. Presently, he is in the midst of a 14-game streak where he has registered a double-double in points and rebounds.
There was no question as to whether Gasol could contribute to the Bulls, but very few were expecting a complete career renaissance at this stage of his career. It’s hard to imagine Chicago’s future looking as bright as it is without Gasol, and that’s why he is the Bulls' top player heading into the season’s intermission.
All statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise cited and are current as of Friday, February 13, 2015.
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