Initial Post-Draft Depth Chart for Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls selected University of Arkansas power forward Bobby Portis with the No. 22 pick in the 2015 NBA draft and now have to rely on the free-agency period to round out their roster for the upcoming 2015-16 season.
General manager Gar Forman will not be the busybody he was when the 2014 moratorium was lifted. He has some in-house issues to deal with before he can even think about courting unaffiliated talent.
Chicago has three unrestricted free agents on the roster—Mike Dunleavy, Aaron Brooks and Nazr Mohammed. Kirk Hinrich could be a fourth one if he decides to opt out of his current contract.
There is no guarantee that the Bulls are going to retain any of these players, which leaves their depth chart with a lot of holes to fill. The front office is going to have to get creative in getting guys on board who can fit in with head coach Fred Hoiberg’s system.
All is not dire, though. There is still a solid core of talent around which to build and some young guys hungry to show their value. Each position has issues—a few more than others—but there are also some bright spots that merit mentioning.
Point Guard
| Projected starter | Derrick Rose |
| Reserve | Kirk Hinrich (pending player option decision) |
It doesn’t take much expertise to see that the Bulls are very thin at the point guard position. The best thing going here is that Derrick Rose had a very solid 2014-15 campaign. Save for needing a second procedure on his repaired meniscus, his game showed a gradual progression that suggests next year has the potential to be pretty big.
Hinrich has played both guard positions during his second tenure in Chicago. He posted career lows across the board for 2014-15, and that might make it seem strange as to why he should back up Rose given the fast-paced offensive system that is about to be implemented.
If Hoiberg’s run at Iowa State is any indicator, Hinrich will not be doing much when he is on the floor. Monte Morris, the Cyclones’ starting point guard, had a usage rate of 16.9 percent last season, the lowest of anyone in the first unit, per Sports-Reference.com.
Hoiberg can certainly tailor some things for Rose’s dynamic repertoire, and it is also clear that he can have Hinrich on the floor without expecting too much of the former Kansas Jayhawk.
The elephant in the room is that this all hinges on what Hinrich decides to do concerning his player option. One can assume that it will be hard to pass on the $2.8 million that he is due should he opt in, as per HoopsHype, but he may not be so quick to go for it knowing that his services would only be minimally needed.
This is the most unstable position on the Bulls roster. There is a lot to look forward to concerning Rose’s progress, but the team is one declining decision away from having no support for their former MVP. Brooks played well enough to get an offer more lucrative than the veteran’s minimum he made last season, so retaining him at a discount will be a long shot.
It’s a bit disconcerting that stability here rests on a singular pronouncement.
Shooting Guard
| Projected starter | Jimmy Butler (pending restricted free agent outcome) |
| Reserve | E'Twaun Moore |
The shooting guard depth is not great, but it is more stable than that of its backcourt counterpart.
Team management can and probably will match any offer extended to restricted free agent Jimmy Butler. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported that the former Marquette Golden Eagle is looking for a short-term deal in an effort to position himself for another big payday when the salary cap spikes in a couple of years.
Butler showed exponential growth during his 2014-15 run. He averaged 20 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game. That was enough to earn him his first All-Star nod. His playoff totals were also just as good, further legitimizing his game's evolution. Like Rose at the point guard position, Butler is a huge bright spot for the Bulls' immediate future.
E’Twaun Moore has a team option at a salary of $1 million. It seems likely that the team will choose to pick up that tab considering both the uncertainty of Hinrich’s future and Moore’s ability to play both guard positions.
This pairing isn’t great, but it is built in such a way that it only requires each player to do the same thing he did last season when he stepped on the court.
Small Forward
| Projected starter | Tony Snell |
| Reserve | Doug McDermott |
Postulating what’s going to happen gets hazy with the small forward position. Like the shooting guard spot, it is sparse on depth but secure in its personnel. The main problem here is experience.
Tony Snell is the most senior player at the 3, and he has only two years under his belt. He played sparingly under former head coach Tom Thibodeau but showed some very promising glimmers during an extended run he got in the first months of 2015.
Doug McDermott will be a savvy second-year veteran when next season commences. He received an old-school initiation to the NBA where he did more watching than playing. The expectation of using his shooting ability to immediately contribute never came to fruition.
This potential experience vacuum is due to the unrestricted free-agent status of veteran Mike Dunleavy. It would be great to have the aforementioned youngsters supporting the more experienced player in a reserve capacity, but that would hinge on how badly the former Duke Blue Devil wants to stay in Chicago—and at what price.
According to Chicago Tribune writer K.C. Johnson, the Bulls might be OK with keeping the team as intact as possible, even if that means going into the luxury tax. It is a smart move to retain Dunleavy’s skill set and know-how, but it remains to be seen whether Forman will be successful in that endeavor.
As it stands now, the Bulls have a very inexperienced duo filling in on the wing. Snell gets the nod as the starter due to his slight experience advantage. It will take all of Hoiberg’s developmental ability to bring these two guys up to the desired speed.
Power Forward
| Projected starter | Pau Gasol |
| 1st reserve | Taj Gibson |
| 2nd reserve | Nikola Mirotic |
| 3rd reserve | Bobby Portis |
Here lies what is called a logjam.
In recent years, the power forward position was a two-man gig. Carlos Boozer and Taj Gibson held it down from the 2010-11 season to the 2013-14 season; then, Pau Gasol stepped into the starting role in the summer of 2014. Now, the 4 spot is the deepest position on this roster, and each player brings something unique.
Gasol is the classic post presence who can score facing up or backing down. His post-up moves might not be needed as much under Hoiberg, but his passing and spot-up shooting could serve the team well. After having a monster performance last season, it is apparent that the soon-to-be 35-year-old has found some resiliency in the twilight of his career.
Gibson may be looking for a little redemption after having a subpar 2014-15. He’s shown the ability to play at varying paces, so he should able to adapt well to the coming changes.
Nikola Mirotic is the big best suited for Hoiberg. He can post up, drive, shoot off the dribble, pull up and pass. It stands to reason that he might be splitting time between the power and small forward positions with most of his time at the latter to make up for its lack of depth.
Bobby Portis wasn’t even supposed to be here. According to Sam Smith of Bulls.com, Forman really liked the 2014 SEC Player of the Year but figured he’d be gone by the time it was Chicago’s turn to pick. Smith went on to explain that the focus was on picking up a point guard, but Portis was too good of a talent to pass on.
According to a scouting report by DraftExpress, the 6’10” big man is versatile on offense, crashes the boards and runs nonstop up and down the court. He is also adept at executing the pick-and-roll. He may not play that much, but Hoiberg should be able to find a use for him.
Center
| Projected starter | Joakim Noah |
| Reserve | Cameron Bairstow |
The center position is second only to point guard in its dismal makeup. That statement might seem harsh considering that Joakim Noah has been Defensive Player of the Year, an All-NBA Defensive Team selection and an MVP candidate, but things took a downturn last season.
Noah lacked that same hustle and energy that fans grew accustomed to in previous seasons. His scoring, rebounding, field-goal percentage and blocks output were the lowest since his rookie campaign.
Persistent aggravations from knee surgery that he had back in May 2014 were the biggest contributor to his underperforming year. His style of play exacerbated complications from the procedure and sidelined him a few times.
According to Johnson, the eight-year veteran vowed to come back stronger next season, and nothing would please the Bulls organization and fanbase more than if he is able to do that.
Even if Noah is able to make good on his promise, the fact that the only other center on the roster is Cameron Bairstow doesn’t breed a lot of confidence.
The former University of New Mexico big man played a total of 64 minutes over the course of 2014-15. That is enough for just over one regulation game. His lack of playing time leaves too much unanswered concerning what he is capable of and how he fits in.
Bairstow might not see the court much again next season; instead, Gibson will likely be pulling double duty sliding between power forward and center depending on need.
Final Assessment
Forman definitely has his work cut out for him this summer. There are multiple needs that must be addressed, and re-signing Butler is definitely going to hinder the Bulls' options.
If what Johnson said about the team preparing to go into luxury tax territory proves to be true, then the Bulls may be willing to make sure the players acquired are good enough to contribute immediately and keep the championship window open. Fortunately, there are also some versatile players already on board who can effectively fill gaps when needed.
Still, some things can't be ignored. Even if Hinrich opts in, he has clearly lost several steps and cannot be relied upon too much. There needs to be a more capable point guard on the roster who can hold down a steadier role in relieving Rose.
A patchwork rotation of Gibson, Gasol and even Portis can be a short-term solution for the center position, but the lack of a young prospect in a reserve role is also going to have to be addressed soon.
Seven straight playoff appearances prove that management is capable of putting together a decent roster, but postseasons berths still fall short of the ultimate goal of winning a title. Hoiberg was hired to bring this team into the modern NBA era and get them over the hump. He has a plan; now he needs the talent.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
