Bulls' lack of shooting could spell disaster
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After a late-season collapse triggered the team's first lottery finish since 2008, the Chicago Bulls approached this offseason with more urgency than they've shown in years.
Out went former All-Stars Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Pau Gasol. In came Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade, giving the Bulls a vastly different roster than the one fans grew accustomed to over the last several seasons.
While the names may have changed, Chicago's struggles on offense could very well carry into the 2016-17 campaign, especially if the trio of Rondo, Wade, and Jimmy Butler share the floor on a regular basis.
Rondo and Wade are quality individual players, but their inability to shoot the basketball could create major spacing issues for a team already void of offensive talent. Both players have struggled from beyond the arc since coming into the league, and aren't likely to suddenly establish a viable 3-point stroke at this stage of their respective careers.
The Bulls ranked 25th in offensive efficiency last season, and their knack for making threes likely saved them from finishing even lower. With Gasol, Mike Dunleavy, E'Twaun Moore, and Justin Holiday all gone from last year, the Bulls may have gotten rid of their greatest offensive strength.
The departures of Gasol and Dunleavy could be particularly devastating, as their ability to spread the floor worked wonders for Butler - a player who relies heavily on open space to score the basketball. Chicago's offense often struggled when either sat, and with no one to replace the pair, the same problems could persist.
Adding two All-Stars to the starting lineup certainly helped garner headlines going into the season, but the Bulls' iso-heavy style is an odd fit for today's 3-point-heavy NBA.
While the Bulls may not have the personnel to become an elite offensive team, they could still avoid hover around league average if they make a few key lineup decisions this season.
Possible solutions:
Start Mirotic
While it's far from foolproof, starting Nikola Mirotic at power forward would address at least some of Chicago's spacing issues.
After a poor shooting start to his sophomore campaign, Mirotic appeared to find his stroke in the season's second half, hitting 44.5 percent of his long bombs following the All-Star break. Mirotic's improved 3-point shooting immediately worked wonders for Chicago's offense: The Bulls scored 106.2 points per 100 possessions with the 6-foot-10 forward on the floor.
Taj Gibson, the other candidate to start at power forward, possesses many of the strengths Mirotic lacks, but would be better suited to a bench role given Chicago's current personnel. While Mirotic certainly has his faults, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, the Bulls need at least one 3-point threat in their starting unit in order to have any sort of success on offense.
Bring Wade or Butler off the bench
It likely won't sit well with fans, or with the two alpha dogs, but the Bulls could be better by limiting the amount of minutes Wade and Butler play together.
Both are iso-heavy players who prefer to attack the basket, and need a shooter on the other wing in order to operate at high efficiency. While neither player necessarily deserves a bench role, having both on the court at the same time is redundant.
Starting sharpshooter Doug McDermott next to either Wade or Butler would help open up floor space, creating better driving opportunities for either of the two shooting guards. Like Mirotic, McDermott is nothing special on the other end of the floor, but Chicago has to be willing to let their defense to slip in order to avoid another poor offensive season.