Chicago Bulls forward Doug McDermott thrived from an offensive standpoint last season. Will he be able to elevate his game to the next level in year three?
The Chicago Bulls thought very highly of Doug McDermott following his senior year at Creighton. In fact, they gave up two first-round picks to acquire him at the No. 11 spot in a draft night trade with the Denver Nuggets back in 2014.
Unfortunately, due to the fact that he wasn’t able to play defense at the level that former coach Tom Thibodeau demanded, as well a knee injury that sidelined him for several weeks, McDermott saw very limited floor time during his rookie season.
But under a new coaching regime and an offense that caters to his long-range shooting ability, McDermott improved in several categories during the 2015-16 campaign.
After playing just 8.9 minutes per contest in 2014-15, that number jumped up to 23 minutes per outing last season.
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Doug McDermott Breakdown
Player: Doug McDermott
Experience: Third Season
Position: Small Forward
2015-16 Stats: 9.4 points and 2.4 rebounds on shooting splits of .452/.425/.857
On the heels of a rookie season in which he posted very pedestrian averages of 3.0 points and 1.2 rebounds, those numbers increased to 9.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest in 2015-16.
Furthermore, McDermott’s 42.5 percent conversion rate from three-point range was third on the team, and ranked sixth in the league.
And for those of us who view the third-year forward as just a perimeter shooter, McDermott showed flashes of being able the kind of player who can drive to the basket and finish at the rim with authority.
2016-17 Outlook/Prediction:
From an offensive standpoint, the Bulls’ offense averaged 116 points per 100 possessions when McDermott was on the court, which is certainly a positive considering how much he struggled during his first year.
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On the other side of the equation, though, McDermott finished with the worst defensive rating (112.0) of any player on the team — a trend that must improve going into his third year with the Bulls.
Worst case scenario: McDermott continues to be a liability on the defensive end of the floor and he ends up giving up as many points as he scores. If this scenario plays out, Fred Hoiberg will have his hands full trying to find ways to keep him on the court.
Best case scenario: McDermott demonstrates the ability to keep opposing players in front of him while becoming the dual threat off the bench. This is very possible, especially if the team improves overall from a defensive standpoint.
Should we expect McDermott to transform into a lock-down defender overnight? Absolutely not. That would be unrealistic to say the least.
However, it is important to remember that as he continues to find ways to play well consistently, the more his confidence will grow.
Next: Chicago Bulls: 2016-17 Season Outlook
In other words, McDermott will take his game to the next level in year three, which should lead to even more playing time as well as a nice contract extension a year from now.