Chicago Bulls: Denzel Valentine, Rookie Of The Year?

Injury and uncertainty mean the Rookie of the Year award is up for grabs this year, and Denzel Valentine could swoop in to take it.

One award that many NBA fans like to predict before the season begins is who will take home Rookie of the Year honors.

No matter who you are, there’s a certain sense of satisfaction and validation you feel when you correctly predict these things.

This is especially true with incoming rookies, as it is virtually impossible to predict how they will adapt to life as a professional. Getting this particular award right feels all the sweeter.

With that being said, does Denzel Valentine of the Chicago Bulls have a realistic chance of scooping up the award this coming season?

On the surface, there are a lot of factors working against him, including the fact that he is currently sidelined with injury.

That is not a long-term issue and he’ll be good to go on opening night. Once the real basketball begins, there’s an interesting case for him winning the award.

Although the Bulls added Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade this offseason, this does not hamper Valentine’s chances of getting meaningful minutes like you would think.

Wade has, quite surprisingly, never played every game in a regular season (closest was 79 in 2008-09). Given the fact he’s now 34 years old, that is likely to happen again this season.

Valentine figures to be his backup, and will likely slide into the starting role if Wade is struggling with health issues.

Another storyline worth keeping an eye on is the fact that the Bulls trio of Jimmy Butler, Rondo and Wade are poor three point shooters. When Rondo is the best of the three (36.5 percent last season), you know you have a problem there.

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Valentine shot 40.8 percent from long range in his four years with Michigan State, and while that doesn’t always correlate to success in the NBA, it is a positive.

It’s possible the Bulls will sacrifice big name players for more spacing on certain nights, and Valentine can give them that.

Three point shooting may be overhyped by some, but it looks to be his most clear pathway into the team and playing meaningful minutes as he can bring another dimension.

Besides, the thought of Rondo finding an open Valentine while Butler draws the attention of multiple defenders is enough to excite even casual fans in Chicago.

Even if that doesn’t happen for him right away, Valentine figures to be a part of one of the most interesting second units in basketball this year.

Alongside fellow guard Jerian Grant, Tony Snell, Bobby Portis and another big, the Bulls have a reserve team that will flat-out outwork their opponents.

They’re young (Grant and Snell are the oldest at 24), athletic and all four should improve this season. Valentine can be that sprinkle of star power, torching opponent’s second units with his offensive skill set.

So the situation he has found himself in is actually quite enviable among all incoming rookies. He won’t be asked to carry the team, will relieve Wade from time to time and has the players around him who can make him flourish.

On top of that, the guy is just fun to watch. As Wade himself recently pointed out, the Bulls as they stand right now are not in title contention.

In fact, even the future of Butler is looking unclear at this moment. There’s no guarantee that the experiment Chicago is going with will pay off.

So on the nights when Rondo won’t defend, Wade is sitting or Butler is frustrated, why not have a smooth shooting 22-year-old coming off the bench to keep the crowd on the team’s side?

He can offer them that glimmer of hope that the future is not as bleak as it may appear if their three best players don’t fit together or last only a short time with the team.

This is also the same guy who hit not one, but two game winners to clinch the Summer League title for the Bulls (I know it’s only the Summer League, but still).

Valentine is a guy who has the gall to wear the number 45 jersey, the next best thing to donning the retired 23 of Michael Jordan and proclaiming your greatness from the Chicago skyline.

Somebody who averaged over 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in college, a feat not seen since Penny Hardaway came through (ok Evan Turner did it too, but the point still stands).

Valentine is just exciting to watch, and has shown already in his limited time in a professional setting that he has a knack for the big moment.

The last player to show that kind of ability that early on in his career? Damian Lillard, somebody who just seems to turn it on when the lights shine brightest.

One other important factor in Valentine’s quest to be the best rookie of 2016-17? Other key players for the trophy have already gone down with injury.

Number one pick Ben Simmons has been lost for roughly three months with a broken bone in his foot. While Joel Embiid qualifies as a rookie this year, can you see him staying healthy for all 82 games?

When Embiid was drafted, LeBron James was still a member of the Miami Heat, Better Call Saul was still nearly a full year from debuting and Dwight Howard was even more hated than he is now (if that’s possible).

He’s only getting around to playing now, so if you think he’s going to see out the full season, I’ve got some stock in Anthony Bennett I can sell you.

Is Denzel Valentine going to be the Rookie of the Year this season? It’s hard to tell, and the smart answer here is no.

But there are enough factors around him to think that a push for the award isn’t out of the question. Get on this pick now, it’s a low risk, high reward kind of move, and you can blame me when it doesn’t work out.