Chicago Bulls: Would T.J. McConnell Be A Good Fit?

The Chicago Bulls added a mix of valuable players to their roster via free agency last year. The list included Pau Gasol, Aaron Brooks and Nikola Mirotic.

More from Chicago Bulls

• NBA Rumors: Chicago pursuing the best remaining free agent
• 3 Ways the Chicago Bulls can utilize their disabled player exception
• 3 Teams that dodged a bullet with Russell Westbrook news
• NBA Rumors: Could Goran Dragic’s days be numbered on the Chicago Bulls?
• Revisiting 5 recent terrible trades ahead of the deadline

But during the press conference announcing the arrival of recently hired head coach Fred Hoiberg, general manager Gar Forman readily admitted that the team would not be major players in the free agency market this offseason and that most of the growth would come from within.

Part of that growth will include who they decide to select at No. 22 in the upcoming NBA draft. One name that could be considered as an outside possibility is Arizona Wildcats guard T.J. McConnell. The question is would McConnell be a good fit for the Bulls?

Let’s take a look at the tale of the tape to find out.

The Good

During his senior year at Arizona, McConnell averaged 10.4 points, 6.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds per contest. While his points-per-game average may not jump off the page to most scouts, it is important to remember that McConnell is an old school, pass-first point guard who looks to create scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Not only that, McConnell is a player who takes care of the basketball, as his 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio would indicate. In other words, he is a guy that doesn’t try to do too much and stays within the framework of the offense.

Provided by Sports-Reference.com/CBB: View Original Table
Generated 6/9/2015.

Another positive attribute about McConnell’s game is his three-point shooting. Although he connected on just 32 percent of his attempts last season, he finished his collegiate career with a 38 percent conversion rate from beyond the arc.

So with play-makers like Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler, who often force opposing defenses to collapse in the paint, the Bulls are always in need of other guys who can step in and knock down shots from long range–a role that McConnell would thrive in.

It is also worth noting that during McConnell’s two seasons at Arizona, the Wildcats posted an impressive 67-9 record during that stretch, advancing to the Elite Eight round before falling to Wisconsin each time. And in this year’s tournament, McConnell averaged 15.5 points, 5.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds in four games.

These numbers show that while McConnell doesn’t always look to create offense for himself first, he is capable of putting up solid numbers in big games.

Now, let’s talk about the one trait that has defined the Chicago Bulls over the past five seasons–DEFENSE.

For all the tangibles that McConnell offers from an offensive standpoint, he is also considered to be a good defender. Thanks to his ability to stay in front of opposing players, coupled with solid instincts, McConnell recorded 2.2 steals per contest and was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team in both of his seasons at Arizona.

Along with that, McConnell played well against some of the top scorers in the nation this past season.

Case in point, when the Wildcats squared off against Ohio State in the third round of the NCAA tournament, McConnell was faced with the task of defending D’Angelo Russell, who is expected to go as high as No. 5 in the draft. In that contest, he limited Russell to just nine points on 3-for-19 shooting, including a frigid 1-for-7 from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, McConnell scored 19 points on 8-for-13 shooting to go along with six assists, six rebounds and five steals. McConnell’s performance was so impressive that the opposing coach, Thad Matta, offered this assessment after the game, as reported by Cameron Schott of basketballrealgm.com:

"“The MVP for Arizona was McConnell. That kid was unbelievable both offensively and defensively today. Just did a great, great job. I kind of like coaching because he’s out there having the time of his life.”"

The Bad

While McConnell has plenty of upside as a decent scorer and solid defender, there are a few concerns that could potentially work against him. First of all, let’s talk about size. At 6’2″ with a 6’0″ wingspan, McConnell is considered undersized in comparison to other NBA point guards.

Along with that, he does not have explosive speed or a quick first step, which means that he will have a difficult time breaking defenders down off the dribble. Furthermore, McConnell is not known for being a great shot creator and will more than likely struggle in situations where the shot clock is winding down.

And while he does have the ability to avoid defenders when finishing at the rim, he averages just 2.4 free throw attempts per 40 minutes.

Overall Analysis

Despite the limitations that we have discussed, McConnell is a player who can impact a game beyond scoring. Being that he looks to get his teammates involved and plays solid defense, he has the potential to make an impact at both ends of the floor.

While numbers are certainly an important component in determining what a player potentially brings to a team, what stands out the most about McConnell is his team-first attitude, as explained by CSN Chicago’s Vinnie Duber:

"“I think sometimes players get lost in the shuffle because sometimes they don’t accept their role. It kind of messes with their head. But for a guy like me, I know I’m not going to be superstar kind of guy. I’m going to go in and do what my team needs me to do and play hard.”"

And for those of us who think that scrappy players are overrated, look no further than Matthew Dellavedova of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Here is a guy who was  not drafted, but is currently playing on a team that is competing for a championship.

Furthermore, although former Wildcats players such as Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, Jason Terry and Jud Buechler were not regarded as standout players on their respective NBA teams, they have 10 championship rings between them.

What does this mean?

It means that every team needs role players who are willing to step in and do whatever it takes to help their teams win games. That being said, McConnell has the necessary tools to come in and effectively fill that role.

Next: Doug McDermott: Bulls SF Hopes To Bounce Back In Year 2

More from Hoops Habit

• The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout