Rondae Hollis-Jefferson: A Good Fit For The Chicago Bulls?

It has been nearly a month since the Chicago Bulls were eliminated from the postseason. And with the front office not expected to pursue any major free agents during the offseason, it is time to turn our focus to the upcoming draft. A few days ago, I wrote an article discussing whether or not Arizona Wildcats point guard T.J. McConnell would be a good fit for the Bulls if he’s still available at No. 22.

Ironically enough, today we will take a look at the another player from Arizona — Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who played the small forward position during his two seasons with the Wildcats. The question is, does he have what it takes to be successful in the NBA after just two seasons in college?

Let’s take a look and find out.

The Good

During his sophomore season at Arizona, Hollis-Jefferson averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting a respectable 50 percent from the floor. And if we apply those stats to the 40-minute scale, his numbers jump up to 15.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per outing.

Provided by Sports-Reference.com/CBB: View Original Table
Generated 6/11/2015.

One positive attribute about Hollis-Jefferson is his size. At 6’7″, with a wingspan of 7’1″, he would have little trouble defending against NBA wing players. Along with that, Hollis-Jefferson is regarded as an explosive player with a solid build, which means he could potentially provide matchup problems for opposing defenses.

Another intangible that Hollis-Jefferson brings to the table is that he has a high motor and excels in transition. In fact, he posted a 56.3 conversion rate around the rim and does not shy away from contact. As many of you recall, there were several instances during the postseason where the Bulls went long stretches without scoring, mostly due to the lack of a transition game.

But under the guidance of new head coach Fred Hoiberg, the team will be playing at a faster pace compared to what we have seen in the past. And if that is the case, Hollis-Jefferson would be a solid addition in that new-look offense.

Like his teammate T.J. McConnell, Hollis-Jefferson also earned high marks for his effort on defense. Not only does he have the ability to stay in front of opposing players, he is also able to contest shots cleanly, as he averaged 1.1 blocks per 40 minutes. And as a result of his outstanding effort on that end of the floor, Hollis-Jefferson was selected to both the Pac-12 All-Conference First Team and All-Defensive Team. In others words, defense will be this guy’s calling card at the next level.

The Bad

Although Hollis-Jefferson is a capable scorer and rebounder, he does have a few areas that he will need to improve in at the next level. For example, although he runs the floor extremely well and moves well without the basketball, he has a difficult time creating his own shot. This especially holds true in half-court sets, where he often struggles with getting past his defenders.

Another area of concern is his ball-handling ability. According to NBADraft.net, Hollis-Jefferson has a tendency to force passes when he is double-teamed, which is a big reason why he averaged 1.6 turnovers per contest. Furthermore, he did not create many scoring opportunities for his teammates. This assertion is supported by the fact that he recorded as many turnovers (59) as he did assists during his sophomore season.

And if that isn’t bad enough, Hollis-Jefferson is not a great shooter by any stretch of the imagination. What do I mean, you ask? Well, during his two seasons at Arizona, he connected on just eight of his 39 attempts from beyond the arc. And for those of you who are doing the math at home, that equates to an abysmal 20.5 percent conversion rate.

It is also worth noting that Hollis-Jefferson posted an overall 36.3 conversion rate on jump shots. That being said, his potential impact may be limited unless he finds a way to be an effective scorer outside the painted area.

Overall Analysis

While Hollis-Jefferson has some notable limitations to his game from an offensive standpoint, he is a player who takes pride in playing defense and believes he can hold his own against the best, as reported by CSN Chicago’s Mark Strotman:

"Immediately I know I can come in and play defense. If coach needs me to stop I know I can defend a team’s best player, a team’s second best player, and so on. As far as that I can bring that impact, I can bring energy, I can bring excitement to people’s lives. Players often play more comfortable when they feel enthused or happy about things, and I know I can bring that to a team. I know I can find other teammates, I can push the ball and I can finish at the rim."

Although Hollis-Jefferson has a confident demeanor in regards to what he can bring to a team, he would be a role player at best right now. However, once he improves his perimeter game and adds a few post moves to his arsenal, he will definitely have the potential to be a contributor at both ends of the floor.

So would Hollis-Jefferson be a good fit for the Bulls? In a word: Absolutely.

First of all, with Jimmy Butler’s expanding role in the offense, it would be unrealistic to expect him to continuously guard the opposing teams’ perimeter players for 40 minutes each night. Secondly, with the uncertainty of Mike Dunleavy’s return next season, adding a defensive-minded player wing player to the mix would be ideal being that half of the teams in the NBA averaged over 100 points per game during the 2014-15 season.

Next: Golden State Warriors: 5 Preparations For NBA Finals Game 5

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