Chicago Bulls: 5 Biggest Storylines For 2016-17 Season

2. Nikola Mirotic: Starter Or Reserve?

The bad news is Mirotic struggled during the first half of the 2015-16 campaign. Although he averaged 10.6 points per contest, he converted just 38 percent of his attempts and was sidelined for five weeks due to a case of acute appendicitis that was discovered right before the All-Star break.

During the second half of the season, however, Mirotic’s numbers improved to say the least. Over the final 22 games, he averaged 14.1 points per contest while shooting a respectable 44 percent overall and from beyond the arc as well.

Being that Mirotic finished the season a high note, should Hoiberg consider inserting him in the starting lineup at the start of the season? Strictly from a scoring standpoint, the answer to the question is yes; especially since Hoiberg did the same thing last season.

On the flip of the coin, Taj Gibson is the better option from a defensive standpoint, an area the Bulls need to improve based on the lackluster effort on that end of the floor last season.

To take this a step further, even if Mirotic does get the nod as the starting power forward, does he have what it takes to hold on to that spot for the entire season or will the position be a revolving door?