Chicago Bulls rookie forward Lauri Markkanen is one of the bright spots in what will be a difficult season.
The Chicago Bulls entered the 2017-18 campaign excited about the future. In spite of the fact the team lacks the same level of talent from previous years, the front office (albeit through rose-colored glasses) had a positive outlook due to the culture the organization is trying to build.
After 21 games, however, there is little to be excited about. In fact, following consecutive one-point losses to the Denver Nuggets and the Sacramento Kings, the Bulls extended their losing streak to a season-high eight games, falling to 3-18.
Not only do the Bulls have the worst record in the league, they are near the bottom of the league in scoring (95.9 points per game) and according to Basketball-Reference.com, their 98.6 offensive rating is the worst mark in the NBA as well. Based on what has happened so far, the Bulls will continue to encounter their fair share of losses as the season progresses.
On the flip side of this narrative, though, there is usually a silver lining to be found within every black cloud and yes, that principle even applies to the Bulls. The silver lining I’m referring to is rookie forward Lauri Markkanen, who the Bulls acquired in a draft-night trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
One of the reasons Markkanen was high on the Bulls’ priority list coming into the season was his ability to knock down the long ball. During his lone collegiate season with the Arizona Wildcats, Markkanen converted 42 percent of his attempts from 3-point range, while posting averages of 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
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Although there was some concern as to whether he could compete at the NBA level, Markkanen has quickly shown there was little to be worried about. At the quarter mark of his rookie campaign, he is averaging 14.5 points per contest, second to only Justin Holiday.
Markkanen also leads the team in rebounds, pulling down eights boards per game. As far as the long range shooting is concerned, well, the news on that front is fairly good as well, as the rookie forward is converting 34 percent of his attempts from distance.
As is the case with most rookies, Markkanen has endured some struggles recently. Following a 26-point, 13-rebound performance against the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 19, Markkanen hit the proverbial slump over the next five outings.
During that stretch, the rookie forward shot a combined 17-for-67 from the field (25 percent) and just 11-for-39 from beyond the arc, which equates to a 28 percent conversion rate. That’s the bad news.
The good news is, just like he did during the Bulls’ Summer League tournament, Markkanen bounced back with a decent outing against the Denver Nuggets. In that contest, he tied Robin Lopez for team-high scoring honors with 20 points, to go along with nine rebounds on 7-of-17 shooting.
On top of that, the Bulls’ prized rookie posted an impressive milestone as well, becoming the first player in NBA history to make at least 48 3-point shots in the first 20 games of his career.
NBA RECORD: Lauri Markkanen is the first player in NBA history to make at least 48 threes in his first 20 career games.
— Jeff Mangurten (@JeffGurt) December 1, 2017
Markkanen followed that up by chipping in with 14 points and five rebounds in the loss to the Kings. It is also important to remember that the Bulls had planned to bring Markkanen along at a more deliberate pace. But from the moment he was inserted into the starting lineup, he has taken off and never looked back and he is playing close to 31 minutes per night.
As far as the recent slump is concerned, it is already a thing of the past as far as head coach Fred Hoiberg is concerned.
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
"“I told him if he continues to get those looks, it’s just a matter of time before he goes off for 40 because of the type of shooter he is,’’ Hoiberg said. “He’s going to be fine because he has the right mentality of continuing to shoot even if he’s going through a type of slump, which is a great sign because it means he won’t stay in that slump for long. He’s a quiet, confident kid.’’"
Next: 2017-18 Week 7 NBA Power Rankings
As it has been said before, the Bulls are not a good team and this will probably hold true for an extended period of time. But as long as Markkanen continues to produce and the organization puts the right pieces around him, the already painful rebuild may not take as long as previously expected.