Chicago Bulls: 5 positives from first half of 2017-18 season

5. Robin Lopez is a consistent presence at center

Let’s be honest, when the Bulls acquired Robin Lopez in a trade that sent former MVP Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks following the 2015-16 season, he was almost an afterthought.

After all, Lopez was not considered a big man that could put up a lot of points and his offensive game consisted of a hook shot for the most part when he arrived in the Windy City. However, in his first season with the Bulls, Lopez posted averages of 10.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game on 49.3 percent shooting from the field.

In his second year with the Bulls, although the rebounding numbers are down a bit (4.9 per contest), Lopez is averaging a career-best 12.7 points per contest while converting 52.3 percent of his attempts. Even more important, Lopez has developed a nice mid-range jump shot, which makes him a difficult cover on most nights and he takes his leadership role very seriously.

"“This is not about just me,” Lopez told the Chicago Sun-Times. “What my focus has been, especially from a leadership standpoint, is to really make sure I’m playing the game the right way, both on the practice floor and in games, to be able to back up anything I may have to say.”"

His production, along with providing a veteran presence for a team mostly comprised of younger players, makes Lopez a valuable addition to the roster.