Chicago Bulls: Evaluating lineup change experiment

David Nwaba

The Bulls claimed David Nwaba off waivers during the offseason and he has certainly made the most of the opportunity.

Nwaba played well earlier in the season, but his progress came to an abrupt halt thanks to an ankle injury. Based on his ability to play with the kind of pace Fred Hoiberg desires, the Bulls decided Nwaba was worth a second look and that decision has proven to be a good one.

In the seven games he has started since the break, Nwaba reached double figures in five of those outings, with averages of 10.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per contest. To take the point a step further, Nwaba’s production as a starter (10.9 points and 6.7 rebounds on 57.3 percent shooting) are better than the numbers he has posted when coming off the bench (6.6 points and 4.0 rebounds on 51 percent shooting).

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Keeping those numbers in mind, not only does Nwaba warrant a larger role for the rest of this season, but he has certainly made a case for being an integral part of the rebuild going forward.