Chicago Bulls: 2017-18 player grades for Lauri Markkanen

Final grade

Let’s get the negative portion out of the way first. Markkanen’s shooting efficiency was up and down during the season as he finished with an overall conversion rate of 43.4 percent from the field. Additionally, while he does have the potential to hold his own against some of the elite big men in the league, his numbers in this area weren’t overly superb.

On the flip side of the narrative, Markkanen was the Bulls’ third leading scorer and he led the team in rebounding as well. On top of that, he shot at a respectable clip from deep, connecting on 36.2 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. It is also worth noting that he accomplished this during stretches when he was the team’s primary scorer on the floor.

Markkanen also reached 100 3-pointers faster than any player in NBA history; he broke Kirk Hinrich‘s rookie record for 3-point field goals and he became the Bulls’ first rookie since Elton Brand (1999-00) to post 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.

Based on those accomplishments, it is of little surprise that Markkanen received high praise from vice president of basketball operations John Paxson.

"“With his size and his ability to shoot, he should be able to get in areas on the floor where he can really dominate a game,” Paxson told the Chicago Tribune. “At least from my seat, he exceeded expectations. We believe we have a foundational piece for everything we want to be and the way the game is being played. We feel very lucky he was part of that deal we made last summer.”"

To be honest, no one could have predicted the season that Markkanen put together and as long as he continues to improve, the sky will be the limit for this young man for many years to come.

Next: Full two-round 2018 NBA Mock Draft

Grade: A