Chicago Bulls: 3 takeaways from 2018-19 season opener

3. Cameron Payne did not shine in starting role

Following the 2017-18 campaign, the front office expressed confidence in Cameron Payne being the team’s backup point guard. With Dunn out of the mix, head coach Fred Hoiberg inserted Payne into the starting lineup.

Ironically, Payne was less than impressive in a starting role. He played 22 minutes, going scoreless on 0-for-4 shooting and finishing with a plus/minus of -18. Conversely, Ryan Arcidiacono gave the Bulls some solid minutes off the bench, finishing with eight points (3-of-4 shooting and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc), eight assists and four boards in 28 minutes of action.

Bearing that in mind, if Dunn is unable to play in the team’s home opener on Saturday night, should Hoiberg stick with Payne, or give more minutes to Arcidiacono based on his performance in the season opener? Heck, maybe the recently acquired Tyler Ulis should get an extended look as well.

Simply put, what appeared to be a foregone conclusion at the backup point guard spot coming into the season has become an open competition once again.