Chicago Bulls: Who should be part of the long-term core?

The Chicago Bulls are winding down a long and mostly disappointing season. As this season closes, who should the Bulls be looking to keep for the long-term?

With eight games remaining to close out the 2018-19 NBA season, the focus for the Chicago Bulls is turning gradually toward the offseason and the necessary moves to make for next season. Currently sitting with a 21-53 record, this season was year two of the rebuild. Despite the dismal record, the future should be bright for fans in the Windy City.

That is due in part to the play of Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen this season. Mix in Otto Porter Jr. and Wendell Carter Jr., and the organization really has something good going in Chicago. Fans might not like this, but the front office duo of John Paxson and Gar Forman have assembled a nice core for the future in a short amount of time.

Of course, there are some stubborn fans still chanting and tweeting #FireGarPax, but the truth is, the rebuild is going nicely in the Windy City. While there have been some obvious missteps during the GarPax tenure, the current core is improving steadily.

As the door for this season slowly closes, the roster faces some questions heading into the summer. Who exactly should the front office consider as part of its core? How does the team correct its point guard issues? Is Kris Dunn part of the future? Do the Bulls re-sign Robin Lopez? If the LaVine-Markkanen-Porter combo is their new “Big 3,” should they even consider attempting a blockbuster move, a la Anthony Davis, in the offseason?

The Bulls have obvious core pieces in place already

It’s not hard to identify who the Chicago Bulls are building around. After signing his four-year deal last summer worth $78 million, expectations for LaVine rose.

He hasn’t disappointed this season, averaging 23.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. LaVine is shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from 3-point range. He’s been the Bulls’ go-to scorer all season and while he still struggles defensively, he’s proven to be worth the new contract.

Still just 21 years old, Markkanen has been just as impressive this season. In just his second season, he’s averaged 18.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. After missing time to start the season with an elbow injury, the seven-footer from Finland has been Chicago’s best overall player.

Before the Bulls traded for Otto Porter Jr., their deficiencies at the wing were glaring. The team had been trotting out Justin Holiday for much of the season before shipping him off to the Memphis Grizzlies. Porter filled the need for an athletic scoring wing who can knock down 3s and defend.

His contract might be enormous, but its’ easy enough for the Bulls to absorb. He knocked down a 3-pointer for his first shot attempt with the Bulls and hasn’t looked back since. In 15 games with Chicago, Porter has averaged 17.5 points a night on 48.3 percent shooting from the field and 48.8 percent from 3-point range. He’s been exactly what the franchise needed.

Carter played 44 games this season before a wrist injury sidelined him. He’s young, still only 19, and should be the Bulls’ man in the middle for years to come. The rookie from Duke averaged 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

What about the rest of the roster?

Clearly, the Bulls have obvious long-term pieces for the future. It can be argued they have the best young core of any team in the lottery. With that being said, it’s difficult for teams to mature properly without solid depth. For this franchise, depth will be the key to moving toward a playoff berth. Well, depth and solving the point guard problem.

After the “Core 4,” it’s debatable whether Chicago has any long-term assets on the bench. The most obvious player would be Robin Lopez. The veteran big has filled in admirably after Carter’s injury. A free agent after the season, Lopez should have his pick of suitors this summer, but a return wouldn’t be unexpected.

Besides his leadership component, Lopez has proven to be a valuable offensive weapon in the post. In his last 20 games, Lopez has averaged 15.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 60.8 percent from the field. His production and mentoring ability would be essential for a young big like Carter to learn from.

Besides the potential Lopez return, Chandler Hutchison is all but certain to be a long-term piece for the Bulls. Like Carter, the rookie from Boise State only played in 44 games this season before a foot injury sidelined him. He’ll need to improve on his shooting (only 28.0 percent from long range as a wing). However, Hutchison has the athletic ability to defend the wing and score around the rim.

The biggest question on the roster is Kris Dunn

The remainder of the roster looks more like a revolving door rather than anything solid. Ryan Arcidiacono has turned himself into a nice role player. Wayne Selden Jr. has had some decent moments but has been inconsistent. Timothe Luwawu-Carbarrot is an end-of-the-bench, non-rotation player. Cristiano Felicio will be back unless GarPax can find a taker for his $8 million contract and limited production.

Without a doubt, the biggest weakness on the roster is at point guard. The Bulls actually have decent backups on the roster in Arcidiacono and Shaquille Harrison. However, with Kris Dunn running the point, the team flounders. Some of the criticism of Dunn is unfair, and maybe the fit with LaVine, another ball-dominant scorer, just isn’t good. Maybe another season of maturing will help.

Dunn seems more suited for a sixth man role, taking reins of the offense with the second unit and focusing more on scoring rather than being a playmaker. With the team expected to have a top-five pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Bulls bring in a guard like Ja Morant of Murray State or Vanderbilt’s Darius Garland.

In any event, the Chicago Bulls have a strong core, despite their record. Adding a lottery selection and a solid veteran or two will make this team a formidable force quicker than many might think.