Steps the Chicago Bulls must take to reach the playoffs in 2021

Develop a more balanced attack on the offensive end

Chicago ranked 27th in points per game last season. The bottom line is their offense just wasn’t good enough to land a playoff birth last year. LaVine has proven to be a legitimate offensive threat. There were some who even believed he was snubbed from the All-Star team last year. However, if the Bulls want a serious shot at getting into the postseason, they’re going to have to do it with a balanced attack.

After LaVine, Lauri Markkanen is the most promising player on the Bulls’ roster. If he plays up to his full potential, he’s every bit as good as Kristaps Porzingis. However, while Porzingis has already been named an All-Star in his career and already knows what it’s like to play in the postseason, Markkanen’s name rarely comes up when discussing the most promising young players in the NBA. That’s because Markkanen isn’t as aggressive as he should be on offense and tends to disappear in games.

https://twitter.com/The_Step_Back/status/1319341436958052352

Last season, his points per game dropped from 18.7 to 14.7 and his 3-point field goal percentage dropped from 36.1 to 34.4. In today’s NBA, a team must have two guys who it can count on to produce at a high level on a night in and night out basis to be competitive. Ideally, Markkanen should be that second guy for Chicago. It’s time for the disappearing act to stop.

With LaVine playing at an All-Star level, Markkanen establishing himself as the clear-cut second option, and the continued development of their talented young players, the Bulls should take a significant leap forward next season.

Their new head coach has a proven track record of success and his former players rave about him. The last few seasons have been disappointing in Chicago. However, with the adjustments the franchise has made in the offseason, next year should be a step in the right direction.