Chicago Bulls: 3 goals for Javonte Green in 2021-22
Chicago Bulls Goal No. 2 for Javonte Green: Become an elite perimeter defender
After losing to the Miami Heat in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals, the Chicago Bulls were confident that they’d put together a perennial contender. They were led by the reigning MVP, Derrick Rose, and he was surrounded by veterans like Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Kirk Hinrich. That summer, they had the last draft pick of the first round. They selected a defensive specialist out of Marquette University by the name of Jimmy Butler.
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While it’s unrealistic to think that Javonte Green’s career could have the same trajectory as Butler’s, who eventually became a superstar, the comparison is worth making. Butler joined a team that already had an offensive identity and was not looking for him to score. He gradually gained playing time as he proved himself on the defensive side of the ball.
In 16 appearances for Chicago this past season, Green averaged eight minutes per game. In that small sample size, he was able to average 0.6 steals and 0.3 blocks. While those are not eye-popping numbers, they certainly indicate that he has great instincts on the defensive side of the ball. If he’s able to work his way into Coach Donovan’s rotation, he could become one of the best defensive guards in the East.