Predicting the Chicago Bulls’ starting five for the 2022-23 season

Chicago Bulls projected starting small forward: DeMar DeRozan

Like LaVine, DeMar DeRozan’s place in the starting lineup is a formality. The 13-year veteran is a few months removed from his best season as a pro, setting career highs in points per game (27.9), making his fifth All-Star team, and being a darkhorse MVP candidate for most of the year (he ultimately finished tied for 10th in the voting).

Some fans and analysts questioned the Bulls’ decision to sign DeRozan, but the applause after every game-winner and every pump-fake that sent DeRozan to the free throw line drowned out those critiques. Now, these same folks will question whether he can replicate that success.

Can DeRozan shoot 49 percent from mid-range again? Will he make 51 percent of his shots from between 10-16 feet again? Do you think he can hit 35.2 percent of his 3’s? We won’t know these answers until the season starts, but even if his production dips, he’s good enough around the rim (67 percent between 0-3 feet) to split the difference. And he’s developed into a great facilitator (99th percentile in potential assists per 100 passes).

Like his All-Star wing-mate LaVine, though, his defense (18th percentile in BBall Index’s on-ball defense metric) is a concern.