I’m heading down to Wrigleyville later today for the Cubs game, so I’d love it if mother nature would stop toying with me.
You know, I treat her well. I recycle and stuff. Can she just do me a solid this one time? If you read these bullets and your friends with her, just let her know please.
Earlier this week, we took a look at the long journey it takes to win Rookie of the Year. However, now we’re asking a more specific and realistic question about Coby White’s first-year: can he even average double-digits?
Only 7 rookie guards in #Bulls history have averaged at least 10 PPG, can Coby White join this exclusive list?
For the homers out there, this conversation isn’t meant for you. While we all like to see Coby White averaging at least 25-minutes/game and majestically sinking mid-range jumpers while his hair bounces effortlessly with every jump … it’ll probably be a much uglier road to NBA competency for the rookie. Don’t get me wrong, White has all the tools to become one of the top young guards in the league, but tempering expectations is our best bet to avoid a disappointed-fueled over-reaction. NBC Sports Chicago goes deeper into a discussion about White’s offense and the road to 10 ppg, so make sure you give it a read.
I believe White should become the 8th Bulls rookie guard to average double-digits, but I don’t think it will come easy. As of now, I envision a very inconsistent road for White at the start of the season, but mainly because of this coaching staff trying to figure out how to run their point guard rotation. With how ball-dominant LaVine is, I can see White having a bit of trouble adjusting to a more off-the-ball approach and sinking some spot-up looks. But when White goes in with the second unit, I can definitely see him carrying the scoring load. In either situation, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to score (we’re not even mentioning how many points he’ll probably get in transition), but it will all come down to how quickly he can find his touch against NBA-level defenders. White isn’t going to get to the basket as easily as he did in college, so finding his shot early-on is key.
In the past, White has been compared to players like Jamal Murray and De’Aaron Fox. Murray averaged 9.9 points per game after playing in all 82 games with 10 starts. Fox averaged 11.6 points per game after playing 73 games with 60 starts. Moral of the story, averaging 10 points per game isn’t easy.
(Photo By Getty Images)
Joakim Noah is, as the kids say, my spirit animal. “It’s part of the game!”
Forbes’ Morten Jensen provides a solid overview here of the Bulls current roster situation as well as key areas of the schedule to look out for. The Bulls are built to become one of the better, more well-rounded offenses in the Eastern Conference, but that’s doesn’t mean they will be. A lot has to go right for the Bulls this season (new coaching staff, next step for Markkanen/LaVine, free agents play well, etc.), and we have a long road ahead of us.
Via @Forbes/@ForbesSports – If the Bulls have any playoff aspirations this year, they will need to start strong, as their late-season schedule is absolutely brutal. They should also not sacrifice their entire offense just to post up more: https://t.co/ZazBVAMhDI
BLOCKS ON BLOCKS ON BLOCKS. If we can only confidently say one thing about Wendell Carter Jr after watching his 44-games last season, it’s that he can swat a basketball.
LaVine is continuing to put in the extra effort this offseason, and this time he did so with the recently retired Darren Collison. I guess Darren will ball with the Bulls but not sign with them *shrug emoji.*
Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.
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