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The Chicago Bulls, fresh off of a two-day rest, are set to take on the Brooklyn Nets amid a slew of turmoil for the latter stemming from this past offseason. But one of the Bulls’ own dealings has had them catching strays for at least the last week.
Last summer, the Bulls traded forward Lauri Markkanen to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team deal that landed Derrick Jones Jr.
Markkanen, now a member of the Utah Jazz, finds himself back in the spotlight.
That has also dragged the Bulls into it with the sixth-year man off to the hottest start of his career and looking every bit the part the Bulls front office had mapped out for him just a few short years ago. And while that was a different brain trust, the current one is catching all the heat for the decision.
Markkanen Making Bulls ‘Sick’
This season, the 7-foot Markkanen is averaging 22.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.0 blocks for the Jazz. He is shooting 50.7% from the floor and, though his 31.5% mark from deep is a career-worst, the rest of those numbers set new highs for Markkanen.
His most recent performance – a 31-point, 11-board, four-block domination against the Memphis Grizzlies while leading Utah to another unexpected victory – led to the call-out.
The supposedly tanking Jazz are currently 6-2 and in third place in the Western Conference.
Chicago finds itself on the other end of the spectrum at 3-4 and in eighth in the East. They are without starting point guard Lonzo Ball for the foreseeable future and are managing Zach LaVine’s surgically repaired knee as well.
Also banged up are interim starting point guard Ayo Dosunmu and backup Andre Drummond leaving the Bulls in an uncomfortably familiar position.
This isn’t the first they’ve been called out about Markkanen amid his scorching hot start either.
That one is certainly tough to argue as Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has gone to extreme lengths to jumpstart third-year forward Patrick Williams. He has been forthright in what is expected of the talented youngster and openly experimented with Williams’ role this preseason.
Williams is averaging just 7.1 points and 2.1 rebounds this season. Over the last three games, however, he’s averaged 9.7 points and 1.7 boards but also 2.0 steals and 1.0 assists.
Still, he is no Markkanen at this point.
Markkanen Could Still Impact Bulls
While it is true that the Cavs also technically passed on Markkanen, they certainly got a greater return in Donovan Mitchell, with all due respect to Jones. But the “Finnisher’s” time had run its course in Chicago and a change was needed for both sides.
Ironically, it is the change in Markkanen that could leave the longest-lasting impact on the Bulls.
They have caught flack over Nikola Vucevic – giving Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner (as a draft pick), and another pick to the Orlando Magic – Jimmy Butler, and Spencer Dinwiddie.
Not all of those were decisions made by Bulls vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas. But every move he makes will be viewed and judged in that context so past mistakes may have him gunshy about giving up on Williams too soon.
Markkanen’s delayed breakout could be the proof they need that patience pays off.
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