Indiana Pacers: 4 teams to monitor with Rudy Gobert interest
By Josh Wilson
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are tough to get a feel for. With a brand new VP of Basketball Operations in the newly hired Arturas Karnisovas, they could build out in a number of directions moving forward after moving on from their executive team of nearly two decades.
Wendell Carter has been OK. He has double-double potential and defensive upside, but projects to be less of a defensive anchor than players like Rudy Gobert and Myles Turner.
The Bulls, if they want to make a big splash on both ends, could really use someone like Gobert or Turner. A rim-protecting center would help anchor their middle of the road defense.
The Bulls this season have given up the fourth-most field goals per game in the restricted area (20.4). Those are easy points for opponents that a rim-protecting center would help to dissuade and force teams to take less efficient shots.
Had the Bulls been able to force more shots to other zones, chances are they would have had a much more positive season. Opponents hit a good amount of left corner 3-pointers, but the Bulls ranked third in opponent shooting percentage in the right corner, and fourth in above the break 3-pointers.
Forcing more difficult shots that they prevent opponents from converting on at a high level is a recipe for success, but they can’t do that without a rim protector. Opponents have had a field day at the rim against Chicago this year.
The Bulls have the pieces to put together a potential package for Gobert, but if they get out-bid, there’s certainly a world in which the Pacers look to make a deal centered on Turner. For what it’s worth, Lauri Markkanen and Thaddeus Young pretty is pretty close to getting the financial side of things to work in return for Turner.