NBA: Power Ranking Every Team’s Bench Unit Entering 2016-17
By Mason McFee
14. Chicago Bulls
Starters – Rajon Rondo, Dwayne Wade, Jimmy Butler, Bobby Portis, Robin Lopez
Bench – Isaiah Canaan, Jerian Grant, Denzel Valentine, Nikola Mirotic, Taj Gibson
There there Chicago fans, it’s okay. I know the loss of Mike Dunleavy is hard on you guys, but you will make it through stronger.
Wait….. Derrick Rose left? Well at least it’s a good thing Dwyane Wade is still in….. wait he’s in Chicago too? Maybe Sacramento hung onto…. never mind.
All jokes aside, the Bulls underwent a massive roster facelift when they traded former MVP Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks along with Justin Holiday in exchange for Jerian Grant, Robin Lopez, and Jose Calderon (who has since been traded to Los Angeles).
Gone too is Joakim Noah, another familiar face in Chicago….. and in are Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo, and lottery pick Denzel Valentine.
The only debatable position in the starting 5 is the 4 spot, where any of Portis, Mirotic, Gibson, or Douggie Fresh McDermott could find themselves. I opted for the strong play of Portis towards the end of the season and his Summer League performances this summer. He’s younger and has more range than Gibson, is more consistent than Mirotic, and his build is better suited for the position than McDermott.
So about that bench. Spencer Dinwiddie was traded for then waived last time I checked so I’m not sure what the purpose of that move was, but pairing #CanaanBalls and my boy Jerian Grant together as the bench backcourt makes the most sense; similar to what Phoenix runs.
Valentine is a college standout and another playmaker on the floor for Holberg’s fast paced offense.
Mirotic and Gibson round out the frontcourt with a mix of shooting and gritty defense.
I’m betting on the youth of this bench despite Chicago inevitably heading towards a rebuild in the near future being able to spell their older counterparts (Rondo, Wade more so than Butler, although Butler averages an absurd number of minutes) and thus putting in solid minutes/production.
Next: No. 13