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Chicago Bulls: Will Denzel Valentine Be The Clear Backup PG?

By Drew Clark

Jul 10, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Denzel Valentine (45) passes the ball away from the defense of Philadelphia 76ers guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (20) during an NBA Summer League game at Thomas & Mack Center. Chicago won the game 83-70. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 10, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Denzel Valentine (45) passes the ball away from the defense of Philadelphia 76ers guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (20) during an NBA Summer League game at Thomas & Mack Center. Chicago won the game 83-70. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Chicago Bulls trade of Derrick Rose makes the team’s point guard situation look much different. We all know Rajon Rondo is starting, but who will be the back-up?

There’s a multitude of questions surrounding the Chicago Bulls. Who is going to shoot 3’s in the starting lineup? Does Nikola Mirotic bump Taj Gibson out of the starting lineup? Another question to think about is the point guard depth.

Behind Rajon Rondo, it gets a bit murky. A few unknowns are projected to be behind Rondo, but whether they receive the minutes is the question.

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune believes rookie Denzel Valentine can step into the back-up role, as he said on the Dunc’d On Basketball Podcast.

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"“Every time I’ve seen that guy play, he looks like a poised, instinctive basketball player that makes the right plays.”"

Johnson also noted that another primary ball-handler like Wade or Butler would need to be on the court at the same time as Valentine.

If you remember college basketball last season, one of the main storylines every time the Michigan State Spartans played was whether or not Valentine would get a triple-double.

He averaged 7.8 assists per game last year to go along with 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

He’s 6-foot-5, so not a typical point guard size and certainly not athletic like a lot of the one-guards in the NBA, but has shown capability of making teammates around him better.

If this was Hoiberg’s plan, he will be counting on other players while Valentine nurses a sprained ankle. Let’s look at the other options:

  • Jerian Grant: 5.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.3 apg with New York Knicks last season
    • Since his time at Notre Dame, people have questioned whether Grant should run an offense. As a member of the Fightin’ Irish, he had Demetrius Jackson to handle the ball, while Grant worked as one of the primary scorers. Standing at 6’4 means he’s slightly undersized to play shooting guard. However, it may be the best option for his career.
  • Isaiah Canaan: 11.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.8 apg with Philadelphia 76ers last season
    • Canaan is entering his third season in the NBA. His scoring numbers are inflated due to playing for Philly the past two seasons. That may just be what Canaan is though, a scoring/3-point specialist guard.
  • Spencer Dinwiddie: 4.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg, and 1.8 apg with Detroit Pistons last season
    • Dinwiddie comes in as a bit of an unknown. In the Dunc’d on Podcast, Johnson had did praise him some. Even if he is capable of handling the back-up role, he would need help, playing only 46 games over two years, spending some time in the D-League.

All of the options, including Valentine, bring their pros and cons. Another option would be to manage the rotation where Dwyane Wade plays when Rondo is off the court. Wade has spent much of his time in Miami running an offense. Pairing him with the second unit could infuse some production giving guys like Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott more open looks.

Next: Chicago Bulls 2016-17 Season Outlook

Bottom line is if the Bulls are struggling to get production from that rotation spot when Valentine returns from the sprained ankle, he deserves some minutes with the ball handling duties.

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