Chicago Bulls: David Nwaba is a prospect to watch in 2017-18

Chicago Bulls shooting guard David Nwaba is a prospect to keep an eye on in 2017-18

Remember when all the Chicago Bulls had in the backcourt was an aging Kirk Hinrich, Aaron Brooks and E’twaun Moore? Recalibrating the team again with fresh blood and a “Barkley-like” defensive shooting guard David Nwaba may help the team surprise this season with both big time defense and aggressive offense.

The Chicago Bulls look tougher than most fans may acknowledge, even with the shipping out of Jimmy Butler, because they added young and athletic studs at the backcourt who are as tough as nails on both offense and defense.

The problem with most teams and even NBA beat coverage is that everyone puts a premium on stat lines. Fans are different. Fans root for the players that make their team rock. It’s the eye test versus the stat line all over again as your gauge for what works for your team.

Lakers fans were aghast at the letting go of their favorite defensive sub David Nwaba, whom Gar Forman’s team immediately snapped up for his toughness playing against all positions and for being one of the strongest run-out guards we’ve seen since Charles Barkley would pound the ball upcourt from rebound and slam it home against a crowd in the paint.

Even Jimmy B rarely did that gig. Nwaba can defend as tough as Jimmy but his forte is blocking shots, as well as lurking in passing lanes. The stat sheet may not reflect that much given that he was a super sub on the Lakers team but fans who’ve seen him play are all livid at the team for letting him go for possibly signing up free agent Rajon Rondo, or another free agent guard.

If you look at the Chicago Bulls possibly playing both Kris Dunn and David Nwaba at the same time oncourt, that’s a lot of run-outs and help defense shotblocking plus defensive rebounds on the team. Both players go on overdrive on defense.

Nwaba in particular swarms the paint when someone posts up to block shots from behind. And like Bobby Portis, Nwaba lurks at the rim for putbacks all the time. Bobby, in case you haven’t forgotten, is a swarm-the-court full court press defender from Arkansas.

Mychal Thompson was quoted on Twitter as saying, David Nwaba was the Lakers’ own Tony Allen:

But we’d like to remember from further back and have Charles Barkley (also 6-4 but advertised as 6-5 during his time), as our point of reference, just because Nwaba goes to the rim so much and dunks over defenders in the paint like they were paper stand-ups instead of actual NBA athletes.

The jumping jack, strip-you-blind defense may be what reminds current fans of Tony Allen.

And, unlike Jimmy Butler, who needs to bring up the ball and set up his shots, Nwaba gets his offense mostly off turnovers or scrapping in the paint.  If Kris Dunn is assigned to his natural position – a playmaking point guard – and the team swings the offense around tall shooting forwards like Lauri Markannen and Nikola Mirotic (if they sign him), then David Nwaba and Robin Lopez or Cris Felicio can pound the rim at will, and the Chicago Bulls may actually have a better team going forward minus Jimmy Butler than most sports media pundits would admit.

Summer league Bulls standout Antonio Blakeney may actually be the steal of the undrafted college leftovers, and could blossom to be as good as Russell Westbrook if given big playing minutes – he takes the ball to the rim against anyone in the paint.

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Remember, no one will openly say the Chicago Bulls will play better next season among current sports media gurus. Only Bulls fans who’ve seen what the team has are hoping the team actually makes a run rather than intentionally throwing the season for a chance at the lottery.