X-Factor #3: How Will The Guards Share Minutes?

Last season, Justin Holiday and Kris Dunn shared the lion’s share of the minutes at the guard position. This was mostly due to Zach LaVine still recovering from an ACL injury the year prior, and with LaVine now fully healthy, he will likely play more often at shooting guard, his natural position. Having three guards to fill two spots puts the Bulls in an interesting position. They could go with a three guard lineup, but they would have to sacrifice size and likely defense in order to do so. Dunn and LaVine is, on paper, the ideal guard combo, but Holiday brings shooting that neither of the aforementioned players do. Dunn is Chicago’s best perimeter defender, which likely solidifies his spot in the starting lineup. LaVine is the team’s highest-paid player, and having him on the bench likely won’t bode well for his morale. That leaves Holiday as the odd man out.

If LaVine can add a more reliable three-point shot to his offensive arsenal, he has the potential to be one of the better guards in the Eastern Conference, if not the league altogether. His growth will need to coincide with the overall growth of the team over the next several seasons. The Bulls have solidified both LaVine and Lauri Markkanen as their building blocks for the future, meaning that the team will be built around them. Dunn covers for some of the things that LaVine struggles with, namely defense, making him the logical option to play alongside him. If the Bulls slide LaVine to the forward spot (a position he has played in the past), his defense will need to improve. Playing at the three means guarding some of the best perimeter players in the league on a nightly basis, and a team that intends to be successful needs to have a player that’s up to the task.

Determining a rotation that works to the strength of the team is important, and it’s something the Bulls will need to figure out this season.