The Chicago Bulls were big winners at the NBA trade deadline and many expected them to make a push for the postseason. Things did not go as planned, as Chicago faltered down the stretch with All-Star Zach LaVine sidelined.
The Bulls will head into the offseason knowing they have two All-Stars to build around in LaVine and Nikola Vucevic with some intriguing young lottery talent in Coby White and Patrick Williams. Will their 2017 lottery pick, Lauri Markkanen, be back as well?
Markkanen had an up-and-down 2020-21 season because he was unable to stay on the court. He started the season strongly, but landed in the league’s health and safety protocols and missed seven games.
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Markkanen picked up where he left off, scoring 21 points per game in seven January contests before another injury occurred on February 5th, causing him to miss 13 more games. The trade deadline proved to be costly as well for the former Arizona product, as the arrivals of Vucevic and Daniel Thiess quickly pushed him to a diminished role with the second unit.
“I feel like I started great. After the COVID thing, I found my rhythm. Then you have a freak accident and bump shoulders and you’re out for four weeks. That sucks and you try to climb back,” Markkanen said. “And then obviously our team changed a lot and changed my role. That was a little bit of an adjustment. I tried to play my role as well as I could.”
Head coach Billy Donovan spoke highly of Markkanen’s professionalism in handling the role change, but it is clear that there is a gap in how Markkanen views himself and how the organization does.
Marakkanen rejected an extension before the season from the Bulls because of a roughly $4 million gap. Now, with the change in his role on the team, he could be looking for a new home this offseason as a restricted free agent.
“My thing is I think I’ve always been a team-first guy. And I think now it’s time to look at the business side of the game,” Markkanen said. “I feel like I’m only 23 years old and I have a lot of basketball ahead of me. It’s a good opportunity to look what’s out there for me. I can be a focal point. I think I have a lot more to offer.”
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Despite the difficulties this season, Markkanen improved as a shooter, knocking down a career-high 40.2 percent of his 3-pointers and making 48 percent of his shots overall. Offense is Markkanen’s strength right now, as he leaves a lot to be desired as a rebounder and rim protector.
Despite his shortcomings, there are plenty of teams that would love to have a big man that can shoot and stretch the floor as Lauri Markkanen can. Expect teams to aggressively pursue him in restricted free agency, as the Bulls’ roster alignment makes it seem like they will not pay top dollar to retain their former lottery pick.
