Why The Chicago Bulls Do The Deal
With any NBA player, the question of whether they reliably space the floor is a significant one. Realistically, it’s the first skill that determines whether they complement the players around them.
DeMar DeRozan is an incredibly talented scorer, ball-handler, and playmaking, but he does not reliably space the floor. That may have been the reason Vucevic looked out of sorts in Chicago last season. As talented as the former All-Star is, the Bulls may need a different big man.
That different big man may just be Ayton. He’s not one of the league’s elite defensive bigs, but he is knocking on that door. Ayton is a quality rim protector who can also defend in space when necessary. He’ll provide the Bulls with a significant upgrade on that end of the floor.
Offensively, Ayton is not as talented as Vucevic. On the other hand, he doesn’t need to be. By virtue of his playstyle, DeRozan demands a high usage rate.
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Meanwhile, Zach LaVine has off-ball value, but he’s still maximized with the ball in his hands. The Bulls don’t need a big man who makes plays. They simply need a rim-running, rim-protecting big like Ayton.
Perhaps every big man doesn’t need to space the floor after all.