Coming out of the offseason, it’s crucial for the team to see improvement and growth in their young players ahead of another long, grueling season.
Whether that’s improvement on their jumpshot, being in better shape, or being more attentive and active on the defensive end, it all matters on day one of training camp.
Mo Dakhil of Bleacher Report put together a list of the most important player improvement for each team in 2022-23. For the Chicago Bulls, Dakhil called on the trio of Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and Patrick Williams to create a defensive unit.
Dakhil:
The trio of Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams is the key to Chicago’s success. The Bulls had a great start last season, but injuries to Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso took out their defensive backbone. Williams missed most of the year, returning to play 17 games—but Ball was already out at that point.
With Ball returning healthy (he might be ready by training camp), Alex Caruso and Williams can form an even stronger defensive lineup for the Bulls. This would allow for coach Billy Donovan to play any mix of the trio if not all at once to cover for the defensive warts of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic.
The Bulls had a top 10 offensive and defensive team before the calendar changed. The talent is there, but once injuries hit the Bulls defense tumbled down to 23rd by the end of the year. If those three can stay healthy and DeRozan, LaVine and Vucevic keep up their offensive output, the Bulls could be in the mix for a top four finish in the East.
Dakhil is right — when healthy in the fall of last season, the Bulls were a force on both sides of the floor. With above average to elite perimeter defenders in Ball, Caruso, and Williams, the Bulls were able to hide the average to below average defensive prowess of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine on the perimeter.
With health for the 2022-23 season, and only health, this trio can fortify Chicago’s defense and take the Bulls to the next level.
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Story originally appeared on Lonzo Wire