In a rookie class that saw many top prospects flourish in their debut campaigns, Chicago Bulls center Wendell Carter Jr. had a relatively mild impact. While there were some bright spots for the young big man, it was definitely an up-and-down campaign overall for Carter.
Part of it was due to a coaching change. A good chunk of it was due to injury.
With year one in the rearview mirror and a fresh sophomore campaign around the corner, here are some bold expectations for the seventh overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft in the 2019-20 NBA season.
1. He will find his stride on offense
Just 24 games into his rookie season, Carter saw Fred Hoiberg get fired and get replaced by a hard-nosed mentor in Jim Boylen. Transitioning into the NBA is already tough in itself. Going through a coaching change midway through the season only made it tougher for the 20-year-old.
Carter had better numbers under Hoiberg. He averaged 11.4 points on 9.3 shot attempts per game in the 24 contests Hoiberg coached last season. Under Boylen, his numbers dropped to 9.1 points on just 7.4 shot attempts across 20 games before succumbing to a thumb injury that ended his rookie season.
Prior to entering the NBA, many compared Carter to versatile veteran big man Al Horford. Carter possesses arguably the same skill set as Horford. He has good footwork, has a good offensive arsenal, and has nice feel passing the ball.
With a full training camp at his expense, Boylen will look to integrate the skilled big man into his offense more. Likewise, the addition of capable playmakers such as this year's no. 7 overall pick Coby White and veteran guard Tomas Satoransky should help Carter get more opportunities to score.
2. He will be Chicago's defensive anchor
The thing with Boylen is he likes players who play hard. Carter is certainly someone who goes hard on both ends of the floor and is willing to do a lot of the dirty work. He did a lot of that in his lone season at Duke.
Carter showed some upside on defense in his rookie campaign. While his 1.3 blocks per game don't jump off the page, he's definitely capable of swatting away shots and being an intimidator down low. Likewise, he showed pretty good instincts helping on weak-side coverages.
With that, look for the 6-foot-10 big man to make a significant impact on defense for Boylen's Bulls. Chicago needs him to be the anchor in the middle after struggling defensively in recent years.
3. He will establish himself as a potential cornerstone for Chicago
Chicago has plenty of young prospects on its roster, including the likes of Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, and Coby White.
However, none of the Bulls' young players really stood out last season outside of some stretches of impressive play.
LaVine established himself as the Bulls' go-to scorer. However, he gives up as many points as he puts on the scoreboard. Markkanen struggled with consistency and health problems. Likewise, he also has his shortcomings on defense.
Carter has the potential to cement himself as a foundational piece if he finds his stride on both ends of the floor for Chicago. He has a versatile offensive skill set along with great defensive instincts and capabilities. How he complements Markkanen will be extremely important.
Wendell Carter Jr. has plenty of upside as a two-way stud in this league. Should he develop these aspects of his game in the 2019-20 NBA season, then Chicago will have found one of its cornerstones for the future.
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