The Chicago Bulls approached the 2021 offseason with the assertiveness of acquiring talent to complement the duo of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic because they struggled immensely toward the end of last season. DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso have been remarkable for Billy Donovan and the Bulls as they sit currently third in the Eastern Conference with a 17-10 record.
Despite the scorching start, Chicago still has glaring roles with their roster, and one of them would be the subpar start of Vucevic. His field goal percentage is down to a career-low on 40.4% with just 15.2 points a game. It is likely for him to regain his confidence and produce his normal numbers soon, but the enticing deal of acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns for Vucevic seems plausible for the Bulls. Towns has grown frustrated with the continuous losing in Minnesota as a new environment with the Bulls could be an enticing sight for him.
Versatility on the defensive end
The strategy of many teams is to put Vucevic on screen and roll situations because his lateral quickness and reflexes are subpar compared to other centers in the league. On the other hand, there is the issue of the disinterest of Towns on various instances on defense, but this could just be a similar situation to former Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins. He was heavily criticized for his lackadaisical play as well, but that has drastically changed when he was traded to a winning franchise in San Francisco.
At the early juncture of his career, Towns was a force defensively because of his athleticism and wide body to anchor the rim. His career-high in blocks was in his rookie year at 1.7 a game, but that has since dropped to just 1.1 over the past two seasons. With Ball and Caruso disrupting the guards from the perimeter, Towns would have the perfect complementary pieces in aiding the Bulls' defensive schemes.
Quick buckets on the post
Vucevic has a finesse and European style of play, but Towns brings a different ferocity and fearlessness. His post-game is commendable because the guards can feed him the ball, and it is insurmountable for big men to push him out of the lane. He gets to the spot he is comfortable in and converts his shots through contact.
Even in pick and roll situations, DeRozan and LaVine have improved on their passing abilities for the Bulls as they would utilize the phenomenal skill set of Towns. 24.3 points a night is a massive boost to the flow of their offense as they usually play four small players with one big. Over the past three seasons, Towns has averaged around six threes attempted every game as that should decrease soon because he must realize that he is unstoppable in the paint.
Intensity rubs off on his teammates
The intensity and determination of Towns when he suits up every game is incredible. The problem with Minnesota is that their young players are having trouble to produce consistently even if Towns has been impressive for the course of his whole career. His desire and willingness to win is very evident, which is causing him to remain frustrated with the sole playoff appearance of Minnesota in 2018.
The mentality and focus of LaVine and DeRozan are tremendous as well for the Bulls, thus likely complementing the style of Towns. The challenge for Towns is elevating his game to another level at the crucial juncture of the season, but having the chance to suit up for a championship-contending squad gives them the chance to do as he enters the prime of his NBA career.
Towns still has some weaknesses to address even if he is one of the best centers in the association, but being able to be teammates with superstars would be brilliant for the future of his career. He has proven that pairing him up with a star-caliber player like Jimmy Butler provides a hefty boost to their performance as a team. Towns cannot be an alpha in the championship squad, but a second or third star is the perfect position for him to maximize his talent.
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