Bulls news: Chicago to start David Nwaba, Cristiano Felicio vs. Sixers

In an attempt to shake things up and give more playing time to their young players, the Chicago Bulls will make some changes to their starting lineup when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers.

In an attempt to shake things up and give more playing time to their young players, the Chicago Bulls will make some changes to their starting lineup when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday. David Nwaba and Cristiano Felicio will be inserted in the first unit and will take on the spots of Robin Lopez and Justin Holiday, according to head coach Fred Hoiberg.

“We will start David Nwaba on Thursday and we will also start Felicio.” – Coach Hoiberg pic.twitter.com/eN29dgpu4Y

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 20, 2018

With the Bulls currently in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with a 20-37 record, it does make sense that the team will allow both players to receive more playing time in order to gain more experience as the season progresses. It's no secret that the franchise is rebuilding now and with their three cornerstones, Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen being the focal points of their offense, having Nwaba and Felicio playing alongside them will only make them better as a team by making them more familiar with their styles of play.

Nwaba went undrafted back in 2016 but worked hard to live his NBA dream. He showcased his talents in the G-League before receiving a call-up from the Los Angeles Lakers last season and making it to the Bulls lineup this year. He has appeared in 45 games so far this campaign and is averaging 6.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 21.5 minutes.

Felicio, on the other hand, is now in his third season in the league and has spent his entire tenure with the Bulls. In limited playing time, he has been able to show glimpses of his true potential and averaging 3.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 12.8 minutes.

If the two can maximize the court action they're slated to see and prove to the coaching staff that they deserve the trust given to them, it could work wonders for their individual games and give them more chemistry with their young core as well. With the team not having anything to lose at this point, the changes they are going to make should be a win-win situation for them.