The Bulls had 2 preseason games [since our last red-hot analysis post](https://www.blogabull.com/p/bulls-preseason-opener-takeaways), and there are some emerging trends, if such a thing can be created in the preseason at all…
Tiago Splitter was given a pretty wonky, unbalanced roster in his first season coaching the team. Most noticeable is that he has four 22-and-under forwards (two of which need to start and play a lot) who have overlapping positives/negatives and are most likely best as 4s. It’s been a silver lining that so many preseason injuries to bigs (even Smith and Awaka have missed a game apiece, while Claxton and Collins have yet to play at all) means that we can see some center-less lineups with 2 to 3 of Wilson, Buzelis, Miller, and Essengue on the floor at the same time.
I’m not so sure these lineups are an objectively good thing for their development, and it’s definitely bad for defensive efficiency. But it is getting them all out on the court to give us lots of tape.
Miller has actually been the most consistent producer, following up a 12 point game versus the Grizzlies with a 26 point one against the Nuggets. I noticed he improved in a key area: but out the constant adjusting of his shorts that he was doing in that Grizzlies game:
I have been less impressed with the other three judging them on a curve of their size and athleticism: I’m [aping Moon in the comments here](https://www.blogabull.com/p/bulls-preseason-opener-takeaways/comment/357315699): they are all showing flashes at points (even Essengue, defensively), but there’s a simple lack of production that’s raising a red flag:
It’s coach-speak to say there’s a lack of “physicality” and “force” from these Bulls, and I personally (as someone not a coach or anywhere close) don’t want to use those terms in place of “young” and “skinny”. But maybe the latter terms are excuses.
I mentioned the positive flashes, and one of those didn’t show up in the box score somehow where Wilson had a top-5-percentile-athletically chasedown block. It was following his own turnover, but I actually think Wilson’s skills have looked pretty good. I had to chuckle at Bulls Roundtable saying “Yes, Memphis sat its starters in the second half. Who cares?” when it came to Wilson putting up a zero in the first half of that game. But outside of opponent context he’s showing touch and fluidity on offense that I didn’t expect so soon:
These past two preseason games also has me thinking this will be a truly dreadful season:
1. Lack of interior size and rim protection.
2. Inability to win possessions - even if Claxton helps #1, he is not a good defensive rebounder. And the theory of the Bulls athletes generating turnovers remains a theory, whereas their own turnovers are very much evident.
3. Inconsistent three point shooting - we knew this going in, and so we will see a half like in Denver where Buddy Hield got hot, but I don’t expect any of their high-usage players outside of Powell to be even league-average from distance.
But is this a ‘concern’? Not really. The 3rd one will be a bit problematic if it means Wilson and Buzelis are stunted a bit trying to generate offense from inside a phone booth. But the giving up a ton of points and losing a ton of games, meh…