The Bulls invested a lot of time at the start of this season defending their analytics.
Snatched away was the mid-range game from the arsenal of many of their players – especially early in the shot clock – instead relying on the three-pointer and attacking the rim.
“Modern basketball’’ was the phrase they hid behind.
Fast forward to this weekend, two weeks-plus into the coronavirus shutdown, and the Bulls currently sit ninth overall in three-point attempts per game this season with 35.1, while only 24th in three-point field goal percentage made.
“Modern basketball?’’ More like square peg, round hole.
That’s why guard Denzel Valentine would laugh when privately asked about the analytics this season. Not because he necessarily agreed or disagreed of what the front office and coaching staff wanted in the shot profile of each player, but because of what he felt they were all overlooking.
In the 21 games Valentine played at least 12 minutes or more, the Bulls were 8-13 (.380 winning percentage). Not good, you say? But four of those losses were blow-outs in which he played mop-up minutes, so that actually puts the Bulls at 8-9 (.471) in games in which Valentine has played at least 12 minutes or more in.
For a team that had a .338 winning percentage when the hiatus began, well, beggars shouldn’t have been choosers.
That was Valentine’s point.
He never said he could have turned their fortunes around this season, but the 14th overall pick from the 2016 draft just felt there were too many days spent in Jim Boylen’s doghouse, too many DNPs [Did Not Play] coach’s decisions, too many games in which he didn’t even get a chance.
“I’m definitely not happy about it,’’ Valentine told the Sun-Times back in January, discussing his inconsistent playing status. “I’m a competitor. I want to play, I want to be productive, I want to help the team win. But that’s out of my control, so I’m not about to let it make [me] not happy every day.’’
Maybe that’s why earlier this month, when Valentine was asked about Boylen and his job status, rather than throwing his coach a life preserver it was just an empty rope.
“I mean, he has a voice,’’ Valentine said, when asked if the locker room was still listening to Boylen. “He’s been our coach all year, so, hey, whatever happens to him is what happens. But for now, he’s our coach. It is what it is.’’
As for what happens to Valentine this upcoming offseason – whenever that may be – the restricted free-agent would obviously like to be elsewhere, especially if the current coaching staff stays intact.
The Situation: Valentine has been viewed as a system player by this coaching staff, as well as a tweener when it comes to a backcourt vs. wing position. Basically, they feel he’s not athletic enough to guard small forwards, and also lacks true guard skills.
The argument is Valentine can get hot from three, and seems to be one of those players that with the right coach could be an asset off the bench.
It appeared he would be shipped out at the trade deadline, but the Bulls were underwhelmed with the dialogue they were hearing and opted to hold him.
The Resolution: If there is a poster boy for needing a change of scenery on this roster, it starts with Valentine. He showed some promise his sophomore campaign with the Bulls, averaging 10.2 points per game and shooting 38.6 percent from three, but that was under former coach Fred Hoiberg.
Bold Prediction: Valentine will be elsewhere next season … and won’t even take a glance back.
