Reports came out Monday afternoon that the Chicago Bulls are showing interest in three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and Mitchell Robinson. Here are my initial thoughts on these two possibly being future Bulls.
Is Rudy Worth It?
Who would the Bulls have to give up? Nikola Vucevic and Coby White are the first two players that come to mind.
Is giving up Vucevic worth it?
Honestly, no.
Sure, Gobert is a better rim protector and an all-around better defender, but what else does Gobert give you that Vucevic doesn’t? Not much.
Let’s look at the numbers. This past season Gobert posted an average of 15.6 PPG, 14.7 RPG, and 2.1 BPG. Vucevic put up 17.6 PPG, 11.0 RPG, and 1.0 BPG. They both posted similar averages across the stat sheet.
However, Vucevic allows the Bulls to stretch the floor more while guaranteeing almost the same amount of rebounds.
Go After the Cheaper Big Man
Mitchell Robinson has shown he can be a highly productive big man. The rim protecting specialist has averaged over two blocks per game throughout his career and has posted significantly positive defensive box plus/minus statistics in every season.
This past season the big man posted an average of 8.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 1.8 BPG.
In 2019-2020, Robinson broke Wilt Chamberlain record for highest field goal percentage in NBA history (74.2%).
In addition, the Bulls were reportedly targeting Robinson at the trade deadline this past season. This report is a clear indication that the front office sees him as a fit in the Windy City.
Going after a free agent like Robinson, that is a lot younger, adds great length, and excellent rim protection for nearly nothing makes too much sense for the Bulls. Adding Mitchell Robinson to the team feels like the better option given the state of the roster.
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