© David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Players who must play a lot better for the Chicago Bulls in 2024
The Chicago Bulls have been playing better basketball lately, winning eight of their last 12 games. However, there’s still a lot of room for improvement, especially if the team wants to compete for an outright ticket to the postseason.
Here are two players who must do better when the calendar flips to 2024:
Patrick Williams
The fourth overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft has been playing much better this December, averaging 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game, a far cry from the horrendous start he had to start this season. However, as is always the question with the former Florida State star, can he keep this up?
“So, any time he flashes any kind of improvement, it's always tempting to wonder whether the light bulb has finally clicked. December has been his best month by a mile, but he still isn't consistently showing the kind of force Chicago wants (and needs) him to play with,” Zach Buckley wrote on Bleacher Report.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan believes in Williams’s skills and talent and is hoping he can show these every night.
"You want to stay away from those large gaps where it's like, 'Who are we getting night tonight?'" Billy Donovan shared.
"Patrick can control that force and aggressiveness. That's all we need consistently from him. And I think he's capable of doing that."
Jevon Carter
Jevon Carter was one of two low-key signings the team’s front office made this summer. Much was expected out of the Illinois native after the season he had with the Milwaukee Bucks, wherein he served as a sparkplug off the bench who could put up big numbers when given the starting nod.
However, Coby White’s emergence and Carter’s subpar play have placed him at the back of the rotation, where he plays a mere 14 minutes a night.
“Since losing the point guard competition to White, though, Carter has slipped to the back end of the rotation. He's sitting just ninth on the team in average minutes (14.2), and he can't push for any more playing time without becoming some kind of scoring threat,” Buckley added.
