The pressure is on Jevon Carter if the Chicago Bulls make him a starter

Could this be an opportunity of a lifetime for Jevon Carter?

© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls have been trapped in a downward spiral ever since starting point guard Lonzo Ball suffered a knee injury in January of 2022. At the time, the Bulls sat at the top of the Eastern Conference, but after Lonzo's injury, the Bulls have gone a subpar 59-65, even missing the Playoffs last season.

The team has made every effort to find a suitable replacement. From young guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu to veterans Patrick Beverley and Alex Caruso, however, none have been able to match the level of play that Lonzo brought to the Windy City.

Enter Jevon Carter. After an impressive showing with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Bulls signed Carter in the offseason, and while no decision has been made whether the two-way guard would start or not, he'll be under immense scrutiny if ever he does.

Career reserve

Carter has spent the last five seasons in the NBA operating as a reserve. Before starting 39 games for the Bucks last season, the former West Virginia ace started a total of just 12 games in his first four seasons in the Association. However, he profoundly impacted the Bucks last season, providing solid guard play, outstanding outside shooting, and relentless perimeter defense. His skill set may put him in line for a starting gig on the Bulls, according to Zach Buckley.

"The Bulls have other candidates for the job—Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu—but Carter's skill set mostly closely aligns with Ball's. Carter doesn't have the same volume shooting or passing proficiency, but his defense-first approach and low-maintenance offense are similar in ways that could make him the best fit alongside DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic," Buckley wrote.

New territory

Being an NBA starter may be new territory for Carter, and it remains to be seen if he'll thrive in such a high-pressure scenario. Competing against the opposing team's second-stringers is a different job compared to battling top-tier NBA talent, and the Bulls need him to be at his best if he's handed that responsibility.

"If the Bulls make Carter a high-minute starter, though, they'll be asking the soon-to-be 28-year-old to thrive in a role he's never played before. It's an intriguing fit on paper, but Chicago really needs this to work out."