Wild lineup idea sees the Chicago Bulls go big

Maybe it’s about time the Bulls try some radical lineups.

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DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic were all relatively healthy and had solid performances last season for the Chicago Bulls. Despite that, the team still sputtered to a 40-42 season and fell short of making it to the postseason. While it's almost certain that the "Big 3" will start alongside two other yet-to-be-determined players, perhaps the Bulls can look at different combinations to improve their chances of making it to the Playoffs.

Go big

In an era where more teams are deploying "small-ball" lineups, Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey has proposed a departure from the norm—he suggests Chicago should go big. To be specific, the Bulls should try trotting out a lineup consisting of Jevon Carter, Alex Caruso, Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and Andre Drummond.

"Twin tower" lineups rarely work in today's NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves recently tried with the duo of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, with limited success. But the Bulls' lineup would be different and likely more potent.

Vucevic is a floor-spacing center who can knock down shots from beyond the arc, while Drummond remains a dominant rebounder. This combination should open up the floor for LaVine to get easy baskets as well as for Carter and Caruso to drive into the lane.

"Vucevic has hit 35.6 percent of his threes over the last five years. Jevon Carter and Zach LaVine are at 39.7 and 38.4 percent, respectively, for their careers. Running pick-and-rolls in the middle of the floor with Drummond and surrounding it with three shooters could be the basis of a functional offense," Bailey explained.

Tight defense

This quintet will also do damage on the defensive side of the floor. Carter and Caruso are two of the most ferocious ball hawks in the entire league, while Vooch and Drummond can easily dominate the glass. This combination would also negate LaVine's defensive shortcomings.

"The aggressive on-ball defense of Carter and Alex Caruso could force plenty of tough looks. Meanwhile, the frontcourt of Vucevic and Drummond would dominate the boards," Bailey shared. "Ultimately, this could be a great vehicle to cover for LaVine's occasional defensive shortcomings while giving him tons of scoring opportunities."