acting as the functional power forward, Jones Jr. and Thompson's contracts are up, and Batum is steadier at both ends than any of the team's in-house options for frontcourt depth. He'd also allow for significantly more schematic flexibility than the Bulls had last season, even at their height.The Bulls finished last season dead last in the NBA in 3-point attempts per game and 29th in 3-pointers made per game . And although their 3-point percentage of 36.
Batum is no gunner from long range. But he's been a reliable jump-shooter for the majority of his career, and has been a knockdown spot-up threat for the Clippers for the last two seasons. In 2021-22, he shot 40 percent from 3-point land on 4.6 attempts per game, the latter of which would have ranked fourth on the Bulls. That followed a 2020-21 campaign in which he drilled 40.4 percent from 3 on 4.1 attempts per contest.
Combine that outside shooting touch with a reputation of being a smart passer when called upon, and he projects to perfectly complement the Bulls' star scorers at both ends.Batum, 34, is a 14-year NBA veteran with 58 games of playoff experience, including 19 in 2021 when he was an integral cog in the Clippers' improbable run to the Western Conference finals.
Yes, it can be argued that his age could foreshadow a looming physical drop-off. But if last season showed anything, it's that the Bulls could use more veteran minds around the team as they look to build on the franchise's first playoff berth in five years . Outside of Caruso and DeRozan, the Bulls don't have a player under contract that has played beyond the second round of the playoffs.
Batum, meanwhile, has seen a lot in his playing days, and comes with a sterling locker-room reputation. On the court, he'd boost the Bulls' depth and two-way versatility. Off of it, he's the type of veteran that could help this group take the next mental step as well.
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