Chicago Bulls’ Doug McDermott a defensive liability?
By Bryan Rose
Before the 2014 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls front office was attempting to do everything within their grasp to select sharp shooter Doug McDermott. They couldn’t do it as the Denver Nuggets beat them to the punch, though they were still able to bring McDermott to the Windy City after acquiring him in a trade.
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A near-perfect fit for the Chicago Bulls current roster, Doug McDermott should be able to come in and score in bunches. Some suggestions have even hinted that Doug McDermott could be named a starter given the need for a shooter, however Steve Kyler questions such a move.
Fearing a defensive struggle, Kyler hints that starting Jimmy Butler may be the more proactive move for the Chicago Bulls.
"For my money I start Jimmy Butler… I think Doug, especially as a rookie, is going to be a liability defensively. The Bulls are a contender, putting too much on a rookie would be a huge mistake."
It’s a valid point considering you don’t often see many rookies thrust into a starting role for a contending team. More than that, the Chicago Bulls are built upon playing strong defense and that’s not something Doug McDermott is known for. That’s not to say he can’t handle his own, but it’s certainly going to be a challenge for him to guard opposing players who are likely to be far quicker on their feet.
Given that, it may most the most sense for the Chicago Bulls to mask some of his defensive woes by coming off the bench and being the scoring machine so many believe him to be.