5. Robin Lopez, Chicago Bulls
Much like Tyson Chandler and the Suns, Robin Lopez has to know his time with the Chicago Bulls is likely drawing to an end.
In June, the Bulls spent the No. 7 overall pick on Duke center Wendell Carter Jr., who projects to pair with 2017 No. 7 overall pick Lauri Markkanen to form Chicago’s frontcourt of the future. Markkanen is poised to miss the first month or so of the season with an elbow injury he suffered during training camp, but the Bulls figure to go whole hog on their youth movement once they slip out of playoff contention this year.
According to Sam Smith of Bulls.com, Lopez is likely to begin the year as Chicago’s starting center due to a “combination of enhancing potential trade value, employing a veteran with a young nucleus and not choosing to rush the 19-year-old Carter.” Having Lopez to serve as the veteran fulcrum for a lineup laden with 20-somethings makes sense early on, although it’s only a matter of time before Carter wrests the starting gig away from him.
In the meantime, Lopez is serving as an invaluable mentor for his young protégé.
“Any time we’re on the court, he’s coming at me, but I feel like that’s the only way I can get better,” Carter told Smith about Lopez. “If he comes out just trying to teach me, teach me without going hard every play, then I won’t really learn. I feel like in my opinion, you learn more from the players than the coaches.”
Once January rolls around, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Bulls begin shopping Lopez’s expiring contract in earnest to free up the starting spot for Carter.