2017 NBA Draft: Top shooting guards Chicago Bulls can target

Luke Kennard — Duke (6-foot-6, 196 pounds)

One of the main problems for the Bulls for the past ten seasons is their inability to score. That continued in 2016 when they ranked 23rd in scoring.

In order for the Bulls to contend again, that trend needs to end. Yes, keeping them from scoring helps you win, but if you cannot score yourself, it is difficult to win consistently. No matter how good the defense, you won’t be able to hold an offense completely scoreless. At some point, YOU need to put the ball through the hoop consistently.

Kennard is a player who helps with the offense. He is a great shooter, hitting 43.8 percent of his shots from three. He plays great from the pick-and-roll, and he finishes well at the rim (61.8 percent shooting at the rim) and is an excellent free throw shooter (85.6 percent).

The knock on Kennard is that he isn’t athletic. Elite athletes in the NBA could abuse him. However, he has great instincts and usually finds himself in a good position. For example, he averaged 5.1 rebounds per game, not bad for an un-athletic guard. What he lacks in athleticism he makes up for with his great footwork and anticipation.

Playing in Duke Kennard got to play in his fair share of big games. Time and time again, he came through with big shots. He is a player the Bulls could depend on in big games. He rises to the occasion. The Bulls need more of those types of players on the roster. None of the young players on the team can be counted on to make big shots. Butler, Wade, and Rajon Rondo are left on their own trying to carry the team. We saw what happened when Rondo went down in this year’s playoffs — a 2-0 series lead ended up in a 4-2 elimination.

Kennard uses a variety of ways to get his shot in. He comes off screens and his pull-up jumper is a killer.

With Kennard, there is a tradeoff between offense and defense. He provides some great offensive firepower, but his athleticism leaves him vulnerable on defense. The Bulls pride themselves on defense, but at some point they need to start loading up on offense.