Bulls: Three biggest disappointments so far this season

Disappointment #2: Forward Lauri Markkanen

I was really rooting for this to be a breakout year for young Bulls power forward Lauri Markkanen, but it’s unfortunately been just the opposite. Once thought to be a potential star, it seems as if Markannen regressed from last season.

The hope was that Markkanen would develop into a dynamic big man who could create his shot inside and also consistently make threes. This season has been a disaster for Markanen in terms of shooting.

What was once a strong point of Markkanen’s game has inexplicably turned into a major weakness. Without the threat of him making outside shots, Markkanen becomes a much easier player to defend.

However, Markkanen had a strong night in the team’s win over the Kings. He scored 20 points on  4 for 8 shooting from the three-point line and grabbed seven rebounds. While not an electrifying performance, it was nice to see Markkanen making some big outside shots.

Markannen has said all the right things and taken accountability for his poor start. But something is clearly off for him as he came into the Kings game shooting just 28 percent from the three-point line.

Even if Markkanen can bounce back, it’s alarming to see a player like him underperform when he was thought to be a key part of the Bulls young core. Hopefully, Monday’s performance is something he can build on.