Chicago Bulls: Here’s what each new addition brings to the table
By Ryan Taylor
Chicago Bulls Trade Deadline Addition: Al-Farouq Aminu
If you have never seen the way the newest Chicago Bull, Al-Farouq Aminu, defended LeBron James back in 2018, I suggest you watch it.
Karnisovas and general manager, Marc Eversley, did not acquire Aminu from the Orlando Magic to help them offensively. This season, Aminu is averaging 5.5 points per game and 1.7 assists. He is shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 22.6 percent from downtown. He carries a -4.4 offensive box plus/minus, which is atrocious.
But, Aminu brings defense and a lot of it. The Bulls only have a few players they can rely on to match up with stars, like Patrick Williams and Garrett Temple. Aminu can help take some of the workloads off in that area.
Aminu is a 6-foot-8 small forward that can move well laterally and contest his opponents’ shots. He is averaging one steal per game on just 20 minutes of play. He also holds an impressive 1.2 defensive box plus/minus and a decent 109 defensive rating this season.
As a bonus to his playstyle, he shoots 56 percent around the rim, which is pretty impressive for a small forward of Aminu’s caliber. He will be a strong defensive role player off the bench.