Chicago Bulls: Marko Simonovic flashes in summer league opener

Going into summer league, no player was going to have more eyes (of Chicago Bulls fans) on him than Marko Simonovic. He is a 6’11 center/power forward from Montenegro and second-round draft pick of the Chicago Bulls in 2020.

The Chicago Bulls have an urgent need in their frontcourt to bolster depth behind Nikola Vucevic – especially with Lauri Markkanen on his way out. While they did sign Tony Bradley earlier this summer, Simonovic is still poised to have a significant role on the team this season within their frontcourt rotation. Marko Simonovic’s performance in his Summer League debut for the Chicago Bulls is cause for optimism despite the team’s loss.

In his 15 minutes, Simonovic posted a stat line of 13 points and five rebounds to go along with one steal. At his height of 6’11, it was good to see Simonovic establish an interior presence. His predecessor on the Bulls, Lauri Markkanen, struggled to find an interior game and often planted himself at the three-point line.

As a result, while the Chicago Bulls were able to say they had a seven-footer in the frontcourt, the team’s play on the court never demonstrated it – this does not seem to be the case with Simonovic.

The Chicago Bulls are encouraged after Marko Sumonovic’s summer league game.

The main things that stood out to me about Simonovic were his willingness to absorb contact, play inside, and his overall effort. These were abilities that fans always wanted to see emerge in Lauri, but never saw come to fruition.

Additionally, Simonovic shot 35 percent from three in the Adriatic League last season which means he still has the ability to be an outside threat but what I enjoy about his game is that he uses it as a weapon rather than centering his entire game around it.

As a result, my way too early assessment of Marko Simonovic is that his game and impact on the Bulls roster could match that of Daniel Theis more than Lauri Markkanen. This could be excellent for the team because I believe the loss of Theis is more significant than many realize given his defensive effort and presence in the frontcourt.

Ultimately, the player I was most keen on watching as the Chicago Bulls kicked off their summer league season was Marko Simonovic. I was impressed with how he already understands the advantage of his size and how to use it to create plays.

Additionally, I loved that he didn’t settle for a “3 and D” type role even though he can hit threes at an above-average rate. Hopefully, he will continue to develop into this role and the Chicago Bulls might not only have the answer to their frontcourt depth but perhaps a long-term answer at the center position after Nikola Vucevic retires.