A key Chicago Bulls offseason addition surprises fans in a big way

With one preseason game to go, the Chicago Bulls are 2-1 in exhibition play and have looked like an Eastern Conference contender once again.

Even without Lonzo Ball, the Bulls have found ways to score, defend and ultimately win. Putting together a deep roster while filling in some needed areas over the offseason should have the Bulls in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

One of those offseason additions came to Chicago to fill a big need down low: Andre Drummond.

Drummond was brought on because the Bulls were bullied on the offensive glass time-in and time-out last year. As one of the league’s premier offensive rebounders for the past several years, Drummond’s arrival meant the Bulls should shore up that area immediately. However, one area the Bulls did not anticipate Drummond contributing in was shooting.

In the Chicago Bulls’ third preseason game against the Toronto Raptors, Andre Drummond showed off a new trick.

After a decade in the NBA and being a career 13 percent three-point shooter, Drummond pulled up and knocked down all three of his attempts from distance against Toronto. In just 15 minutes on the floor, Drummond came down with nine rebounds and a trio of threes to give him nine points as well.

In the Bulls’ first two preseason games against the New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets, Drummond attempted zero field goals from beyond the arc. So, no one would have anticipated him pulling the trigger even once against the Raptors.

Heck, Drummond has only attempted double-digit threes, in a season, on five occasions throughout his career.

Last season, the Bulls struggled to find their range from three, especially after Ball went out. That’s one area this team needed to improve, aside from on the offensive glass. Who knew they could be getting both tackled in one signing, and from a guy who has never, ever been known as a shooter?

If Drummond has truly developed an outside shot, it’s going to present many more problems for the opposition when defending this Bulls second unit. Normally, Drummond is a guy who ends up finding himself down low after sometimes even bringing the ball up off a defensive rebound. But, eventually, he’ll find himself down low.

Now, he’s found a bit of comfort on the perimeter. Oh, boy. This season could be an entertaining one, at the very least.