Chicago Bulls seen as a suitable landing spot for Victor Oladipo

Chicago could be a place where Victor Oladipo thrives.
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Two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo is on the move again, as he was sent to the Houston Rockets as part of the deal involving embattled guard Kevin Porter Jr. However, his future in Houston isn’t certain as the team already has All-Star Fred Van Vleet and a talented young nucleus led by Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. With Oladipo’s future in limbo, could the Chicago Bulls offer him a new home?

More depth

The Bulls already have a bunch of guards competing for spots in the rotation, so it’s unlikely they would pursue Oladipo. However, the team could use more depth and experience in their backcourt. 

For all the improvements Coby White has shown, he is still developing, and Ayo Dosunmu has had an up-and-down career so far. Adding a proven veteran like Oladipo to the mix might be what the Bulls need to raise their game.

“Lonzo Ball is set to miss his second straight full campaign recovering from a knee injury, and none of his potential replacements at starting point guard have seized the job this preseason. Oladipo wouldn't be an obvious choice there either, but he'd at least give Chicago an option and a little more depth at guard,” Andy Bailey wrote.

Defensive stalwart

Oladipo’s offensive skills may not be what it once was due to the numerous leg injuries he’s endured through the years. However, his defensive acumen remains sharp and is something the Bulls can certainly use.

“Despite the injuries, Oladipo is still a solid on-ball defender on the perimeter who'll occasionally get into passing lanes. With LaVine and DeRozan carrying the scoring load, Oladipo could focus in on being a disruptor elsewhere,” Bailey added.


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Stephen Beslic
STEPHEN BESLIC

Stephen Beslic is a writer on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. Stephen played basketball from the age of 10 and graduated from Faculty of Economic and Business in Zagreb, Croatia, majoring in Marketing.