It feels like every move the Chicago Bulls make these days will be ridiculed by fans. That is par for the course in this city when you haven't done any significant winning for a long time. Things feel like they hit a nerve when Arturas Karnisovas swung a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sending Lonzo Ball in exchange for Isaac Okoro. People were apoplectic that the Bulls again couldn't get any draft capital for such a prominent player. All they got was somebody they viewed as another draft bust from the same class as Patrick Williams.
It doesn't help when you look at the stats. Okoro saw his playing time cut last season. As a result, he averaged 6.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. What are the Bulls hoping to get from somebody that unproductive? Team insider K.C. Johnson argues it is something the team has desperately needed. Defense has been a problem for the Bulls for years. They haven't ranked higher than 20th in defensive efficiency since 2021 and haven't cracked the top 10 since 2017.
Okoro is equipped to finally start changing that trend.
Isaac Okoro immediately gives the Bulls defensive juice.
Over the past two years, he has delivered Defensive Win Shares of 2.0 and 2.3. No Bulls forward on the team last year had one higher than 1.4. When he's allowed to play his style of basketball, Isaac Okoro is a pest. Chicago needs more guys like that. In addition, people seem to ignore his credibility as a three-point shooter. While he doesn't do it often, he's 38.3% from downtown over the past two seasons. Nobody should be confused about reality. Okoro isn't a star. He won't change the team's fortunes by himself. However, to say he's useless is inaccurate. If Josh Giddey could become a very good player when he finally got real playing time last season, why can't Okoro? He certainly has the motivation to prove something.
