The Bulls should start shooting at signing a European free agent
Andreas Obst, Chicago Bulls
Over the past few seasons, the Chicago Bulls’ complete and utter lack of shooting has been baffling. Last season, they were dead last in three-point attempts. Last season they were the last to die in the companies. Given that the team’s top scorer lives and dies in midfield, this should come as no surprise. Considering the fact that only one Bulls player shot 38% or better last season and made at least one three-pointer per game, it just makes more and more sense. Also interesting is that the Bulls were 26th in free throws. If you can’t shoot from three and can’t get to the line, it means your offense just isn’t working. Not surprisingly, Chicago was 24th in scoring last year. They had a hard time getting good shots, but how can we fix that?
Fortunately, Billy Donovan is blissfully unaware of those things. He directly addressed the lack of free throws and offensive rebounds, which suggests there is hope the Bulls will make a real effort to improve those aspects of the game next season.
But it is not enough to hope that these changes will come from within. Adding some real shooters to the roster would help a lot. Chicago started in that direction, signing Jevon Carter (42.3%% and 1.8 points per game) and Torrey Craig (39.5% and 1.3 points per game). But in this NBA era, you can never have too many on a roster. European star Andreas Obst would be an ideal free agent to solve the Bulls’ shooting problems. Given the agency’s penchant for international talent, I was a little perplexed that they didn’t go after Andreas Obst, a winger with Bayern Munich and the German national team. If Obst’s name sounds familiar, it’s because he led Germany to an upset victory over the United States in the FIBA World Cup semifinals. Obst scored 24 points, including four 3-pointers, and looked even better on the court than his NBA counterpart.
He’s not just a shooter. He can curl on the keys, run into the crowd and draw the attention of the defense. Andreas also knows how to handle the ball a bit. You can’t run the pick-and-roll with him, but if the defense is tight on him, he can take a dribble or two and get to the rim or make a shot. He is a good edge finisher. Good enough to attract help for protection. Last season, he shot 39.5% from the 3-point line while attempting an extraordinary 6.7 per contest. Given that Bayern’s new coach, Pablo Laso, wants to give his players more freedom, those numbers may even rise. In addition, Obst’s confidence will soar only after the victory of the World Cup.
It is also important to note that Obst does not kill the Bulls for defense. He’s a good defender who can guard guards and small forwards on the perimeter or even switch on the big for a few seconds. He doesn’t have great foot speed, but he has a strong body that absorbs contact.
The Bulls’ best scorers like to operate from the three-point line, so having an extra shooter on the floor can be very beneficial. Put him on the strong side and opposing defenses can’t help him, which would open up avenues for DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. By leaving him screens, he demands attention from the defense, which in turn would open up more space for LaVine or DeRozan. Obst is by no means Chicago’s savior, but he could really help the team. After the USA-Germany match, Steve Kerr said that Andreas Obst was the key to the game. And after all that praise, he didn’t get the attention of NBA teams? I find that especially odd given that he wouldn’t be an expensive asset to sign. If used correctly, he could be J.J. A Reddick-type role as a shooter for rival teams.
Today he is the best pure shooter in the Euroleague, so why not give him a chance across the ocean? If the Bulls can’t address their biggest weakness this summer, they will pay the price again in the regular season.
Leave a Reply