Clock ticking on extension for cold-shooting Markkanen
Three games into preseason, some things have gone well for the Bulls - mainly the play of Coby White, Zach LaVine and rookie Patrick Williams.
One player not off to a good start is Lauri Markkanen. He's hit just 5 of 19 shots from 3-point range and is averaging 9 points.
The timing isn't great either, because the Bulls have less than a week to decide whether to give Markkanen a contract extension or let hm become a restricted free agent next summer. When training camp began, Markkanen said he encouraged his agent to seek an agreement with the Bulls.
"The contract thing, I'm not worried about it"; Markkanen said during the team's off day in Oklahoma City. "If it's going to happen, it's going to happen. I can't really control that. I don't know where we're at exactly.
"There's been negotiations, but not much to tell you guys right now, so we'll see. It's not putting any extra pressure on me right now, so I feel confident going game by game. We'll see what happens."
Bulls coach Billy Donovan confirmed he set up a play to get Markkanen an open 3-pointer on the first possession of Wednesday's win over the Thunder. It missed.
"I think he's taking the right shots," Donovan said. "I do think there's times he can ball fake and get to the rim and put some pressure on the defense. I thought he stayed engaged yesterday. He rebounded. He did miss some free throws."
Donovan also acknowledged there's no reason to get carried away with anyone's performance three games into preseason following a nine-month break. Among the regulars, both Markkanen and center Wendell Carter Jr. have shot poorly.
"I think once (Markkanen) gets his legs under him, I feel pretty good about him," Donovan said. "But I like the shots he's getting and the shots he's taking. Hopefully as his career unfolds and the older he gets, the more consistent he can get from behind the line."
Maybe the first step is managing expectations. Markkanen shot 42.3 percent from the shorter college 3-point line during his lone season at Arizona. In the NBA, he's never been a great 3-point shooter, with a career accuracy of 35.6 percent.
Agreeing on an extension will be a challenge for both sides, since Markkanen is coming off a season where his numbers regressed. No one knows what the next five years will look like.
In the short-term future, the Bulls will finish preseason with another game in Oklahoma City on Friday, then prepare for Wednesday's regular-season opener against Atlanta at the United Center.
White (20.7 points) and LaVine (19.7 points) both rank in the top 10 in NBA preseason scoring and are shooting above 50 percent from the field. Williams is averaging 12.7 points.
Of course, none of this matters right now. The Thunder is a likely lottery team after cleaning house and the Bulls also faced a Rockets team without James Harden. When the regular season begins, the Bulls will face a brutal schedule loaded with Western Conference opponents.
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