Early reviews on Doug McDermott have been strong through the start of the Chicago Bulls' season. There were certainly plenty of questions regarding the small forward's NBA potential. Already known as a prolific shooter, many wondered how he would play against the raised talent. However, McDermott has done nothing but impress in his first week in the league, which could have long-term effects on the Bulls' roster.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau is loving what McDermott is bringing to the roster for the Bulls. The shooter is only averaging 10 minutes per game, but that could start to change as injuries hit the team.
"He's got a lot of confidence," Thibodeau said, via ESPN.com. "I know where confidence comes from. Work and preparation. What do we call it now? Swag. We called it confidence back in the day. Where does it come from? People say, 'Well, he's a real confident guy.' The thing that you find is that the guys that put the work in, that gives you confidence. Each game is a test. It reveals exactly where you are. In this league, you can't skip steps. There's a lot of different ways I think you're seeing teams do it. The teams that win consistently, they put the work into it and they don't skip steps."
The rise of McDermott could push someone like Jimmy Butler out. The swingman recently rejected a contract offer from the Bulls at the deadline and will now be a free agent come the summer. That makes Butler a trade target, similar to what Luol Deng became when he rejected an extension last year. If the Bulls believe McDermott can be a starter for the team, Butler might become available simply because of his contract demands. One person that believes McDermott should start for Chicago is Doug Collins who is not a big Mike Dunleavy fan.
"I'd go on record and say I feel like at the end of the day, if somehow Doug McDermott can be a starter, I think he's going to get better shots with that starting unit being out there with Pau Gasol and with Derrick Rose," Collins said, via the Chicago Tribune.
The Bulls have a lot to work out at the moment. Rose once again tweaked his ankle in his return after sitting out games for two ankle injuries. Joakim Noah is also dealing with knee issues. Add in the factor of McDermott vs. Butler or Dunleavy and Chicago has some adjustments to make.
