Markkanen gives Hoiberg a screen
Focus on rookie keeps coach out of Mirotic- Portis drama
“The Mayor” has been at his political best in the last 48 hours. That’s a smart campaign strategy by Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg.
Head down, eyes forward, let the front office deal with all things Nikola Mirotic-Bobby Portis these days.
“Both guys are cared for by everybody in the organization,’’ Hoiberg said Saturday. “The job that we have to do is to keep our guys on the task at hand and go out there and put a game plan together to get them ready to go out and play a basketball game. That’s been our focus, our staff and our players.’’
Hoiberg should stick with that mentality and wipe his fingerprints off the Portis-Mirotic situation as needed, especially considering he will only be judged by the development of his young players. Specifically, the 7- footer. So far, so good. Hoiberg has taken his share of criticism since the exhaustive coaching search by general manager Gar Forman that took up just enough plane fuel to get to Ames, Iowa, and back. And that criticism has been warranted in some situations.
But Hoiberg also has taken a hands- on approach with rookie Lauri Markkanen since the Bulls acquired the 20- year- old Finn on draft night. And though a dark cloud is still hanging over the team post- punch, Hoiberg is smart enough to recognize that Markkanen is a ray of light.
So he’s giving Markkanen minutes and the green light while walking a fine line of letting the few veteran players know they have value, at least for now. And if Hoiberg doesn’t think certain players are putting the ball in Markkanen’s hands enough?
He barked about that after the loss to the Thunder on Saturday, when Markkanen scored early and then seemed to be ignored.
“We missed him on several occasions, and he was standing out there by himself,’’ Hoiberg said. “And we tried to take extra dribbles and get through small spaces, and [ we] turn it over. When Lauri’s got it going like that, we got to make a point to get him shots.’’
Markkanen still finished with 15 points. Through five games, he’s averaging 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game while shooting 42 percent from three- point range.
It’s not going unnoticed, either.
“You can see if a guy knows how to play basketball when you first see him, right away,’’ said former Bull Dwyane Wade, who has seen Markkanen twice already. “In the preseason, we all said he can play. No matter his age, he can play basketball. He’s aggressive. He’s looking for his shot. He understands they need him to score the basketball.’’
Hoiberg has helped instill that in the rookie.
No wonder Markkanen plays with a certain amount of confidence not always seen in younger European players. The forward/ center already has been matched up against LeBron James and DeMarcus Cousins and hasn’t flinched.
“He likes the bright lights,’’ teammate Denzel Valentine said. “He soaks it in. He comes ready to play no matter who we’re playing. That’s what I like about him.’’
What does Hoiberg like most about Markkanen these days?
He’s not Portis or Mirotic.
Follow me on Twitter @ suntimes_ hoops.
Email: jcowley@suntimes.com