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Meet the Bulls’ 8 new faces for 2016-17

Looking at the roster for the 2016-17 NBA season, you could very well call this year’s squad the unrecogniza-Bulls.

Sure, they will still be able to count on Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Nikola Mirotic, Doug McDermott, Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio.

But there are so many new faces to get acquainted with that the casual fan may not know what to expect from them this season.

Luckily, RedEye is here to give you a crash course.

ISAIAH CANAAN, guard

The Bulls continue their tradition of having a little guard on the roster who can be a spark off the bench and fill it up when he gets hot. At 6-foot-0, Canaan fits that mold to a T.

Why the Bulls got him: The Bulls have a lot of needs this season. One of them is outside shooting, and Canaan gives them that. He can also change a game with his physicality on opposing point guards. He may not see the court a lot this season, but when he is in the game, watch him closely.

MICHAEL CARTER-WILLIAMS, guard

You won’t find many Rookie of the Year award winners—as Carter-Williams was in 2013-14—who were traded twice before they even reached free agency. You also won’t find many general managers who would trade a former Rookie of the Year, straight up, for a guy who’ll find himself on the end of the bench in Milwaukee by Thanksgiving. Thank you, Milwaukee Bucks, and thank you, Tony Snell.

Why the Bulls got him: Think of him as Rajon Rondo, only 5 inches taller. Carter-Williams doesn’t shoot it well, but on any given night he can go out and get a triple-double. When he’s locked in, he can fill up a box score, and if Rondo is a rental, then MCW is the Bulls’ long-term investment at point guard.

JERIAN GRANT, guard

This Notre Dame product is the nephew of former Bulls great Horace Grant.

Why the Bulls got him: He’s the nephew of former Bulls great Horace Grant, and Bulls executive John Paxson went to Notre Dame. You also might recall that Jerian Grant was part of the trade that sent Derrick Rose to the Knicks. Grant averaged modest numbers of 5.6 points and 2.3 assists in a little under 17 minutes per game last season.

ROBIN LOPEZ, center

The guy he’s replacing as the Bulls’ starting center, Joakim Noah, had the better hair, but Brook Lopez’s twin brother certainly is no scrub.

Why the Bulls got him: Robin Lopez can do many of the things Noah did. He also comes with a much more refined offensive game, just without any of the chest thumping, hand clapping, finger guns or primal screams. That sucks, but we’ll take it.

RAJON RONDO, guard

Not long ago, Rondo was getting mercilessly booed in the United Center after getting into a fight with the most beloved Bull of all time, Kirk Hinrich (that was a joke … not really). Now Rondo comes in to replace a departed Derrick Rose, and fans in Chicago will appreciate what he brings to the floor every night.

Why the Bulls got him: Rondo is one of the smartest players in the NBA. What he lacks in outside shooting—which is a lot—he makes up for with the way he makes the game easy for the other guys on the court.

DENZEL VALENTINE, guard

In his senior season at Michigan State, Valentine was an All-American, a national player of the year, Big Ten Player of the Year, the most outstanding player of the Big Ten Tournament and winner of the Julius Erving and Lute Olson awards. Then, during the Summer League in Las Vegas, he led the Bulls to the franchise’s first league “championship” (we know, it’s hard to get excited about that) in 18 years. None of this is statue-worthy, but a bobblehead? Definitely.

Why the Bulls got him: Over the summer and in his brief showing in the preseason before hurting his ankle, Valentine showed an ability to run a team and make the right plays, and he’s already halfway decent on defense. His outside shooting is suspect, but in Valentine, Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg has another guy on the roster—much like Rondo and Carter-Williams—who’s a jack of all trades.

DWYANE WADE, guard

Hall of Famer. All-time great. Best midrange player in the NBA. The Bulls swapped out one homegrown talent (Rose) for another, and the addition of Wade will benefit the team in both the short and long terms.

Why the Bulls got him: Like Rose, Wade is a marquee guy fans will fill the United Center to see. His veteran leadership and championship resume give him respect in the locker room, and his willingness to come and play for a team that isn’t ready to contend for a championship gives him respect in the front office. Wade is the biggest free agent signing in Bulls history. His coming to Chicago could very well pave the way for more players of his ilk to give the Windy City a real look during the summer signing bonanza.

PAUL ZIPSER, forward

The 22-year-old German import has the skills to play at least three positions on the floor. He’s a project for sure, but after he put up 18 points, five rebounds and two assists in a preseason game against Cleveland, the upside is definitely there.

Why the Bulls got him: Zipser has good athleticism and a solid basketball IQ, and he isn’t afraid to mix it up on defense. If he can adjust to the NBA quickly, Nikola Mirotic could be looking at his replacement in the rotation.

Bryan Crawford is a RedEye contributor. @mrcraw4d

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