Chicago Bulls: 3 Players that disappointed this Season

Despite ending the season with a 22-60 (0.268) win-loss record down at the 13th position on the Eastern Conference standings, the Bulls showed tangible promise for the near future.

With the UCLA product, Zach LaVine (23.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.5 apg) coming into his own, along with Lauri Markkanen, who played 52 games averaging 18.7 ppg and 9.0 rpg - bringing a huge upside of being an effective floor-spacing big man - the team seems to be heading in the right path.

If the franchise can pull off the right moves in the upcoming offseason - add some much-needed depth and shooting - the Bulls might make a legit playoff push in the 2019-20 season without a doubt.

Just a couple of months into the season, Fred Hoiberg - who was hired back in 2015 - was relieved of his duties and Jim Boylen took over in an official capacity.

"To take over Midstream, the support I received was awesome. Obviously, we had some difficult moments and we also had some good moments."- Coach Boylen

Clearly, it was not all smooth sailing for the Bulls organization as well as players, but what they have now is a platform they can build upon. While some of the players showed signs of a bright 2019-20 campaign, others couldn't quite get it done.

Let's take a look at the three individual performances from Chicago's past season that tempered all expectations.

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#1 Robin Lopez

This was Lopez's 3rd straight year playing for Chicago.

Lopez was traded to the Bulls in June of 2016 in an exchange that involved Derrick Rose as well. The 30-year-old center played 74 games for Chicago this past season averaging over 22 minutes per game. He scored 9.5 points and recorded just 3.9 boards per game, in what was his lowest scoring season since 2012.

"I've always kind of embraced the role of being that stabilizing force, that backbone of a team. I've always enjoyed that role." - Robin Lopez

For a veteran center, Lopez couldn't make a noticeable impact in the paint as well as on the boards. His rebound total this year (286) was the lowest since his 2011-12 season with the Phoennix Suns where he pulled down just 209 boards in 64 games. Known primarily for his defense, Lopez averaged 1.1 blocks per game with just 11 steals in total throughout the season.

The 31-year-old seven-footer is slated to become an unrestricted free-agent for the upcoming offseason.

#2 Ryan Arcidiacono

Ryan Arcidiacono signed a standard contract with the Bulls in July of 2018.

After going undrafted in 2016, Arcidiacono eventually found his way to Chicago for two consecutive seasons, with the latest one bringing him 81 appearances and 32 starts. In over 24 minutes of playtime per game, Ryan averaged 6.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, failing to wow any possible onlookers.

Ahead of his restricted free agency this summer, Ryan showed signs of relentless hustle on the court, earning him the nickname "Gutsy-Gritty". However, he was not an outside shooting threat for the most part of the season - which included a rather dry spell from Nov. 30 to Feb. 22 when he shot under 26% from beyond the arc over 36 games.

Attempting over five shots per game, Ryan ended the season with a shooting conversion rate of 44% from the field and 37% from beyond the arc. Given the murky point guard situation in Chicago, it's not certain the Bulls will bring him back next year.

#3 Shaquille Harrison

Shaquille Harrison is trying to improve his offense to match up his defense.

After the Suns waived him in October, Harrison was stolen by the Bulls to add more talent to their bench. The former Tulsa guard's defensive intensity (averaged 1.2 steals per game) was worth applauding at times, but his numbers on the offensive end of the floor failed to impress.

“The coaches have been telling me to take what they give me,” Harrison said. “And slow down. When I’m going at a good pace and not 100 mph, I think things go well for me. But when I get sped up a little bit or get a little frenzied, things get out of hand."

During the 73 games he played in a Bulls uniform this season, Shaquille Harrison averaged 6.5 points per game on 43% shooting from the floor and a meager 27% conversion from downtown. His impact on the floor was palpable on a nightly basis, however he couldn't pile up the statistics to back it up.

His coaching staff has been working with him to pump up his scoring numbers with one simple slogan in mind: Look at the rim.