Last season Lauri Markkanen posted the best rookie campaign from a Chicago Bulls player since Derrick Rose, yet he never was seriously in Rookie Year of the Year contention because of the magical seasons from rookie Donovan Mitchell and “rookie” Ben Simmons.
But after breaking out in the Summer League, Bulls rookie Wendell Carter Jr. is on track to outpace some projection during this upcoming rookie season. Good enough to seriously contend for Rookie of the Year? In “it’s the end of July” mode, both The Ringer and ESPN took some time to tackle that kind of question.