Over the next month we'll be recapping each of the Bulls' individual 2018-19 regular seasons.
Previous reviews: Lauri Markkanen | Shaq Harrison | Ryan Arcidiacono | Otto Porter | Wayne Selden | Zach LaVine | Antonio Blakeney | Cristiano Felicio | Kris Dunn
Preseason expectations: It didn't take long for Wendell Carter Jr. to supplant Robin Lopez as the team's starting center. Expectations rose as it became clear that Carter was someone who could contribute immediately as an interior defender, something the Bulls had been lacking since Joakim Noah's prime. Not only was that going to help Carter become an instant contributor, but the thought was that his presence would also hide some of Lauri Markkanen's shortcomings as a defender. Though Carter was undersized at 6-foot-10, he had the footwork of a veteran and someone who looked ready to contribute on the offensive glass and around the rim in post-up situations. His solid 3-point shooting at Duke (albeit in a small sample size) led some to believe that he'd be able to show off that range right away.
What went right: Carter's touch around the rim is no joke. Though he only shot 49 percent from the field in his rookie season, that number included 65.9 percent from shots inside 5 feet. Of players who attempted at least three of those per game, Carter's mark was 46th in the NBA and put him with the likes of Jonas Valanciunas (65.9%), Joel Embiid (66.0%) and Ben Simmons (65.0%). He always seemed comfortable, whether rolling to the rim, grabbing an offensive rebound or posting up. He truly has veteran poise on that end of the floor. Speaking of offensive rebounds, Carter did it exceptionally well. His 7.6% offensive rebound rate was the same as Embiid's.
Carter led the Bulls with 3.6 contested rebounds per game, and his 50.7% contested rebound rate was second on the team to Robin Lopez. Only Deandre Ayton (4.5) had more contested rebounds per game, and Carter's contested rebound rate was second among rookie bigs, trailing only Jaren Jackson Jr. (51.5%). The potential is there for Carter to be an excellent rebounder and someone who cleans up around the basket. That aforementioned footwork will play defensively as he matures and becomes a more consistent and smarter player. His defensive ceiling is high.
What went wrong: He's just 20 years old and has barely played half an NBA season, so we need to reserve judgment in this section. That being said, Carter's offensive game didn't jump off the page. He was excellent around the rim but didn't show much off much range - admittedly he was never really asked to shoot from outside. He shot just 35.2 percent on midrange attempts and was 6 of 32 from beyond the arc. He may never need to be an outside shooter given what the Bulls are building in Markkanen, LaVine, Porter and a potential wing in June. But there's a reason Carter fell to No. 7 and wasn't in the discussion as a top pick in the same light as a Marvin Bagley or Jaren Jackson. He does have some limiations to his game. But again, there's so much time for him to improve. A good sign was that he made 80 percent of his free throws. The touch is there.
The Stat: 7.0, 1.3
NBA
Carter also blocked 58 shots in 44 games before that thumb injury ended his season in January. That, combined with his rebounding prowess, put him in some pretty elite company. He averaged 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, the only rookie to do so in his class and the first rookie to do so since Joel Embiid in 2017. Before Embiid? Karl-Anthony Towns, Kristaps Porzingis, Nerlens Noel, Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond and Taj Gibson. That's not to put Carter on the same level of those guys (though Gibson could be an accurate comparison). But it does put him in good defensive company that makes for a promising trajectory.
2019-20 Expectations: Just call him The Complement. Carter will enter his second season being asked to complement Markkanen. On the defensive end, that means manning the interior. Offensively, he'll be the roll to Markkanen's pop. He's got a higher ceiling than simply being the fill-in-the-holes role player, but right now the Bulls are building the franchise around Markkanen. Carter will also be tasked with helping the Bulls show an ounce of improvement on the defensive end. The draft and free agency will help, but Carter's promise on that end of the floor comes with expectations on seeing some tangible improvement. It'll be a big season for the man in the middle after his rookie season was cut in half.