The Chicago Bulls spent the 2017-18 season in the beginning stages of a total organizational rebuild. The Bulls elected to trade Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves, effectively ridding themselves of the last piece of the Tom Thibodeau era. In return, the Bulls received Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and the 7th pick in the 2017 draft, which they used to select Lauri Markkanen. Markkanen played well, as did Dunn, but a lack of experience and star power made the Bulls one of the weaker teams in the league. As a result, they finished with a 27-55 record, and the third-worst record in the East.

The 2018-19 season will likely be another year where the Bulls are not among the league’s elite, but it is another opportunity to determine the identity of the team and accelerate the growth of its young talent. The Bulls selected Duke big man Wendell Carter in the first round of this year’s draft, and seem to have solidified their frontcourt of the future in the process. There are still question marks as far as the overall construction of the roster, but there are a lot of things to like about this Chicago team.

Here are three X-factors for the 2018-19 Chicago Bulls.

Next Up: No. 1