A confident Chandler Hutchison eyes healthy third season originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Chandler Hutchison has a healthy and surgically repaired right shoulder. Now all the third-year forward seeks is, in his words, “an even playing field for me and my body to just be ready.”
It’s well-documented by now.
The former first-round pick may be entering his third NBA season, but he’s 10 games shy of logging even one full regular season of work.
A broken bone in his foot cut short his rookie season after just 44 games. Then, after a hamstring injury slowed him in last season’s training camp, he endured two lengthy absences for the shoulder injury that eventually needed surgery.
“I don’t take this as anything other than I’ve had some bad luck. I’ve had some injuries and some things I couldn’t control,” Hutchison said Wednesday via Zoom after his individual workout at the Advocate Center in advance of training camp. “If I can just be healthy like I am right now and have this mindset that I have to come and just be aggressive and play my game, I think that’s going to be the biggest thing for me. Because I feel like when I do that, I feel like I can play with anybody in this league.”
Once cleared following his shoulder surgery, Hutchison said he focused on getting his range of motion back with shooting drills. Then he graduated to ball-handling drills, and he’s been full go for several months.
Hutchison has averaged 6.2 points and 4.1 rebounds in 19.8 minutes over his 72 career games. Those are underwhelming numbers.
But the athletic, 6-foot-7-inch forward has shown flashes of sustained production when healthy. And his rebounding, defensive versatility and push-the-pace mentality fit, at least in theory, with the style that new coach Billy Donovan has cited he hopes to play.
But here’s the thing: Echoing comments new executive vice president Artūras Karnišovas said on Monday, Hutchison said Donovan isn’t committed to one style.
“The first thing that stood out to me that he wanted to do is understanding who we are as a player before he brought in his play style,” Hutchison said of his interactions with Donovan. “And I think that right off the bat kind of separates him from coaches in the league. He gets a feel for his players. And then he uses his mind, his skill, to plug us in to where he thinks we can be successful.
“And for me, the first thing he mentioned was my length and athleticism and being able to run the floor, defend. He’s going to expect a lot out of me this year, and I’m ready to accept the challenge of whatever he needs from me.”
It’s way too early for depth charts and Hutchison said he didn’t view the Bulls’ selection of forward Patrick Williams with the fourth overall pick as a sign the new regime doesn’t have faith in his skillset. But at some point, Hutchison’s “the more, the merrier” approach could get tested.
Minutes will be at stake.
That’s why he knows he has to stay healthy and produce.
“I’ve had flashes and, personally, I know what I’m capable of. So it’s a matter of just going out there and doing it,” Hutchison said. “Now is the time. We’ve had a lot of time off, a lot of talk about what you want to achieve and things like that in the upcoming season. But now it’s time to do it.”
