Bulls: X-factor for Chicago as quarter mark of 2021-22 season nears

The Chicago Bulls just recently got Coby White back from injury, and he's an X-factor for this team in 2021-22..

The Chicago Bulls are off to a strong 12-6 start to the 2021-22 season despite adversity in the form of a tough opening schedule and some key health issues. One of those health issues was the absence of Coby White as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery.

While the Bulls have played well to begin the season, they're still a bit lacking in the bench scoring department. White hasn't been particularly good since he returned to the lineup, averaging 4.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in five games. Those stats come in just 15.6 minutes per game as he works his way back into the rotation, and he's shooting only 25.0% overall and 21.4% from 3-point range.

However, his one good game showed what kind of difference White can make if he's playing well. In a recent victory over the New York Knicks, White caught fire in the second half and helped turn the tide of the game when it seemed like the Bulls were going to stumble. He finished with 14 points and a trio of triples off the bench.

It's that kind of quick-strike scoring Chicago could really use as part of the reserve unit. The Bulls are last in 3-pointers attempted per game and 28th in bench scoring. White alone won't totally fix those numbers, but he could help alleviate those issues and take pressure off top stars DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.

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On the latest episode of Blue Wire's Cash Considerations, Ricky O'Donnell talked about being patient with White as he tries to find his stride:

“Coby White has played, what, five games now. His first three games, were, let's be fair here, they were pretty brutal. Coby looked like he was lost out there. He was definitely taking a bit to get comfortable again playing basketball, and that makes sense. He had an injury at the start of the offseason that limited him from training, from practice. He had not played any live five-on-five, real, meaningful basketball during the course of the rehab.

“Got thrown into the fire against the Lakers, the Blazers, then Denver, looked rough in those games. But we saw, I think, what could be the best version of Coby White, or the version the Bulls hope to get this year against the Knicks. In that game, he hit three big 3s in the fourth quarter, finished with 14 points. While people have sort of speculated about Coby's place on this team long term, the roster right now could definitely use a fourth scorer … especially coming off the bench. … There's times when the bench units come in … where it just seems like this team has no offensive punch and offensive firepower. Someone with Coby's skill set is a pretty good fit here.”

White is too talented to stay this bad. Once he finds his rhythm, he should be an asset off the bench. Just how good he is could make a huge difference for the Bulls this season.