The Bulls are not going to have a starting lineup that fits well intuitively, but coach Fred Hoiberg’s hands are tied to a degree.



Rajon Rondo, Jimmy Butler, and Dwyane Wade are starting. So is Robin Lopez. That leaves power forward as the only position where Hoiberg will have a real decision.



The obvious choice would be to insert Nikola Mirotic to provide 3-point shooting in a lineup bereft of it. But is Mirotic really the best choice over veteran Taj Gibson? Both guys present wildly different strengths and weaknesses — whichever player Hoiberg selects will fundamentally change the identity of the starting unit.



Here are some of the factors that Hoiberg will have to consider when making his decision.



Transition defense



NBA offenses are at their most efficient while in transition, and it’s become en vogue to try to create as many of these opportunities as possible. To build a good transition defense, it...