The 2017–18 Bulls finished with a frontcourt featuring a lot of youth. Trading Nikola Mirotic to the upstart New Orleans Pelicans made that part of the roster even younger. That means a lot of spots for the next playoff team, maybe even a contending team, remain up for grabs. So it’s only fair to look at what the taller Bulls did to help or hurt their cases.

Lauri Markkanen, PF: Even with all the hype when the Bulls traded up to draft him, no one was sure if he could live up to it. But the fight between Mirotic and Bobby Portis rendered both players out of commission, so the Finnish rookie ended up as the starting power forward, and he never relinquished that role. Always a threat on both ends with play that would make him a building block anywhere in the NBA, he showed tremendous upside that will surely put him on the All-Rookie First Team. Oh, and let’s take one more look at the glorious block right back in Steph Curry’s face.

Bobby Portis, PF: After serving an eight-game suspension to open the season for punching Mirotic, he played almost every other contest and improved his stats almost across the board. By year’s end, the preseason incident was forgotten, and everyone looked forward to seeing what he could bring off the bench every night. He earned the right to be the Bulls’ sixth man going forward, and someone is really going to have to step up if they want to take that role away from him. As we all know by now, anyone he sees as a threat is not exactly in his good graces.

Robin Lopez, C: The veteran leader on this rebuilding team, his hustle and production have made him a favorite among Bulls fans. He averaged career highs in scoring (11.8) and assists (1.9), a testament to what can happen when a player properly fits into the pace-and-space offense Fred Hoiberg employs. He was such an important player to the Bulls that the NBA stepped in to keep the team from resting him too much as they tried to tank late in the season. With one year left on his contract, he’ll be a perfect mentor to the Bulls’ pending lottery pick.

Denzel Valentine, F/G: The 2016 lottery pick, yearning to be a regular starter, made a lot of progress in his second season. He doubled his scoring average from 5.1 to 10.2, nearly did the same to his rebounding average (2.6 to 5.1) and almost tripled his assists average (1.1 to 3.2). While he probably won’t become an All-Star, Bulls fans should be happy to see him develop into a solid role player. The question now is whether he can make significant enough strides that will force opponents to make him a focal point of their game plans.

David Nwaba, F/G: After coming over from the Los Angeles Lakers, Nwaba found himself playing and thriving a lot more. At 25, he fit right into the young roster and took advantage of the plentiful scoring opportunities Hoiball provided him. Outside of an injured ankle that kept him out for most of November, he played every game. He knows his limitations and isn’t afraid to take on any role, even if he doesn’t always succeed, and he most assuredly earned the right to have his qualifying offer for next season picked up.

Noah Vonleh, PF: Acquired from the Utah Jazz on Feb. 8, his 6.9 points and 6.9 rebounds a game afterward gave the Bulls a two-way option off the bench. Though not regular starting material right now, he can fill in when necessary and is always a threat to torch the opposition with a double-double. Only 22, his ceiling remains exceptionally high. It would be wise for the Bulls to pick up his qualifying offer, or maybe they could use him as trade bait if they can get high value for him.

Cristiano Felicio, C: Don’t let those career highs in several categories fool you. After signing a four-year, $32 million deal last offseason, he looked nothing like the player who impressed the season before and even fell out of the rotation for awhile. His numbers were inflated after being thrust into the starting lineup in the second half of the season so the tanking process could be sped up. Though his contract will keep him on the roster for the foreseeable future, he has a long way to go before people think of him as a key player again.

Paul Zipser, SF: The 2016 second-round pick is surely on his way out after a disappointing season that was riddled by a left foot injury during the second half. Much of his game declined, and whenever he started, it was mainly as a stopgap for better players who were unavailable at that particular time. Nothing he did convinced anyone he has a long-term future in the NBA. When you can’t find minutes on a team like this, it’s time to consider what other leagues you might able to thrive in, even if that means returning to Europe.

Omer Asik, C: The original Bench Mob member returned to the Bulls as part of the Mirotic trade. After struggling with the Pelicans, he rode the bench for two months after the trade before finally appearing in the Bulls’ last four games. Even in limited action, the 31-year-old big man erased any lingering doubt that his days as a productive basketball player are numbered. Due to make over $11.2 million next season, it would be best for the Bulls to buy him out for financial flexibility, especially with two first-round picks coming aboard.

Jarell Eddie, SF: He spent most of his time in the organization with the Windy City Bulls, averaging 17.4 points and 5.4 rebounds over 28 games. His lone Chicago appearance featured a missed 3-pointer in three minutes during a 105–89 loss to the Boston Celtics on March 5. It’s unlikely he has much of a future in Chicago. Even if he somehow returns, don’t expect anything beyond another trip to the G League.

With John Paxson looking to draft a wing, players like Wendell Carter and Michael Porter have regularly floated around the rumor mill surrounding the Bulls. In the frontcourt, they already have close to a sure thing in Markkanen and supporting players in Portis and Valentine. They recognize that strength, so the key now is to keep building there, even as today’s NBA is geared more towards guards. Sometimes, the best way to succeed is to veer away from what most other teams are doing and build where those teams don’t see as a priority.