The bulked-up biceps are noticeable. The stoic, unflappable demeanor remains as sturdy as ever.

Some things have changed about Lauri Markkanen, while others have not. And that’s a good thing for the Bulls and the player executive vice president John Paxson has labeled a franchise cornerstone.

Markkanen’s public personality is to downplay and then try to dominate where it matters — on the court. That’s why he shrugged off a question about his added bulk with his typical aw-shucks smile.

“Everybody has been saying I’m bigger, but I don’t know about all that,” Markkanen told the Tribune this week. “I just know I feel good.

“I’ve put on about 14 pounds. In general, I feel stronger. Hopefully, I can keep this weight up and play with it because I feel it will help my game.”

What Markkanen also believes will help his game is the added talent around him.

Beyond retaining Zach LaVine in restricted free agency, the Bulls signed Jabari Parker and drafted Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison. Carter, in particular, displayed a skill level in the Las Vegas Summer League that projects to complement Markkanen nicely.

“I feel we got better,” Markkanen said. “Wendell, I thought he was supposed to be a top-five pick. I’m glad he fell to us (at No. 7). He’s a big guy who can do a lot of different stuff well, so he should help my game and us. I’m looking forward to playing with him.

“It’s great to have Jabari here obviously. He’s a talented player. He has had some injuries, but it hasn’t taken anything away from him. It’s nice to have him home.”

Markkanen grew tired of questions about the inability of him, LaVine and Kris Dunn to form consistent chemistry together last season. Markkanen repeatedly pointed to their disjointed minutes and then management shutting down LaVine and Dunn with minor soreness to prioritize draft-lottery position.

Still, Markkanen thrived as the focal point of the offense down the stretch. The rookie averaged 18.9 points and 6.3 rebounds over his final seven games while shooting 50 percent overall and from 3-point range. He attempted double-digit shots in all seven.

Now comes the challenge for coach Fred Hoiberg and the on-court personnel to integrate Parker and Carter into the mix. While Carter doesn’t necessarily need touches to be effective, Parker does.

“We’re not worried about it at all,” Markkanen said. “We’re just trying to win. I know when we play the right way, everybody is going to get their shots. If someone is having a bad game, we have a lot of different guys we can go to.”

Bobby Portis, who, like Markkanen, has been working out consistently at the Advocate Center, acknowledged the chemistry will take time. Portis proved last season he can be a reliable reserve scorer, but he too is a shoot-first, ask-questions-later player.

“You just have to move the basketball and take the right shots, the open shots,” Portis said this week. “It will be a little different this year with everybody wanting to take more shots. But each guy has something to prove, and I think that will bring the best out of everybody.”

The Bulls plan to start Parker at small forward even though his natural — and more effective — position is power forward. The Bulls are set there with Markkanen and Portis.

But Hoiberg envisions versatile, smaller lineups with Markkanen or Portis playing center at times. That’s why Portis is high on the Parker addition as well.

“Jabari gives us another versatile player to put in our frontcourt,” Portis said. “We can have mismatches all over the floor.

“We’re turning in the right direction. Obviously, last year was tough. We don’t want to talk about that. Hopefully, we can make some big moves this year.”

Portis is eligible until the season opener to sign an extension of his rookie contract.

“We’ve been talking about it,” he said. “We’re going to talk more in the next week or so. Hopefully, we get things done.

“I’m not stressing about it. I still work as hard as I can every day. I let my agent handle all that. I handle everything on the court (and) just try to get better each day.”

That’s what Markkanen, Parker and the rest of the Bulls are doing too.

kcjohnson@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kcjhoop

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