Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott need to be better, and quickly

Growing pains were expected.

Oh, and growing pains came.

While Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott showed signs of improvement in their sophomore seasons with the Bulls, it didn’t exactly scream “future core players.’’

“I think with any young players, they’ll be ups and downs,’’ general manager Gar Forman said of both Mirotic and McDermott at the end of the 2016 season. “Obviously there were with both of them. I thought Doug made strides through the season. Niko I think’s played very well since the (complications from an appendicitis), shooting 44-45 (percent) from three since the injury.

“They’ve got to continue to grow also. I think they will because they’re workers and they have ability.’’

The problem Forman chose to overlook, however, was McDermott and Mirotic weren’t supposed to be searching for ability in year two. They were supposed to be displaying a talent level that the front office could count on to continue building the roster around.

The Bulls used two first-round picks to acquire McDermott with the 11th overall pick in the 2014 draft, while they waited three years to bring Mirotic over from the European League.

And the organization will still enter next season with serious questions about both.

“The big thing in this league is consistency,’’ VP of basketball operations John Paxson said. “The only way a coach or anyone in our position can have real confidence and trust in players is when you know what you’re going to get from them most nights, and that’s where these guys need to grow. Big summers for them, really big summers for them, but again, part of the deal that we always talk about is you get good character guys that want to work, and we know we have some guys who want to work.

“Now, we need to get them working on the right thing and getting better in those areas.”

WHAT’S COMING BACK

Mirotic – The stretch-four was finally able to find some consistency the last 22 games of the season – after his injury – shooting 45 percent from three, as well as averaging 14.1 points per game. Defense is still an issue.

McDermott – Definitely playing like a rotation player, and displayed more athleticism than he’s given credit for, but McDermott’s defense is still a serious work in progress.

Taj Gibson – The veteran big man will enter the final season of his contract, and was starting to play like a 30-year-old.

Mike Dunleavy – The Bulls have the option on Dunleavy for the 2017-18 season, but they need the veteran to play better before that, especially with back issues now seemingly behind him.

Tony Snell – The former first-round pick fell out of favor in the second half of the season, as the Bulls would love to ship him out in a trade this summer.

Bobby Portis – The high-energy rookie showed some flashes, but also showed some very raw moments, especially on the defensive side.

WHAT’S DEPARTING

Cameron Bairstow – The former second-round pick hasn’t played with the same physicality that he showed in practice early in his rookie year.

WHAT’S OUT THERE

Restricted free agent Harrison Barnes would be intriguing in the Fred Hoiberg offense, but why leave a title team for a fixer-upper? The Bulls not only need a physicality down low, but also a veteran who can bring toughness. That’s where a player like David West could be a sneaky good move.

THE DRAFT

Plenty of talented forwards at the top of the draft, but this is a position the Bulls don’t need to get younger at. Unless a major trade is made don’t expect them to try and add more youth here.