Luck wasn’t on the side of the Chicago Bulls during the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery last month as they fell from No. 6 to No. 7 in the order. But with a Top 10 pick in a loaded draft, the Bulls should be able to land a very talented player.
Chicago made the decision to rebuild when they traded Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves in last year’s NBA Draft. They acquired Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen in the process.
With No. 7 overall, the Bulls could go a few different routes.
The Bulls could go with a point guard by selecting Trae Young or Collin Sexton, especially if they are not comfortable with Dunn running the show next season. By drafting a point guard, the Bulls could have their facilitator of the future.
They could also go with a big man in the draft, hoping to pair him with Markkanen, giving them some dominant play for years to come.
It’s very likely that DeAndre Ayton, Marvin Bagley, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Mo Bamba are off the board before Chicago picks says Sascha Paruk from Sports Betting Dime. Duke’s Wendell Carter Jr., however, should still be available and would provide an immediate boost to the Bulls’ front court. The 6’10, 250-pound center played in the shadow of Marvin Bagley last year, but is better than his ex-teammate in a lot of ways; he’s a better jump shooter, better interior defender, better passer, and better finisher with his off-hand. He’s not the quick-twitch athlete that Bagley is, though, so there’s a risk that the NBA’s trend of getting smaller and speedier will limit his effectiveness at the next level.
Carter showed some flashes of being a really good player in his one year at Duke but he was often overshadowed by Bagley III. In a place where he can be one of the go-to guys, Carter could be the smart pick for Chicago.
As the landscape of the East could potentially change with LeBron James’ decision, the Bulls must be smart with this pick. They are building for the future and are hoping to put together a team that can compete in the East for years to come.
Now it’s just on the Bulls’ front office to do just that.