The Chicago Bulls are in a position where they need to hit on a few draft picks in consecutive years to turn around the franchise.
With a lot of holes on the roster, it won’t be easy to rebuild on the fly. Their 2016 first round pick, Denzel Valentine, saw limited action last season so it’s tough to judge what they have in him.
But the 2017 NBA Draft is more important than ever.
Chicago will pick 16th this year and won’t likely won’t get the Kings first round pick (they have less than .05 chance of getting it). They can find a playmaker in the middle of the first round and have the option of taking almost any player as they have plenty of holes.
One of those holes is point guard.
When Rajon Rondo went down with the Bulls up 2-0 over the Boston Celtics, the series turned. Chicago’s point guards were ineffective and it cost the team.
There are good guards in this draft including Lonzo Ball, Dennis Smith, Markelle Fultz and even De’Aaron Fox. It appears the Bulls have done their homework on at least one of those players.
Here’s what beat reporter Nick Friedell Tweeted out:
Interesting note: DeAaron Fox said spoke to the Bulls' front office during his time at the Combine.
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) May 12, 2017
Hmm.
Fox was outstanding in his one season at Kentucky and outplayed Ball in the team’s Sweet 16 matchup. The point guard is quick and can score, something the Bulls need. But will he be there at 16?
The latest report following the combine has Fox shooting up draft boards and passing Ball.
Here’s what insider Chad Ford wrote:
“There also seems to be a growing movement among teams to rank Kentucky’s Fox ahead of Ball,” Ford said. “No one helped himself more in March than Fox did. He has a chance to go as high as No. 2 or No. 3 in this draft.”
Ford also went on to mention Smith is receiving more praise and all four players could go right at the top of the draft.
If that happens, the Bulls wont have a shot at drafting one of the point guards unless they trade up.
The best scenario for the Bulls is that one of the four somehow fall and Chicago can move up a few spots to land one.
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