The Chicago Bulls are in the unenviable position of not having a good enough roster to win a championship, but not being bad enough to get a high-level draft selection in Thursday’s NBA Draft in Brooklyn.
As it stands right now, the Bulls are holding the 22nd pick in the draft, but there is always a possibility that they could make a move to change that.
They could choose to move up in the draft, like they did a year ago when they moved up to take Doug McDermott out of Creighton, and they could do that again this season depending on the needs of the teams ahead of them.
Some clubs like the Oklahoma City Thunder are among those looking to potentially move down in the order, but then the issue for the Bulls would be whether or not they could pull together an attractive enough package of picks and players to acquire the 14th overall selection.
Taj Gibson’s name has come up frequently, but it seems unlikely that the Thunder would be satisfied with Gibson and the 22nd pick.
The Bulls could also choose to move down in the order, but doing so would largely depend on the kind of talent that was left on the board. If players like Jerian Grant or Montrezl Harrell slip down the board, another team could look to jump up and take advantage of a player with a lot of potential, but not a lot of polish.
If the Bulls end up keeping the pick, then there are several different routes that they could take.
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Taking a player like Grant or Terry Rozier would be a smart move if the Bulls want to gain some insurance at the point guard position (always a need with the seemingly-endless health issues of Derrick Rose), or they could go with a shooting guard to serve as insurance if Jimmy Butler decides to sign elsewhere, with players like Rashad Vaughn looking like he could be a great prospect at the two-guard spot.
The Bulls could also look to bolster their depth at the big man position (a big-time need if Gibson is ultimately traded), and there are plenty of players that could fit that bill.
Harrell would obviously be a candidate, and Bobby Portis could be as well if he slips down the board a bit (most mock drafts and boards have him just outside of the lottery).
Whichever direction the Bulls go, it will be an indication of where Fred Hoiberg is leading the Bulls in his first year at the helm.
Gar Forman and John Paxson still run the personnel show, but they will have to make sure that whichever player they draft has the athleticism to play effectively in his up-tempo system.
