Who Should The Chicago Bulls Take In The NBA Draft

The Chicago Bulls have to be smarting these days. Watching the Eastern Conference Finals from home is not what the Bulls envisioned themselves doing in the month of May. A dismal season by the Bulls standards had them on the outside looking in when it came to the NBA Playoffs. Now the Bulls are besieged with trade rumors, some of which have been reported by The Inquisitr, some by other media outlets. This was the first season since the 2008 draft that the Chicago Bulls were in the NBA Draft Lottery. It is their hope that it is the last time for a while.

The results of the draft lottery did not go the way that the Chicago Bulls had hoped. They had the worst odds of any team involved. And since no one expected the Bulls to leapfrog the other 13 teams involved. It is likely that no one in the Bulls’ organization expected a top-3 draft pick either.

Fox Sports reported that the Bulls only had a 0.5 percent chance to land the top pick. The 1.7 percent chance of winning the No. 3 pick all but doomed the Chicago Bulls, who finished the season with a 42-40 record. Most of the players that were scouted had to be players who are expected to be selected in the backend of the lottery.

Going into the draft, the Chicago Bulls have a few needs. The Bulls need more shooting, athleticism, a point guard and center. That is too many needs to fill in one offseason, unless they acquire players via trade and free agency. At least the Bulls can take care of one of their biggest needs in the upcoming draft.

The three players in the draft who would be perfect for the Bulls are Kris Dunn, Buddy Hield, and Demetrius Jacksom.

Each of them are guards. Dunn and Jackson are two of the top point guards in the draft. Hield is the best shooter. First, what the Bulls have to do is settle on their identity. Then they have to come to terms that neither player may be available in the draft.

Kris Dunn and Buddy Hield are assured to be gone. Demetrius Jackson is a few great workouts away from going early also. That leaves Kentucky’s Tyler Ulis and Denzel Valentine from Michigan State.

There is a dark horse in the Bulls’ draft plans. That would be Syracuse guard Malachi Richardson.

Richardson came on late in the season and helped the Orange get to the Final Four. He has enough upside for a team to take a chance one. If neither of the aforementioned players are on the board, Malachi Richardson may wind up the Chicago Bulls’ pick.

Richardson has the combination of height and playmaking ability that the Bulls covet. If they want to play the brand of basketball that coach Fred Hoiberg prefers, he could be the choice. First, the Bulls must decide what type of team they are going to be.

.@D_Jay24 shows athleticism at pre-draft workout: https://t.co/fu7kkAJmtc #NBADraft

— Priority Sports (@PrioritySports) May 25, 2016

Are the Chicago Bulls a team who wants to run and gun?

Are the Bulls an inside-outside team?

Those qualities will be answered depending on who they draft. The Bulls have to find a replacement for Derrick Rose, who will likely leave in a trade, or in the 2017 offseason. Center Joakim Noah is expected to leave this offseason. So will power forward Pau Gasol. Noah and Gasol leaving will create a hole at the center position.

Miami’s Hassan Whiteside and Houston’s Dwight Howard are the top centers in the free-agency pool. It is widely assumed that the Bulls have interest in both of them. The Bulls also figure to inquire about the Philadelphia 76ers’ Jahlil Okafor.

Okafor was put on the trading block a couple of days ago by the 76ers. According to CSN Philly, the chances are great that Jahlil Okafor will be playing with a new team. It would be ideal if he landed with the Bulls.

A Bulls’ offseason that includes a new center and guard would be a perfect one. If the Chicago Bulls opt for going with a guard in the draft, as predicted here, look for them to add a center in free-agency.

[Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images]