Five Directions the Bulls Could Go in the Draft

1. Backup Point Guard

Mar 28, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Jerian Grant (22) dribbles defended by Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) in the finals of the midwest regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

We might as well rename this the “Chad Ford memorial selection” because this is what Ford always pegs the Bulls as doing. Last year he predicted they would take Tyler Ennis. They instead selected McDermott. This year he has predicted the Bulls to take either Delon Wright or Jerian Grant in this situation.

Delon Wright: Wright was the best player on an excellent Utah team that had very little offensive options. He created baskets off pick and rolls using his acceleration and athleticism to score. He is not a great shooter, but is great at getting to the rim. You could say he has been overlooked during this entire college career at Utah because, well, it was Utah. He is good at almost everything, but not great at one thing. If the Bulls are looking for versatility, Wright can bring it to the backcourt.

The knock on Wright is he is 23 years old. If the Bulls are going to draft him, he would have to make an impact almost immediately. He is competing with guys in the draft that are going to be immensely better when they get to his age in three or four years. If you don’t think that matters, keep in mind that McDermott is older than Kyrie Irving.

If the Bulls select Wright, he would likely fill the Brooks role on the team—create offense for the second unit. This is basically what he did at Utah his entire career. One problem is that the Bulls aren’t going to play like they did under Tom Thibodeau, meaning that role may not even exist next season.

Jerian Grant: Grant was the leader of a Notre Dame team that not only captured America’s hearts, but played exactly how the Bulls want to play next season. The Irish, even though they only used six guys in the tournament, used beautiful, unselfish, flowing basketball to have one of their best seasons ever under Mike Brey. Grant already knows how to play the style Hoiberg is looking for.

His best attributes are his size (6’5”), unselfishness, and freakish athleticism. Grant will have no trouble blowing past NBA guards on offense and staying in front of them on defense. Like Wright, Grant is already 23, and there are questions of how much better he can really get. But the NBA is in his bloodlines, with his uncle being Bulls legend Horace Grant. He has the physical tools and mental fortitude to succeed with the Bulls next season and in the coming years. If I’m the Bulls and looking to draft a backup point guard, I’m going Grant.

Final Thoughts: If the Bulls went this route, it would fall under the “helping the immediate roster” side of the equation. But, if Chicago does need a backup point guard to help their roster for next season, history says they will do it through free agency. Backup point guards they have signed in free agency in the last few seasons alone include Brooks, Kirk Hinrich, Nate Robinson, D.J. Augustin, John Lucas III, and C.J. Watson.

Signing a backup point guard is cheaper, a shorter commitment and less of a gamble than drafting one. Plus, competent backup point guards are always available. Upcoming free agent backup point guards that the Bulls could get include Brooks, Robinson, Matthew Dellavedova, Watson, Donald Sloan, and Gary Neal.

History says the Bulls draft players to be a key asset in the long-term future, not to backup up a player that is only 26 years old and is signed through the next two seasons.

Next: 2. Athletic wing player