Pippen Ain’t Easy’s Post-Lottery 2017 NBA Draft Big Board
Now that the NBA Draft Lottery is in the books and the draft order is set, here’s a post-Lottery look at the Chicago Bulls and what they could/should be looking for with their picks in the 2017 NBA Draft.
I hate to break it to you, Chicago Bulls fans, but your team did not win the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday night.
I know it’s a tough pill to swallow and the Bulls had absolutely no chance of winning it (and they didn’t get the Kings pick in the first round either), but hey, it’s a new day and we’ve got much more to discuss.
With the lottery done and over with, the Bulls (and everyone else) know where everyone will sit for June’s draft. Could a Jimmy Butler trade happen before then or on draft night itself? Absolutely. But for now, the Bulls will have the 16th overall pick and the 38th pick thanks to that Luol Deng trade from three years ago that basically got them nothing. (That’s peak GarPax.)
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Since the Bulls have been eliminated and there’s plenty of time for discussing what the Bulls are going to do come draft time, let’s put together a big board of draft prospects that could/should be options for the Bulls front office.
Here’s a stipulation: We’ll use the most recent Draft Express 2017 NBA (mock) Draft after Tuesday’s lottery, which means that the board you’re about to see is full of options that are available when the Bulls are up at No. 16.
That means these names are off the board: Markelle Fultz (Washington), Lonzo Ball (UCLA), Josh Jackson (Kansas), Jayson Tatum (Duke), De’Aaron Fox (Kentucky), Malik Monk (Kentucky), Jonathan Isaac (Florida State), Dennis Smith (North Carolina State), Lauri Markkanen (Arizona), Zach Collins (Gonzaga), Frank Ntilikina (France), Donovan Mitchell (Louisville), OG Anunoby (Indiana) and Justin Jackson (North Carolina).
With those names already gone, here’s a look at what could and should be open to the Bulls at No. 16 (and No. 38).
Age: 20 years old
Measurements: 196 pounds, 6’4.5″ (w/o shoes), 6’5.25″ wingspan, 8’2.5″ standing reach
37 games, 35.5 MPG, 19.5 PPG on 52.5 percent shooting, 43.8 3-point percentage
The current DX mock draft projection for the Bulls after the lottery, Luke Kennard was the 2017 ACC Tournament Game MVP after the Blue Devils won four games in four days against Clemson, Louisville, rival North Carolina and Notre Dame in the title game.
A legitimate ACC Player of the Year candidate all season long, Kennard’s true shooting percentage jumped 11 percent (!) in his sophomore season at Duke (56 to 67 percent) and 43.8 percent from deep on over five attempts per game. The Bulls need shooting and Kennard can bring just that.
What to like:
Kennard’s shooting would be a massive asset right off the bat for the Bulls. The Bulls weren’t the worst 3-point shooting team in the league, but they weren’t far from being that team.
The 20-year-old from Franklin, OH can create his own shot and had the ball in his hands a lot last season for a Duke squad that was decimated by injuries throughout the year.
In DX’s breakdown of Kennard’s jump from his freshman year to his sophomore year, his isolation and pick-and-roll numbers went up. Those plays went from 15 percent to 28 percent of his offense. His player efficiency rating was 27.8 with a 136.9 offensive rating last season.
He’s a good player that’s getting better.