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2017 NBA Draft: How the Bulls could attack their needs with the No. 16 and 38 picks

By Michael Whitlow

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2017 NBA Draft could be a good start in the Bulls actually retooling a roster worth watching.
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai -USA TODAY Sports /

The 2017 NBA Draft presents two opportunities (at No. 16 and No. 38) for the Chicago Bulls to address roster needs before free agency starts in early July. Here’s what they need and how they can address those needs.

After the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery confirmed that the Sacramento Kings would remain inside of the top 10 picks in next month’s draft, the Chicago Bulls were awarded a second-round pick, courtesy of the Luol Deng trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers three years ago.

(Yes, finally … the talks of the Bulls getting a first-round pick from the Kangz can end mercifully with this draft.)

Having mentioned that, the Bulls will have two picks in the 2017 NBA Draft at No. 16 (their own pick from this season) and the No. 38 overall selection via the Kings in June’s draft, which means they now have two opportunities to address a few roster needs for the 2017-18 season.

There’s no telling yet if the Bulls will keep these picks or even pick from these positions on the 60-pick board come next month. But, for this exercise, we’ll assume that everything remains the status quo and that Jimmy Butler remains on the Bulls roster along with Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade picking up his almost $24 million player option for next season to keep the “Three Alphas” together for at least one more year.

The Bulls had plenty of problems in the 2016-17 season. Although they got “younger” like Bulls general manager Gar Forman said they would last summer, they didn’t necessarily get “more athletic” after the departures of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah via trade and free agency respectively.

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On top of their lack of athleticism, the Bulls were among the league’s worst teams shooting the 3-pointer. Only six teams shot the 3 worse than the Bulls and their 34 percent per-game team average this season.

(Minnesota, coached by former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, was the only team in the league behind the Bulls in 3-pointers attempt per per game at 21.0, while the Bulls were at 22.3.)

Another issue glaring the Bulls in the face if Jimmy Butler remains in Chicago: who can help the Third Team All-NBA member and Robin Lopez out defensively? It’s clear that Rondo and Wade can’t and last year’s first-round pick Denzel Valentine hardly saw action in the postseason this year because of his defense. Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis have had their struggles on the defensive end, too.

That’s not a good look for GarPax.

So, let’s address these issues with some youthful options that could assist the Bulls in the 2017-18 season and beyond as members of the Bulls’ core.

(Note: the options here were used based off the most recent Draft Express 2017 NBA Draft mock and it includes players that are and are not available to the Bulls at the 16th and 38th selections. Virtually every player on this list of guys is within the vicinity of the Bulls’ two draft picks in DX’s latest mock. “See a need, fill a need.”)

Tyler Lydon, 2017 NBA Draft prospect.
Jan 24, 2017; Syracuse, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Tyler Lydon (20) shoots the ball over Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Keyshawn Woods (1) during the second half at the Carrier Dome. The Orange won 81-76. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

3-point shooting

Let’s just say it: the Bulls suck shooting the 3. You know it and I know it.

Here’s what the sorted list of the Bulls’ 3-point percentage leaders look like from the 2016-17 season: Anthony Morrow (42.9 percent on 1.6 attempts per game), Rajon Rondo (37.6 percent on 1.9 attempts per game) and Doug McDermott (37.6 percent on 3.4 attempts per game).

One of these guys hardly played after being traded from Oklahoma City, the other is encouraged by defense to shoot any perimeter jumper and the other isn’t even in Chicago anymore. That’s not ideal at all.

The Bulls need perimeter shooting and have next to none on their current roster. Nikola Mirotic (34.2 percent on 5.4 attempts per game) had an awful year before he was slated to enter restricted free agency.

Basically, nobody that qualified (meaning shot more than two 3s a game) shot better than 37.6 percent from deep this year. The NBA has evolved into perimeter shooting being an absolute requirement to have success. (Just look at Boston, Cleveland and Golden State.)

Here’s who the Bulls could look at to address their need (at No. 16):

  • Duke’s Luke Kennard: Shot 43.8 percent from the college 3 on 5.4 attempts per game during his leap from his freshman to sophomore season.
  • North Carolina’s Justin Jackson: After two seasons at Chapel Hill shooting around 30 percent from deep, Jackson exploded to shoot 37 percent from 3 on 7.1 attempts per game in his junior season for the title-winning Tar Heels.
  • Trading down a few spots to potentially take … Syracuse’s Tyler Lydon: A 6-foot-10 forward from the ‘Cuse, Lydon shot 39.8 percent on an average of 3.5 attempts per game from 3 in his two season with the Orange. Lydon could be seen as Mirotic insurance if the Montenegrin doesn’t return to Chicago this summer.

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Here’s who the Bulls could look at to address their need (at No. 38):

  • SMU’s Semi Ojeleye: The current projection for the Bulls at Draft Express with this pick, Semi Ojeleye shot 42.9 percent from 3 this past season on 4.9 attempts for the Mustangs. He’s a really good athlete (more on those in a bit) and his shot could make him a target.
  • Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan: Consider me biased because Biggie was my vote for national player of the year this past season, but the forward show great strides in his sophomore season, including an improved 3-point shot. He only took 2.4 attempts per game, but shot a shade under 45 percent this season. The Bulls have forwards that can step out already, but Swanigan could be a later sleeper in this draft class if the Bulls’ depth chart changes.
  • Trading down a few spots to potentially take … Villanova’s Josh Hart: This feels like such a Bulls pick because of Hart’s experience and tenure at Villanova, but despite his lack of eye-popping athleticism, Josh Hart rose up draft boards all over in the last couple of years. He shot 40.4 percent on 5.1 attempts per game for the Wildcats during their title-defending season last year.
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