Chicago Bulls’ 2019 draft prospects: Don’t sleep on Naz Reid
By Luke Askew
The 2019 NBA Draft is one of the most important drafts in recent memory for the Chicago Bulls. They should make sure to take a long look at LSU’s Naz Reid.
The NBA playoffs started this weekend and to no one’s surprise, the Chicago Bulls aren’t involved. Instead, they’re at home trying to piece together a plan to get back on track. The first step: put together a successful 2019 draft.
Despite most of the draft talk being focused on the first four or five picks, having a successful draft goes far beyond the top-5.
It’s not the Bulls’ first pick I’m worried about. They’re going to take Zion Williamson if they win the lottery, and if not, it’s starting to look like a best-player-available type of draft. The only exception would be taking Darius Garland over guys like Jarrett Culver and De’Andre Hunter for positional reasons.
I’m worried about how the Bulls will handle the draft after their first pick.
There are a ton of good options for the Bulls in the second round, but trading up into the first round is something they should consider. One guy they should be taking a long, hard look at is Naz Reid.
The 19-year-old big man from LSU was a five-star recruit and was No. 12 on the 2018 ESPN 100. He proved his worth during his short stint at LSU, averaging 13.6 points per game on 46.8% shooting from the field and 33.3% shooting from 3-point range to go along with 7.2 rebounds and 0.7 blocks.
For a big guy, Reid moves his feet incredibly well on both offense and defense. He’s way more nimble than he looks. He also has phenomenal hands, he can handle the ball, he has unlimited range (he’s a way better shooter than his 3-point percentage indicates) and he’s a really good rebounder. He’s the perfect center for the modern NBA.
Obviously, the Bulls aren’t looking for big men in the draft that can step in and be day-one starters (unless they stumble upon Zion Williamson). But they do need to add some depth in the frontcourt. Outside of Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr. and Robin Lopez, the Bulls don’t have much to work with. Plus, Lopez is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, meaning he can sign wherever he wants. Yes, Reid is only 19 years old, but he’s ready to help an NBA team right now.
The best part about Naz Reid, though? He’s being slept on.
A lot of mock drafts and big boards have Reid going somewhere in the second round. If he falls to the Bulls, they should absolutely take him. It’s a no-brainer. But if he picks up some buzz during pre-draft workouts, Chicago should consider moving some pieces and trading up to snag him. He’s that good.
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Reid has the potential to be a star at the next level but also has an extremely high floor. Would it surprise me if he doesn’t end up being a star? Of course not. There are very few legitimate stars in the NBA. But there’s no way he ends up being bad. At the very minimum, he’ll be a reliable rotation player for many, many years.