Chicago Bulls: Missing on point guard in NBA Draft could be best-case

It’s obvious that the Chicago Bulls need to find a better point guard in the offseason, but it doesn’t mean that route is through the draft.

Picking seventh overall in the NBA Draft for the third consecutive year, the Chicago Bulls might be missing out on a point guard prospect. Ja Morant is all-but guaranteed to be with the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 2. Darius Garland seems headed to the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 4. Further, Coby White seems to have received a top-six offer, which means he’s very unlikely to make it past No. 6, the pick owned by the Phoenix Suns.

There’s still something absent in this Chicago Bulls rebuild, and if you’ve read any of the team’s coverage this offseason, you’d understand the outcry for a point guard. Point play was so rough last season, especially from the starter Kris Dunn, that head coach Jim Boylen had to employ a dual ball carrier system.

While this isn’t an endorsement for the point guard roulette the Bulls rolled-out last season, addressing the position in free agency avoids trying to bring another young guy in to figure it out with the other young guys.

Basically, there’s going to come a point and time where this team has to get more experience on the roster. Considering they brought in the more experienced Otto Porter Jr. last season, it seems the front office is hinting movement in that direction. The second-youngest roster in the NBA at an average age of 24.3, there needs to be a couple of veterans added to this roster if this team has any interest in making the playoffs.

On the free agent market, there are a plethora of veteran options for a team like the Bulls to find, at the very least, someone competent to lead the position. Darren Collison played playoff basketball last season and is a poster child for consistency. Ricky Rubio is on the table if you want some Spanish flair. Patrick Beverley brings leadership and hard-nosed play, not to mention he’s from the Windy City. Not to mention, Derrick Rose is on the market this season and seems to have resolved animosity with the organization.

Think about Dunn, who’s most experienced team/position-mate was Rubio in Minnesota. I’m not sure how good of a player Dunn was ever going to be, but he’s never even had a veteran point guard to gel with, to school him on the little things that make NBA basketball work at a high level. Bringing in another young point guard without a league senior in the position group might just result in the same frustrations the front office has in Dunn.

Instead of focusing its efforts on the pair of draft prospect point guards in their range, both with their share of red flags, the Bulls might have a chance at an awesome player. Instead of a guy to fill a roster gap, they could get a player who can work their way into a starting role with time and focus.

Jarrett Culver led his Texas Tech team to the NCAA Championship and was excellent on the run, some even considering him a top-three talent in the 2019 NBA Draft. De’Andre Hunter led the Virginia Cavaliers with defense and physicality, won the NCAA title. Cam Reddish, meanwhile, wasn’t featured at Duke but could blossom into on the of the league’s finest scorers. Meanwhile, White and Garland seem like they might be solid guards, but maybe never great players.

While this draft class isn’t the best group when it comes to cut-and-clear starter talent, there’s a lot of guys in this draft who have the tools to be great but need refinement. Drafting a guy like Reddish or Culver means you could have an awesome developing in your organization, which could be a trade asset.

Essentially, if it’s a point-guard-or-bust mentality in the NBA Draft, there’s a good chance Bulls fans are going to be disappointed. Instead, missing on a draft point guard yields better results for the roster as a whole heading into the 2019-2020 NBA season when it tips off in four months.