Similar to the situation for the Chicago Bulls surrounding Washington, the former Gonzaga Bulldogs defensive standout forward Brandon Clarke just shouldn’t fall as high as seven. There is a certain level of discussion that is posing that Clarke could fall in the top 10 in this draft.
If Clarke does go in the top 10, we should just hope that it isn’t to the Bulls. If GarPax wanted to trade back later in the teens, even if it’s out of the lottery, then landing Clarke could be a solid move. He has a lot of appealing qualities as a pick in the late lottery, as does Washington. The player efficiency rating greater than 37 highlights that fact.
The offensive deficiencies just seem to be too great for Clarke. The Bulls need an offensive jolt from whatever player falls to them at No. 7. Clarke is a career 25 percent shooter from three-point range and slightly under 62 percent from the free throw line. He also doesn’t do much to generate offense for others.
The attraction between the Bulls and Clarke should be two-fold if this team trades back. He fills a positional need and could likely be the best player available if the Bulls were picking around 12-14 due to trading back. He could be a solid wing or power forward in a small ball lineup that also bolsters a Boylen defense that struggled last season.