Chicago Bulls: 5 realistic 2019 draft night trade partners
Boston Celtics
Boston rumors are swirling that the Celtics are interested in Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver and he may be there at No. 7 depending what the Pelicans do at No. 4. If Boston can package two of their three first-round picks in this year’s draft then Chicago can take trade back and still get two lottery-talent players.
Boston holds picks No. 14, 20, and 22 and a strong case for trading up. The C’s are losing Kyrie Irving and Al Horford for starters, so Danny Ainge is in quick rebuild mode and will likely be attempting to move up to assist Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Whether Culver fits the Celtics next move or they look at Jaxson Hayes, Cam Reddish, or Bol Bol to fill gaps at forward and center, the Bulls have an opportunity to draft more than one player for the second-straight year in the first round.
The talent drop off after Zion, Ja Morant (Murray State), and R.J. Barrett (Duke) isn’t drastic as Garland, Hunter, Culver, White, and Reddish are all quality players that would be lottery picks in almost any draft class.
If the Bulls are willing to drop back to as far as 14 and 20/22, then they’d have to be sure they’re singing a veteran via free agency and have a draft sleeper in mind at one of those two picks. Chicago can’t afford to miss at seven in this year’s draft let alone 14 or 20.
Draft prospects for the Bulls at No. 20 and 22 include: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Virginia Tech), Luka Samanic (Croatia), Cameron Johnson (North Carolina), Kevin Porter Jr. (USC), Bruno Fernando (Maryland) and Brandon Clarke (Gonzaga).
Chicago can get some good talent later in the first-round and if they have two selections at 14 and 20, I imagine it will be hard to miss this year, but Bulls management always finds a way to shock us.
The only deal that would be able to get done between the two would include three draft picks and that’s it. The Celtics only player the Bulls have interest in and can afford is Terry Rozier.
If Rozier is ready for a new home, has a contract worked out, and the two teams have already discussed this with him and his agent behind closed doors then we might have a draft night surprise, but those chances are slim.
If the Celtics and Bulls can work out a sign-and-trade deal for Rozier including the first round picks there could be an opportunity for both teams to benefit. The chance the two pull anything off all goes back to if who the Pelicans trade the No. 4 pick to, but a trade with or without Rozier would still accelerate the Bulls rebuild.
Bulls receive: Celtics No. 14 overall pick, No. 20 overall pick
Celtics receive: Bulls No. 7 overall pick
OR (if humanly possible):
Bulls receive: Celtics No. 14 overall pick, No. 20 overall pick, Terry Rozier
Celtics receive: Bulls No. 7 overall pick, No. 38 overall pick, Future first-round pick top-five protected
Other than Rozier, the only way a deal gets done between the two is Chicago’s No. 7 pick for Boston’s No. 14 and 20. Let’s have some wishful thinking we land Rozier this summer.