What if the Chicago Bulls kept their own first-round picks?

We know the reputation of the Chicago Bulls front office. But just how different could the team look today in they did a little less before?

Fans (and even casual followers) of the Chicago Bulls are well aware of the perceptions of Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson and General Manager Gar Forman. The duo has seemingly been around forever but Paxson took over fully for predecessor Jerry Krause in 2003.

The Bulls have made the playoffs in 11 of the 16 seasons since, peaking in 2010 with an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals. That would be fine for some organizations, but one with the history the Bulls have needs more. They last won a title in 1998, 21 years ago. Certainly, there is a sense of another title-run being overdue in the city.

Could they have achieved that already by doing less?

Let’s take a look at what the roster could look like if the front office did what they do best (evaluate talent) and avoided their worst habit (overdoing). The players mentioned were all drafted by the current regime. Only current active players or players active within the last two seasons are included.

Players also must have been drafted by the Bulls originally. So, no, there won’t be an appearance from Lauri Markkanen (drafted by Minnesota) on this list. There won’t be any second rounders or players selected using the picks traded away by the Bulls, either. So no Jordan Bell or Mitchell Robinson. Lastly, liberties were taken with the salary cap, adjust accordingly.

You already know the old saying about hindsight. And with so many stipulations, this is clearly not meant to be a jab aimed at GarPax. The duo has done well so far in the rebuild, particularly this off-season. With that, here is the Chicago Bulls All-First-Round team.