Chicago Bulls: 5 times Jerry Krause whiffed in the NBA Draft as GM

3. Eddy Curry, Center

This was officially the point at which the Bulls were beginning to botch their rebuild efforts in the post-Jordan years under Krause’s direction as general manager. The Bulls didn’t get much right in the NBA Draft in the very early 2000’s, as evidenced by their strategy with the likes of center Eddy Curry and standout defensive big man Tyson Chandler.

The Bulls picked Curry with the fourth overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. He would be their second straight miss with the fourth overall draft pick in the first round. The Bulls had picked Fizer with the fourth overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft. You would think given the improved 2001 NBA Draft pick that Krause would try a different strategy.

If that’s what Bulls fans thought back in the day, they thought wrong.

Selected with the two picks after Curry in the 2001 draft were two players that at least tripled the career win shares of him. The Golden State Warriors picked the former Michigan State Spartans shooting guard Jason Richardson fifth, and the Memphis Grizzlies picked the former Duke Blue Devils small forward Shane Battier sixth.

Picked after Curry were also Tony Parker, Richard Jefferson, Joe Johnson, Zach Randolph, Gerald Wallace, and Gilbert Arenas.

Curry wasn’t considered as thorough of a draft bust as Fizer, but neither contributed much value to the Bulls during the early 2000’s rebuild years. He played in four seasons with the Bulls while averaging 11.8 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.9 blocks, while shooting 52.9 percent from the field.

He would be dished out to the New York Knicks during the 2005 offseason, for a return that would include Tim Thomas.