Chicago Bulls want to ‘stay put’ at 4 if Deni Avdija is still available
A key 2020 NBA Draft target of the Chicago Bulls with the fourth overall pick in the first round looks to be the 6-foot-7 wing Deni Avdija.
It does appear as if one of the top targets with their fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft for the Chicago Bulls is shaping up to be the sizable 6-foot-7 Maccabi Tel Aviv wing Deni Avdija. It makes a lot of sense from multiple angles that one of the top draft targets for the Bulls would be Avdija.
The 19-year-old wing played overseas in the EuroLeague with Maccabi Tel Aviv for the last few years. During the 2019-20 season with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Avdija played in 26 games (averaging just over 14 minutes per game). And he averaged 4.0 points per game, 2.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.2 blocks. Avdija shot 43.6 percent from the field, 27.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 55.6 percent from the free-throw line.
If the Bulls were to pick Avdija with their fourth overall pick in this draft, then they could fill both a positional need in the rotation and get one of the prospects left on the board with the most talent and highest ceiling. That would be a nice combination to get out of one draft pick for this rebuilding Bulls team.
And a recent mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report expresses the interest that the Bulls have in Avdija if they stay with the fourth pick. Here’s more on what Wasserman of Bleacher Report had to say in this mock draft about the Bulls picking Avdija fourth.
"Unless the Chicago Bulls put Lauri Markkanen on the block, it’s tough to picture them moving up for LaMelo Ball. It seems unlikely the Minnesota Timberwolves want to reunite with Zach LaVine via trade, and assuming the Bulls aren’t willing to take back Andrew Wiggins from the Golden State Warriors, a deal with them seems unlikely as well.The Bulls figure stay put at No. 4 if they believe Deni Avdija will be there. Rival teams have told Bleacher Report they think Chicago could be interested in Tyrese Haiburton. But Avdija sounds equally valued around the league. And his two-way versatility at the forward spots and success in Israel and Euroleague could give him the edge."
There appears to be a decent to good chance that the Bulls at least try and trade up to get in the top three in this draft. But if all they want to do is wait and land Avdija, then it wouldn’t make much sense for them to give up additional assets to trade up to get him.
That is unless they really like him and feel that the Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors, and/or Minnesota Timberwolves are interested in him and are picking ahead of the Bulls.
Other key prospects to watch that the Bulls could snag in the lottery includes point guard LaMelo Ball, center James Wiseman, forward Obi Toppin, point guard Tyrese Haliburton, and maybe even shooting guard Anthony Edwards. This piece mentions Avdija and Haliburton as two of the key targets that the Bulls could pick fourth.
Next. 3 updated trade packages to get Victor Oladipo. dark
If the Bulls to add depth on the wing, then they could have a rotation at the three that includes veteran Otto Porter Jr. and third-year small forward Chandler Hutchison. Picking Avdija could put the Bulls in a situation to ride out OPJ’s current expensive contract and then move the young overseas product as the starting wing of the future for this rebuild.