Chicago Bulls: International draft prospects Arturas Karnisovas could target
Chicago Bulls President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas has a history with international NBA draft prospects. That connection could grow stronger in the 2021 NBA Draft if the Bulls follow a similar approach to the one the team had in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Karnisovas was a part of the Denver Nuggets front office that selected soon-to-be league MVP Nikola Jokic 41st overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. Last year, Karnisovas selected Marko Simonovic 44th overall to close out his first draft as the lead man for the Chicago Bulls.
As the NBA season continues through the late stages, the possibility that the Bulls will not be owning their own 2021 first-round draft pick has become very real. While still possible, it is going to take some lottery ball luck if the Bulls are going to retain their first-round pick.
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Due to the trade deadline addition of Nikola Vucevic, the Bulls first-rounder in the upcoming draft is owed to the Orlando Magic unless it falls within the first four selections of the draft. It’s not impossible the Bulls get that pick but it is not something they can count on.
What they will have, though, is their second-round pick. They will have the right to swap that pick with the New Orleans Pelicans pick if they desire, meaning they will end up with the better of those two second-round draft selections.
There are a ton of reasons for the Bulls to target an international prospect like they did last season. First, the upside can be through the roof and Karnisovas has displayed at least somewhat of a knack for finding talent internationally.
Second, most second-rounders aren’t going to contribute right away anyway. So drafting a player with upside makes a lot of sense, even if they might not join the NBA roster for a few years. Also, these players could up their value while still playing internationally and by doing so, increase their trade value.
Here is an early look at three international prospects the Bulls front office could target in the 2021 NBA Draft.