There's no mistake about it: the Chicago Bulls are gearing up for a playoff run. That's right, not just a Play-In Tournament appearance—a full-fledged playoff run. Winners of eight of their last 10, the Bulls are riding high, especially more so after Josh Giddey sunk a 47-foot buzzer-beater to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers for the second time in a week.
While the Bulls have their sights set on the playoffs, the 2025 draft class is surely in the back of the Front Office's mind. Even though Vice President of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas has, time and time again, made it known he doesn't strive for better lottery odds, a top-10 selection is nothing to gripe about.
Now, with over a 75 percent chance to select a prospect with the 11th-overall pick (for the second season in a row), the Bulls' big board has surely changed from what it was over a month ago. Thus, instead of the VJ Edgecombe's, Derik Queen's, and Khaman Maluach's, Chicago's focus will be on the late-lottery grouping. The latter portion of the lottery offers numerous freshmen, which fit the Bulls' timeline. However, several of those projected in the double-digits don't fit the Bulls' roster construction or biggest needs, namely, Michigan State's Jase Richardson.
3 Reasons why Jase Richardson would be a horrible fit on the Bulls
3. Unassuming physical profile
Jase Richardson? Hm. Yeah, that's right! Jason Richardson's son. The same Jason Richardson could and should be considered one of the best dunkers of all time. So, that means his son should be a high-flying swingman, like his father, right? Wrong.
At 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, the younger Richardson is a below-the-rim athlete. He's extremely quick, sure, but he's not one to throw down dunks in traffic. Richardson is more of a finesse finisher. The Spartan guard isn't necessarily a player who's imposing physically, yet he did attempt 3.3 free throws per contest this season, which ranked second on Michigan State.
An above-the-rim athlete is obviously more sought-after. However, players of similar ilks, such as Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham, were lottery picks a season ago. Nonetheless, a smaller, middling athlete shouldn't be a target of the Bulls, no matter how good of an all-around scorer they are. The Bulls already roster Lonzo Ball, Jevon Carter, Ayo Dosunmu, Josh Giddey (pending free agent), Tre Jones (pending free agent), and Coby White. While each of the aforementioned guards is skillful in a myriad of ways, none are plus-athletes.
2. Questionable NBA position fit
A strong, three-level scorer, yet undersized, Richardson does not fit particularly well at shooting or point guard. He averaged merely 2.0 assists per game while suiting up next to Jeremiah Fears, who led the Spartans in assists at 5.4 per contest. The freshman wasn't even second on the team, that would be junior Tre Holloman who dished out 3.8 dimes per game.
Richardson offers a score-first mentality—something that the Spartans yearned for. Despite starting only 13 games and averaging 25.0 minutes per contest, Richardson ranked second on the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game. He also shot incredibly well from the floor and beyond the arc.
The 19-year-old is a pure scorer, but at 6-foot-3, his size suggests he'd line up as a point guard in the pros. However, it's worth noting that the NBA has strayed from the old-school, one through five positions. Still, NBA point guards are the tallest they've ever been, averaging 6-foot-2 and a half. Richardson, at 6-foot-3 (potentially smaller), would fit well next to Giddey alone (at 6-foot-8). But with 6-foot-5 White and the numerous guards, 6-foot-5 and smaller, already on the roster, Richardson's questionable NBA fit doesn't pose a question the Bulls should deliberately answer.
1. Bulls' crowded backcourt
The final point couldn't be more obvious. The Bulls don't need more guards. Chicago's two best players are point guards—Giddey and White. While the latter is more of a scorer, and the former is the size of a power forward, their natural positions are the point.
Besides the starting backcourt, Ball, Dosunmu, and Carter will be back next season. Also, Kevin Huerter and Dalen Terry are considered guards, even though they play exclusively off-ball. The Bulls' backcourt is crowded and will continue to be until multiple players' contracts expire in the near future.
A surplus of ball handlers isn't a bad thing, but if Chicago's recent success is an indicator, a more balanced lineup is more capable of winning games. After routinely trotting out four guards alongside Nikola Vucevic at the beginning of the season, Head Coach Billy Donovan has started two guards (6-foot-5 or taller) next to a wing, a forward, and Vucevic. The Bulls have seen success with a bigger lineup, especially on defense, and things should stay that way.