We're inching closer to the NBA Draft. As the NBA postseason picks up steam, those from the outside looking in have turned their focus toward the offseason. Of course, after falling to the Miami Heat in the Play-In Tournament, the Chicago Bulls are one of these teams.
The offseason is prime for a barrage of transactions, beginning with the NBA Draft. Chicago will select a prospect, then sign said player to a four-year pact, likely between $23 and $25 million, depending on where the Bulls land in the draft lottery.
Nonetheless, Chicago's next transaction is nearly as important as its first. The Bulls will select another prospect in the second round of the NBA Draft. Yet, unlike the first round, this player's contract is not set in stone. Chicago will sign their second-round pick to either a two-way contract, a three-year pact, or a four-year deal with partial guarantees. And in today's NBA, salary cap flexibility is all the rage. Thus, selecting an impact player on the draft's second night has never been more important.
North Carolina freshman Drake Powell declared for the NBA Draft
Coincidentally, one of the most promising, yet underutilized prospects entered their names in the draft this week. North Carolina's Drake Powell, a former top-15 recruit, declared for the NBA Draft following an under-the-radar season for the Tar Heels.
Because of Powell's so-so statistics and modest usage rate, he's been widely considered a second-round pick. Powell is Bleacher Report's 38th-ranked, ESPN's 32nd-ranked, and No Ceilings' 48th-ranked prospect in the 2025 draft class.
The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.0 three-pointers per game for the Tar Heels. He converted 48.3 percent of his field goals and 37.9 percent of his triples. Although efficient, Powell's usage rate, 13.8 percent, ranked dead last on the squad.
While the flashes were intriguing, Powell appeared limited in offensive and defensive creation. The 19-year-old didn't do much offensively besides spot-up triples and straight-line drives. Defensively, although he proved to be quite versatile, Powell averaged less than a steal and a block per game. On the bright side, he ranked fifth and third in steal and block percentages, respectively.
To address the elephant in the room, a low-usage, relatively underwhelming top recruit is reminiscent of 2020's fourth-overall pick, Patrick Williams. Nevertheless, selecting Powell at 45th is far less risky than Williams at four. It's low-risk, high-reward at that point in the draft. If the North Carolina product doesn't pan out, so what?
All in all, Powell is a superb athlete who shot the ball efficiently and, most notably, plays with a competitive spirit. Chicago lacked energized defenders, especially on the wing. Adding Powell to the mix does just that.