Tonight's Draft Pick Not Obvious

Even the most prominent Bulls experts don't seem to have a clue as to who the team will select in tonight's draft.  All we know for sure is that whoever it is will likely not be in the green room as it's not very common for those invited to share the stage with David Stern to still be without a team by the 20th pick.  Still, it's worth considering those who have been connected to the team both locally and nationally.  Let's take a look at six players who are likely to be available and/or could give the Bulls another important piece for the future.

Sergey Karasev - G/F (Russia):  He's projected as a late lottery pick in some mock drafts, so don't put money on him being there for the taking.  But if he is, he could eventually develop into the role of spot shooter off the bench that has been filled by Marco Belinelli and Kyle Korver the past three seasons.  It would be better than overpaying for another veteran free agent.  Although Tom Thibodeau doesn't like inserting rookies into the rotation, there's a small chance he could make an exception if he starts hitting from anywhere on the floor.  He needs to get stronger, which only supports Thibodeau's reluctance to play rookies.

Tim Hardaway Jr. - G (Michigan):  The son of the crossover specialist, Hardaway has a chance to compliment Jimmy Butler as a young player who can explode towards the basket thanks to his athleticism and improved shooting.  He reminds me of a smaller and less athletic Tyrus Thomas minus the shooting.  He doesn't have the most meat on his bones and is not as quick as other players in the league.  That will have to come over time, as will finding a way to balance his explosiveness and pure ability to score.  His rookie year will be nothing short of a learning experience in finding how to get the most out of his game.

Tony Snell - G/F (New Mexico):  Since Karasev is likely to be off the board by the time the Bulls get to pick, Snell is the next best thing they can hope for if they want to go young on the shooting front.  He has a smooth stroke and if you leave him open, you can forget about getting back because he's just going to knock it down anyway.  If the NBA Finals reminded us of anything, it's that you need somebody who can shoot well if you want to go all the way.  That smoothness could pose some problems however if the Bulls urgently need a big shot with the clock ticking down.  He'll have to play with a chip on his shoulder to succeed in this league or he'll bounce around for a few years before his playing days come to an end.

Gorgui Dieng - C (Louisville):  He's the player most commonly thought to be taken by the Bulls.  He represents the big-man need for the Bulls and comes from a national champion, a trend the team loves to follow.  Drafting Dieng might lessen the chances of Nazr Mohammed's return from a depth standpoint alone.  Besides that, his solid defensive presence would fit right into Thibodeau's system.  As a backup to Joakim Noah, opponents wouldn't catch a break from the frequent blocked shots bound to occur.  Like Mohammed, he also doesn't have the strongest offensive game, which could be why he's not a lottery pick.  Regardless, that defense and winning background fits perfectly on this team, so if it were up to me, he'd be the one the Bulls take.

Mason Plumlee - F (Duke):  The Bulls could always use someone to do the dirty things on the court much like Kurt Thomas did and Plumlee fits that description.  His four years at Duke and ability to get rebounds make him a tempting pick for this team.  He should only be considered if the Bulls aren't looking for an offensive big man and at 6-11, Plumlee doesn't quite fit that mold.  If he's drafted by the team, he's likely to be behind Taj Gibson on the depth chart as a power forward.  Don't look for him to play much this first year however.

Allen Crabbe - G (California):  He represents the shooter the Bulls are looking for:  good range, consistent motion and solid production.  Don't expect all of those to come right away however.  He is often a catch-and-shoot type of player, so if he has difficulty getting open, that could limit what he's able to bring to the team.  If the Bulls are looking to take a shooter for their first pick, they'll have to realize that nothing will come easily for him right away.  Once he improves on creating his own shot however, he could be very dangerous.  But again, here's a rookie Thibodeau will be lucky to give heavy minutes to.

So whether it's one of the above players or somebody else, the Bulls have some intriguing decisions to make if they want their next draft move to put them back in the championship discussion.  I'll be paying attention to what that is tonight and hope to have a post about it tomorrow, if not Saturday.  Why the possible delay?  Because a championship parade in Chicago is enough to take me away from my laptop for several hours.  Hope you understand.