As with almost any draft, there are several directions the Bulls could go in. This year, they have the 14th and 48th picks available, though they could also try to trade up. It would be nice if they could pull the trigger on rumored deals with Minnesota or Boston to select Kris Dunn from Providence at third or fifth. But either trade would surely have to involve Jimmy Butler, so unless the "retool" becomes a full-blown rebuild, the Bulls have to focus on players who will likely still be there for the taking as the final lottery pick such as these:
Malik Beasley - G (Florida State): My personal pick for the Bulls had a great freshman year for the Seminoles, scoring in double digits in his first 24 games. The Bulls are looking to get younger and more athletic and Beasley fits that bill. He brings a lot of energy as well as a smooth shooting stroke. That needs to be the focus of his game until he learns to be a better playmaker.
Wade Baldwin - G (Vanderbilt): NBADraft.net compares him to Dinwiddie, which might be a turnoff for the Bulls if they don't want two players who are that similar to each other. Still, he has the size and length of a proper NBA guard. He's aggressive with his scoring and can pass too as he set the Commodore freshman assist record (155). Many are wondering whether he's a true point guard, but if the Bulls are entering a time that allows them to experiment, they could probably move him around a bit before deciding whether he's better at the one or two.
Denzel Valentine - G/F (Michigan State): A Valentine selection would mean the Bulls have taken two of the last three National Players of the Year in the draft (Doug McDermott being the other). Besides fitting recent Bulls draft trends of being a top player in a winning college program, he's as complete as a basketball player can get while also possessing tremendous leadership and court vision. The biggest question concerns his size and athleticism. But whoever selects him will probably have an All-Rookie Team selection at the very least.
Dejounte Murray - G (Washington): Here's a player who's blessed with talent and a great basketball body. He handles the ball well and is generally quick. He only weighs 170 pounds, so he could stand to build up his strength before he gets knocked around too much by stronger players. However, Hoiball is built on moving the ball and players quickly, so he could be a breath of fresh air after a season in which the offense was mostly stagnant.
Demetrius Jackson - G (Notre Dame): This one might be a stretch with most mock drafts having him go in the late first round, but he's an alum of John Paxson's school and it would be just like the Bulls to take someone with connections to someone's past. Regardless, he's an explosive point guard with flash who can rack up a lot of points and assists, which would be a perfect fit for Hoiball. At 6-1, there will be plenty of questions on whether his skill set can make up for his size. The Bulls will need to bank on his three years in college and that he'll be 22 at the start of the season if they want to select him.
The indication is the Bulls will be looking to go small in this draft, which is the direction everyone seems to be moving in these days. If that's the case, who they take could be an indicator of how the Bulls will proceed with their personnel moves the rest of the offseason. And if they somehow move Butler, which several teams want them to do, that will change things even further. Either way, these next few hours won't be boring, even if those who don't like the draft think so.
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