Bulls Draft Watch: Top 3 fits at pick No. 12 overall |
Dustin Riese
-
- 19 hours ago
Before you know it, the NBA Finals will be here, followed by the conclusion of the 2024-2025 NBA season. At that time, teams will start preparing for their offseason ahead, and the Chicago Bulls are no exception, as this will be an interesting offseason. They moved on from Demar Derozan and Alex Caruso last offseason and traded away Zach Lavine during the season in exchange for several players.
While none of those players, apart from perhaps Kevin Huerter or Tre Jones, are long-term options, the additions this team made through that trade turned their season around. The Bulls finished the season 14-6 over their final 20 games and went 17-12 after the Lavine trade. With plenty of questions surrounding their roster heading into next season, Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley need to nail the offseason, or things could get ugly in the Windy City. Part of nailing this offseason would be to retain Josh Giddey on a long-term deal while potentially finding a trade partner to take on Nikola Vucevic. There are some rumblings about Coby White possibly getting moved, but given his growth as a player over the past two seasons, that doesn't seem like the right move to make. Additionally, the Bulls managed to secure a first-round pick in this year's draft and will select No. 12 overall. Everyone knows the history of Karnisovas and his first-round picks with this team, but after watching Matas Buzelis turn into the player he was, there may be hope that the front office is starting to figure it out. As you all know, Cooper Flagg is the best prospect in this year's class, and it's not even close as it would be the biggest shock in NBA draft history if he didn't go No. 1. After him however, you could make the case that 10-15 players are all capable of being top-7 picks as this year's draft is one of the deeper classes in the last decade. That bodes well for the Bulls, who are picking outside the top 10, as three prospects are seen as fits for Chicago and make a ton of sense for what this team is lacking. Asa Newell: The most obvious choice is Georgia big man Asa Newell, another one of the one-and-done players. Coming off a season where he averaged 15.4 PPG with the Bulldogs, shooting 54.3% and adding close to seven rebounds, Newall would give the Bulls the frontcourt help they are looking for. At 6-9, he is undersized for a center, but with Vucevic and potentially Zach Collins returning, the Bulls don't need a center just yet. What they need is a replacement for Patrick Williams, and Newall would give them that. Newell is constantly praised for his relentless hustle and putback instincts. He also shot 74.8 percent from the free throw line and attempted nearly 3.0 shots from long range per game. In other words, he has real potential to become a floor spacer. He brings similar vibes to Adama Sanogo, who was released from the Bulls' G-League team this past season, but is a far more talented option than Sanogo. Of all the names linked to the Bulls, he is the best fit, but he could find himself off the board in the top 10.
Derik Queen: The least likely option of the three to fall to Chicago is former Maryland F/C Derik Queen, who is arguably a top-5 talent in this year's class. The versatile big has shown the ability to stretch the floor and play on the inside and is coming off a season where he averaged 16.5 PPG on 52.6% shooting and 9.0 RPG.
Seeing his name linked to Chicago is a massive surprise, as the initial prognosis had him as a top-6 prospect. Then came the combine, where he didn't perform as well as he had hoped, so his stock is starting to fall. A bit of a unicorn in terms of a specific position, this player is another who would be expected to replace Williams and could fill various roles for the Bulls, both off the bench and as a starter.
Not the best athlete in this year's class, but Queen is one of the more instinctual prospects in this year's draft and has an excellent feel for the game. You are drafting him for that, as the rest of his game could develop over time.
Collin Murray-Boyles: The most likely of the three options to sit at No. 12 is former South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles. If you compare his numbers to those mentioned above, you will see that he has the best numbers in the group, averaging 16.8 PPG on an impressive 58.6% shooting percentage. He did that while pulling down 8.3 RPG, as he is a playmaker on both ends of the floor.
Another player who doesn't have a defined role or position, Boyles fits best as a small forward given his 6-7 frame, but with a seven-foot wingspan, he could easily play the power forward position. While his offensive game is relatively complete, his defensive ability sets him apart, as some scouts have called him the best true defender in this year's class.
Not only does he bring physicality to the defense, but he can also be a lockdown defender in multiple positions, which the Bulls lacked last season. Guys like Dalen Terry, Williams, and Julian Phillips all possess similar traits to Boyles, but some of them, especially Williams, have been far too passive on the offensive end. That won't be a problem for Boyles as he won't hesitate to put the ball on the floor and try to make things happen.
