Category: Bulls NBA Draft

Could G League Ignite forward Tyler Smith be a sleeper target for the Chicago Bulls’ No. 11 pick?

Smith could pop if he can add to his game, and has a solid floor with his present skill set.

Could G League Ignite forward Tyler Smith be a sleeper target for the Chicago Bulls‘ No. 11 overall pick of the 2024 NBA draft? Currently mocked in the early to mid-twenties in this summer’s draft by most experts, Smith projects as a rotation 3-and-D big man with some upside.

Standing at 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-1 wing span and weighing 224 lbs., the 19-year-old Texan forward has an unpolished game with unproven ball handling skills. But as a solid 36.0 % shot from beyond the arc at the G League level, Smith could pop if he can add to his game, and has a solid floor with his present skill set.

The hosts of the “CHGO Bulls” podcast took a closer look at Smith as a player and his potential fit with the Bulls on a segment of a recent episode of their show.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear their thoughts on such a gamble in the draft for Chicago.

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Chicago Bulls seen as among worst lottery landing spots for Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht

“He can’t fix what they need, and they can’t provide the defensive protection that would really benefit him,” writes the dissenting author.

In a recent analysis by Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, the Chicago Bulls were seen as among the worst lottery landing spots for University of Tennessee small forward Dalton Knecht. The 3-and-D specialist could realistically slip to the Bulls’ range with Chicago armed with the No. 11 overall selection of the 2024 NBA draft, but Buckley is all the way out on a Knecht era in the Windy City.

“The Bulls have a standing need for shooting, plus a stubborn commitment to this win-now core that actually doesn’t have what it needs to win now,” writes the B/R league analyst on the prospect of the Vol alum in Chi-town.

“It feels very possible that the Bulls could talk themselves into taking Knecht if he’s still on the board at No. 11.”

“He can’t fix what they need, and they can’t provide the defensive protection that would really benefit him,” he adds.

“And since the Bulls’ top scorers are also their best ball-handlers—Coby White, Zach LaVine (if he isn’t traded), DeMar DeRozan (if he re-signs)—they may not seek out catch-and-fire attempts for Knecht the way a more traditional table-setter would.”

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Could Nikola Topic fall to the Chicago Bulls at No. 11 in the 2024 NBA draft?

Why is the 6-foot-6 floor general sliding well before the big day finally rolls around?

Could Nikola Topic fall to the Chicago Bulls at No. 11 in the 2024 NBA draft? With a number of mock drafts tracking the Serbian Red Star point guard’s draft prospects, sending the Novi Sad native skidding down the low lottery in recent days, it is a fair question to ask.

But why is the 6-foot-6 floor general sliding well before the big day finally rolls around? Projected to be taken as high as No. 3 overall by some mock drafts earlier this offseason, a concerning if not career-threatening knee injury may have some potentially interested ball clubs nervous about using a good lottery pick on a player who might take longer than expected to get on the floor.

The hosts of the “CHGO Bulls” podcast took a deep dive into all fo the rumbles around Topic, as well as whether he might really fall to Chicago’s range. Check it out for yourself below!

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Are the Chicago Bulls trying to move up in the 2024 NBA draft to take Matas Buzelis?

Is this really a prospect that the Bulls will want to burn assets on to acquire?

There is buzz out there that the Chicago Bulls are trying to make a deal, Bulls fans. But don’t get too excited — not for an NBA player, as fans have been begging Arturas Karnisovas to do for literally years now, but to move up in the 2024 NBA draft.

Are the Bulls trying to move up to take Matas Buzelis? A 6-foot-10 string bean of a small forward weighing just 197 lbs., Buzelis last played in the G League, and is known for his shot-blocking abilities. He could really step up his 3-point shooting ability at the next level, with his going just 26.1% from beyond the arc, however.

Is this really a prospect that the Bulls will want to burn assets on to acquire?

Check out a clip recently put together by the folks behind the “Bulls Central” YouTube channel to get up to speed on what you need to know about him, which we embedded above for your viewing pleasure.

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Chicago Bulls reportedly trying to move up for UConn’s Donovan Clingan

Clingan, a mountain of a man, is mobile for a 7-footer, and can block shots, pass the rock, and in recent workouts, shoot it from deep too.

Are the Chicago Bulls looking to move up in the 2024 NBA draft to get a specific player? According to some recent rumbles around the league media sphere, the team’s front office very well could be. Writing in his most recent mock draft for ESPN, draft expert Jonathan Givony let it slip that the Bulls are looking to trade up to get their top target.

And that target is none other than University of Connecticut champion big man Donovan Clingan, a worthy target in our estimation should the ask not be too high. Clingan, a mountain of a man, is surprisingly mobile for a 7-footer, and can block shots, pass the rock, and in recent workouts, shoot it from deep too.

If that last quality pans out at the NBA level, we have a bona fide high-level starter potential for the Husky center, with rotation big as a floor.

That’s a fairly solid gamble, and the hosts of the “CHGO Bulls” podcast took a closer look at why that is on a recent episode. Check it out above!

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Mock trade sees Bulls flip Alex Caruso for No. 3 pick in NBA Draft

In this mock trade, the Chicago Bulls would trade Alex Caruso to the Houston Rockets for the third pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

If the Chicago Bulls want to reshape the course of their franchise, they should plan for the future this summer instead of choosing to remain competitive. Aaron Kellerstrass of Pippen Ain’t Easy proposed a mock trade that would flip Alex Caruso and the 11th pick to the Houston Rockets for the third pick and the 44th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

“Should the Bulls really be trying to move up in what is mostly seen as a weak draft?’ Kellerstrass wrote. “Probably not, but if they are enamored with a particular prospect, they may be able to use Caruso’s expiring contract to get the 3rd pick from Houston, who is dying to make some win-now moves, not add more young players. If the Bulls get the sense that Caruso is not going to sign an extension, then they should trade him, as they risk losing him for nothing, which has been a common theme in Chicago.

“This would give them a chance to grab a table-setting point guard like Nikola Topic or possibly a two-way wing like Zaccharie Risacher. Losing Caruso wouldn’t help in the short term, but if there is a risk he is going to leave anyway, this would allow the Bulls to get a future piece without giving up too much to get it. They also get an additional pick in the second round to add a project.”

Adding a top-three pick in this year’s draft would help the Bulls reload their pool of young talent.

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Could the Bulls make a deal for the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft?

Could the Chicago Bulls make a deal with the Houston Rockets for the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft?

The Chicago Bulls have the 11th pick in this year’s draft, but with the team potentially pivoting toward a rebuild, they could look for more. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Houston Rockets are open to shopping the third pick, and Aaron Kellerstrass of Pippen Ain’t Easy suggested that the Bulls think about making a move for it.

“Caruso would be a nice fit, though it’s unlikely the Rockets would give up the third pick in exchange for one year of Caruso, fit or not,” Kellerstrass wrote. “If the Bulls were to attach their own 11th pick to the deal, Houston may have some interest. The Bulls would get a chance at a higher-tier draft prospect, though in this draft, you could argue that they have about as much chance of finding a star at 11 as they do with the 3rd pick. Chicago would have to really like someone at the top of the draft, otherwise Caruso and pick 11 are arguably more valuable.

“Chicago could also get involved in a deal that could potentially land them one of Houston’s excess young players (Tari Eason comes to mind) if Houston decides to keep their pick but still wants a veteran player.”

Adding the third pick would give the Bulls a chance to add one of the best players in this year’s draft.

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Third mock draft has Bulls taking Matas Buzelis with No. 11 pick

Another mock draft has the Chicago Bulls taking Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick.

The Chicago Bulls have the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Adding some fresh young talent to the roster will be a crucial part of their summer. In his third straight mock draft, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report mocked G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis to the Bulls at pick No. 11.

“Teams will consider Matas Buzelis earlier than No. 11. At 6’9″ in socks, his scoring versatility and defensive playmaking flashes create a coveted archetype,” Wasserman wrote. “But at this stage, the idea of Buzelis remains more enticing than the results. The results and feelings on the 19-year-old wing continue to be mixed.

“Workouts will be extra important for Buzelis, who came to Ignite with expectations of being a solid shooter but finished at 26.1 percent from three.”

Buzelis had a relatively rough year with the Ignite this past season, but there is still a clear pathway forward for him to be a great NBA player.

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Will Ron Holland be available to be drafted when the Chicago Bulls select at No. 11 overall?

Should Chicago fans look to other, more attainable talents to draft at No. 11?

Will Ron Holland be available to be drafted when the Chicago Bulls select at No. 11 overall in the 2024 NBA draft? For some time, the Duncanville High School graduate and G League forward was projected to go roughly in the Bulls’ late lottery range.

But a solid end to his season and a good showing at the NBA’s 2024 Draft combine has seen Holland’s stock soar, with the 18-year-old swingman flirting with a top five selection in his more optimistic believers. Could this interest fade as time goes on and scouts get to know the other prospects better? Or should Chicago fans look to other, more attainable talents to draft at No. 11?

The hosts of the “CHGO Bulls” podcast took a closer look on a recent episode of their show.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say about the odds of Holland on the Bulls.

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Another mock draft has Chicago Bulls selecting Tidjane Salaun with 11th pick

Salaun has been a popular pick for the Bulls with their late lottery selection.

Another mock draft has the Chicago Bulls selecting Cholet floor general Tidjane Salaun with the No. 11 overall pick of the 2024 NBA draft, this one put together by Bleacher Report NBA analyst Andy Bailey. Salaun has been a popular pick for the Bulls with their late lottery selection, with his raw but intriguing tools and head-turning measurables.

Fairly depicting the Cholet floor general as “mostly just size, length, and athleticism” right now with a 6-foot-9 frame that weighs 212 lbs, Bailey also points to what he calls “budding branches on his skill tree.” Should “enough of them come to life, Chicago could have a legitimate difference-maker here” at No. 11 in the draft (presuming he is still on the board).

“He’ll be a helpful, disruptive presence on the defensive end, and he can serve as a play-finisher on offense,” he adds.

“Shooting and creation are two big swing skills, but he isn’t hopeless on either front,” offers Bailey.

“He doesn’t turn 19 until August, so patience will be a must with his development, but he could be really worth the wait.”

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