Bulls Draft: Smart, Not Spectacular

In a typical NBA draft, there are about 15 or so players who will stay in the league longer than 5 years. Only a handful will become impact players.

By all accounts, the 2011 draft class was an exceptionally weak one.

So if you're the Bulls and you come in with the 28th, 30th and 43rd picks, you're expectations should be adjusted accordingly. The Bulls didn't find their shooting guard of the future, but then again, they didn't expect to.

Having established themselves as legitimate title contenders, the Bulls entered the draft with a dream and a plan. The dream was that they could somehow use their picks and a non-rotation player or two in a trade that would net them a shooting guard like the Grizzlies' O.J. Mayo or Houston's Courtney Lee, both players for whom the Bulls showed interest at the February trade deadline. It didn't happen in February and it didn't happen on Draft Night.

Since the dream didn't materialize, Bulls management moved quickly on their plan. Though they had 3 picks, Bulls' General Manager Gar Forman made it clear that they wanted no more than 2 rookies on their roster. The truth is that they preferred zero or one, leaving more room for veterans who could help the team immediately. Though their dream didn't come true, they executed their plan very nicely.

Nikola Mirotic

First, they traded their #28 and #43 picks for the Minnesota Timberwolves' 23rd overall pick. With that pick, they selected 20 year-old Montenegro-born power forward Nikola Mirotic. The 6-10 power forward has two things the Bulls really like. First, he's got talent...loads of it. Second, because of his contract obligations playing for the prestigious Real Madrid team, he won't be available for at least two years, saving the Bulls a roster spot. According to DraftExpress.com, for my money the foremost published source for talent evaluations of NBA prospects, "Chicago just drafted the 7th most talented player in the draft with the #23 pick." Most scouts I've read agree and feel that Mirotic would have been a top-10 selection if not for his contract commitments. The truth is that the Bulls are more than happy to have Mirotic develop his game overseas where he can get much more game action against quality competition.

While those fans whose only form of gratification is the immediate variety will be disappointed that they'll have to wait to see Mirotic in a Bulls' uniform, for Bulls' management, this was Christmas in June.

Jimmy Butler

At #30 the Bulls selected 6-8 Marquette swingman (shooting guard/small forward) Jimmy Butler. Butler's life story would be made into a movie except it already was. If you saw "The Blindside," just substitute Butler for Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher and switch from the gridiron to to the hardwood and the stories are virtually identical. Suffice it to say that if it's true that it's not what you achieve, but what you overcome that matters most, this kid's character is off the charts.

Character is great and all, but can the young man ball? Playing in the tough, tough Big East Conference last season, Butler averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds per game while shooting 49% from the field and 35% from the 3-point arc...good numbers. And before you go thinking that Butler is one of those productive college players who lack the athleticism for the NBA, be advised that he posted a 39-inch vertical leap at the combine, just an inch short of what Derrick Rose did. The two words most often associated with Butler are versatility and defense...good words.

While it's always a longshot for a 30th pick to make it in the NBA, Jimmy Butler's overcome much worse.

It's not surprising that few fans are doing cartwheels over the Bulls' draft. Still, I think the Bulls did a great job of executing their pre-draft plan and for this deserve at least polite applause.

Tom Nossem

 

Good draft imo. Not a home run, but good.

Nice article!

 

In case you guys haven't noticed, I'm obsessed with Mirotic. I want him on the team now. I have to imagine the franchise feels similarly. I think that was a pretty spectacular pick -- even if it doesn't work out.

 

Yeah, I kind of felt the obsession thing you've got goin' there, SST (and I didn't even have to use my super-human powers of perception ).

I know you want your bright shiny toy right damn now, but as I said in my article, I disagree that the Bulls do. As good as your boy looks on highlight reels, he wouldn't play much here next season behind Boozer and Gibson. It's far better for him as a player to keep playing overseas. This said, watching the video does make one a bit giddy.