Not-So-Early Draft Board for Chicago Bulls in 2017 Draft: Part I
Jan 31, 2017; Ames, IA, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Monte Morris (11) drives the ball while being guarded by West Virginia Mountaineers guard Daxter Miles Jr. (4) at James H. Hilton Coliseum. West Virginia defeated Iowa State 85-72. Mandatory Credit: Rachel Mummey-USA TODAY Sports
Back in October, we put together a “way-too-early” 2017 NBA Draft big board for the Chicago Bulls. In this edition, it’s the “not-so-early” big board for the Bulls with the NCAA Tournament just over a month away.
For those that don’t watch college basketball and just stick to the unwanted misery of the Chicago Bulls playing three to four games a week, the 2017 NCAA Tournament is a little over a month away.
The “Big Dance” is a 68-team tournament that’s one of the biggest and best sporting events of the calendar year and some of the top names that will likely be entering the 2017 NBA Draft will be in the spotlight.
Guys like UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, the college equivalent of Stephen Curry (at times), Kansas wing Josh Jackson, Kentucky’s dynamic backcourt duo of De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, and Arizona’s seven-foot super frosh Lauri Markkanen will all be putting a show for likely the final time in the college ranks.
As for the Bulls themselves, they continue to slide down the draft board projections, meaning that the playoffs are a real possibility for them (which is unfortunate for their future progress, but we’ll digress on that subject for now).
MORE BULLS: “Way-Too-Early” draft board for the Bulls from back in October | Part 1 | Part 2
Currently, Draft Express (last updated mock: Feb. 8) and Tankathon.com (last updated mock: Feb. 10) have the Bulls picking 17th overall in June, which is three positions after the draft lottery ends. With those two sites, the Bulls would be selecting Harry Giles from Duke and Ivan Rabb from California. (The big men will be included in the second portion of this big board.)
(For the record, the Sacramento Kings are picking 10th in both projections, so that pick would turn into a swap of the second-round picks between the Kings and Bulls unless the Kings fall to 11th or lower, meaning they win more games.)
With those projections as of now, let’s update the Bulls’ big draft board at each position from October with more likely draft prospects for them to choose from with their projected pick.
(Player measureables gathered from DraftExpress.com unless otherwise noted.)
Point guards
1. Frank Ntilikina – Belgium/France
Age: 18 years old
Measurements: 6’5″, 170 lbs.
Current team: Strasbourg
Wingspan: N/A as of now
Standing Reach: N/A as of now
Current DX projection: No. 10 overall
If you’re wondering why you’re not seeing Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz or De’Aaron Fox in the top positions on the board like you did back in October, that’s because those three point guards are likely out of the Bulls’ range. All three will likely be taken in the first 6-8 picks in June.
The draft’s point guard depth drops off in first round projections after these three (plus North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith Jr.), but there’s a project worth working on for the Bulls behind that quartet of point guards.
If the Bulls did consider trading up (or if they get lucky and actually get the Kings pick as a first-round selection right outside of the top 10 picks), Frank Ntilikina could be their guy.
Ntilikina could most certainly be a lottery pick, but if teams don’t watch to take a chance on an 18-year-old floor general that’s played overseas, the Bulls could have him fall to them or potentially trade up if their famed international scouting team (led by Ivica Dukan) likes what they see with Ntilikina. Personally, they should.
When I watched Ntilikina play for France in the U18 European Championship for spurts with the French National Team, I saw a bigger, longer Kyrie Irving in terms of his ability to handle the basketball, getting to good spots on the floor and into the lane. The jersey number may be the same in the video, but Ntilikina isn’t quite the shooter that Irving was (nor as quick) at 18 and is today as one of the NBA’s best assassins. (Ntilikina was shooting 52 percent from deep (33/64) in 27 total games back in December when DX was scouting him.)
He’s fluid with his offensive movement, he’s a good pick-and-roll player and his age is much better than what the Bulls currently have in their slopfest of point guard depth.
Is Ntilikina unlikely like Ball and Fox? Most likely.
But, if the opportunity is there to take him and the Bulls want their point guard of the future, this could be a project worth working on as their lead guard.
2. Monte Morris
Age: 21 years old
Measurements: 6’3″, 175 lbs.
Current team: Iowa State
Wingspan: 6’5″
Standing Reach: 8’1″
Current DX projection: No. 38 overall
Draft Express actually has the Bulls taking Kansas guard Devonte Graham (who I enjoy watching personally) with their swapped pick at No. 37 in the second round of their mock draft; one spot in front of the New Orleans Pelicans taking Monte Morris.
Morris, who played under current Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg for his first two college seasons, averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game in his two years with Hoiberg at the helm in Ames.
This would be a proper Bulls pick, correct? Let’s think about this for a second.
Bulls general manager Gar Forman and Fred Hoiberg are both Iowa State guys. Morris has played for Hoiberg and knows the “Hoiball” system that Bulls fans are still waiting to see at the NBA level. Nobody’s going to be shocked if the Bulls use their second-round pick on Morris, are they?
Jokes aside, Morris is a solid point guard that has shot 38.4 percent from 3 overall in his ISU career and is a “natural point guard” that can facilitate and create, along with getting his shot when applicable.
3. Jawun Evans
Age: 20 years old
Measurements: 5’11.5″ (in shoes), 188 lbs.
Current team: Oklahoma State
Wingspan: 6’4″
Standing Reach: N/A as of now
Current DX projection: No. 34 overall
I’m sure you’ve noticed that neither Morris or Jawun Evans aren’t exactly the biggest guys in the world at the point guard position, hence why the Bulls would probably be looking at both guys with their second-round selection (that’s likely going to be swapped with Sacramento).
The Bulls currently have Rajon Rondo, Michael Carter-Williams, Jerian Grant and Isaiah Canaan on their depth chart. Other than Canaan at 6-foot (which is a friendly 6′, too), each guard is over six feet tall. (Rondo stands at 6’1″, but has that long wingspan that haunted passing lanes when he was younger.)
Jawun Evans isn’t a big guy, but he’s got a solid frame with a good wingspan and the ability to do what you need your point guard to do in this era in the NBA: put the ball in the basket.
Evans was named the Big XII Freshman of the Year last season on a 3-15 (in conference play) Oklahoma State team. How so?
A nugget from DX:
A McDonald’s All-American in high school, Evans scored a solid 19 points per-40 pace adjusted last season on solid efficiency (58% TS%) while posting some of the best passing metrics in the country (certainly among freshmen) at 7.2 assists per-40.
That’s pretty good.
As you can see from the highlight video above against Oklahoma, he has no issue looking for his shot either. He doesn’t shoot a lot of triples (2.5 per game this season), but he’s made 44.8 percent of his 3-pointers in his year-plus in Stillwater and could be a good depth option for a Bulls team that doesn’t really have a point guard past this season.
Other names to keep your eyes on:
1. Malik Monk
Age: 19 years old
Measurements: 6’3″ (in shoes), 197 lbs.
Current team: Kentucky
Wingspan: 6’3.5″
Standing Reach: 8’3″
Current DX projection: No. 9 overall
Like Ntilikina, Malik Monk would be a pipe dream for the Bulls.
The Bulls probably aren’t going to be bad enough to miss the postseason and have their own pick in the lottery (plus getting the Kings pick in one of the 11-14 slots), but if things do completely fall apart and the Kings win, like … 12 games in a row … Monk could be a priority for the Bulls.
The long, shameful tale of the Chicago Bulls in recent years is that they haven’t had enough athleticism on the wings. Jimmy Butler is their best and only real option as a wing that can scare teams. (There’s also the possibility of trading Butler for a lotto pick, but I digress once more.)
Monk is a streaky shooter that will have off-nights more frequently than you’d want, but when he’s hot, he’s not missing. That’s not a joke. Ask North Carolina about the 47-burger he served them in December.
As streaky as Monk is and as questionable as his shot selection can be, he’s a freaky athlete that can get buckets and put a jolt into any offense he’s thrown into at the next level.
He was No. 1 on this board in October and nothing’s going to change that (except the part where someone takes him in the first five picks and the Bulls don’t have a lottery selection as of now).
2. Josh Hart
Age: 21 years old
Measurements: 6’5″ (in shoes), 215 lbs.
Current team: Villanova
Wingspan: 6’7.5″
Standing Reach: N/A as of now
Current DX projection: No. 31 overall
Josh Hart made a name for himself during Villanova’s run to the NCAA title last season and this season has been a really good one for him in his final season with the defending champions.
During his senior season, Hart is leading ‘Nova in scoring (18.9) and is making 40.3 percent of his five 3-point attempts per contest. The Wildcats run their offense through him as one of the nation’s best programs and the drive for a repeat is in play because of Hart’s play.
He’s not the most athletic wing in the class, but he’s one of the most consistent. Hart might really be more of an option if the Bulls traded back in the first round or if they worked him out and really liked him, they could potentially look to move up early in the second round (a la the Golden State Warriors with UNLV guard Patrick McCaw last June).
We’re still a few days from the trade deadline, so the amount of draft picks and where those picks could be could change, but Hart should be on their board of options. (Think of him as potentially be the 2017 class’s Malcolm Brogdon in terms of being overlooked as an older, but solid player.)
3. Terrance Ferguson
Age: 18 years old
Measurements: 6’7″ (in shoes), 186 lbs.
Current team: Adelaide (Australia)
Wingspan: 6’9.5″
Standing Reach: 8’7″
Current DX projection: No. 19 overall
Back in October, I likened Ferguson to a younger, more exciting Trevor Ariza with his size, hot shooting from 3-point range, potential on defense and the ability to throw down any dunk in the book before his venture to Australia after some complications with entering college at Arizona.
Ferguson has question marks and concerns, but has tons of potential as an NBA wing. He has good length at 6’7″ (in shoes) and youth on his size at just 18 years old. The Bulls don’t have an athlete outside of Jimmy Butler that can do some of the things that Ferguson can do.
Like Monk, he can be as streaky as they come with his outside shooting, but when he’s on, look out because he’s loads of fun. Similarly to Hart, Ferguson could be available in the current range the Bulls are sitting in as of now. This class is going to be as fun as any in a long time and Ferguson could be one of those guys that may not have as much hype as a Ball or a Fultz, but could still be really good down the line.
Other names to keep your eyes on
Next: Part II coming soon with the SF, PF and C positions
Jan 10, 2017; College Park, MD, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward OG Anunoby (3) shoots over Maryland Terrapins forward Justin Jackson (21) during the first half at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Part II of the “Not-So-Early” Bulls draft board is coming soon with the front court positions
In the next part of the “Not-So-Early” draft board for the Chicago Bulls, we’ll take a look at the three front court positions.
In that breakdown, we’ll take a look at the small forward, power forward and center positions and how those prospects could potentially find their way to Chicago next season with the Bulls.
Names that will be featured (to give you a sneak peek of what’s to come):
Along with the big board for the front court slots, we’ll take a look at the what the Bulls could/should need and look for in the months leading into the 2017 draft.
The Bulls could have two first-round picks, but as a friendly reminder: they sent their lone second-round pick in this upcoming draft to the New York Knicks in the Derrick Rose trade.
Pending on what happens with the Kings pick towards the end of the season, they could be getting a second-round pick via the Luol Deng trade in 2014, so we’ll have to wait and see how things play out there.
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