The Chicago Bulls haven’t made a first-round pick outside the lottery since taking Chandler Hutchison in 2018, but they’re currently set to do so in the 2022 NBA Draft as owners of the No. 18 selection. That is unless they trade the pick in another win-now move to bolster the roster around DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, who’s expected to re-sign in free agency.
Multiple reports have stated the Bulls are looking into trading the pick along with Coby White. There’s seemingly little traction on those talks right now, though it’s interesting to note that Christian Wood and Jerami Grant are being dealt in trade packages centered around the No. 26 pick in 2022 and a Milwaukee Bucks 2025 first-round pick, respectively.
In addition to shopping 18 and White, Chicago is reportedly involved with Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert. Rumors earlier this week suggested the Bulls were the likely destination for Gobert if he were to be traded, though cold water was soon dumped on that. There’s some doubt as to whether Chicago would be willing to include Patrick Williams in a Gobert trade offer, which these negotiations could hinge on. In any Gobert trade to the Bulls, the assumption is the 18th pick would be out the door.
There are surely other talks out there, but Arturas Karnisovas likes to keep things quiet. Perhaps something springs up out of nowhere ahead of Thursday’s draft or even during it. But right now, Chicago still has the No. 18 pick. If the Bulls wind up keeping the pick, there are a variety of directions they could go as they try to improve the size and shooting on the roster.
E.J. Liddell, Malaki Branham, Mark Williams and Ochai Agbaji are just some of the names being mocked to Chicago. In addition to Liddell and Williams, The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry lists Tari Eason, Jalen Williams and Jalen Duren as other prime options.
After taking Ayo Dosunmu — a Big Ten star raised in Illinois — last year, the Bulls could go back to that well with Liddell this year. A native of Belleville, Illinois, Liddell starred at Ohio State and could be an immediate contributor at forward with his ability to do a bit of everything.
Eason is another forward option, and he brings chaotic energy to the defensive of the floor. While Eason’s jumper has question marks (Liddell’s has some as well even with massive improvement in college), he did take a big jump from 3-point range after his transfer from Cincinnati (24.1%) to LSU (35.9%) and also shot over 80% from the foul line this past season.
Jalen Williams is a versatile offensive talent out of Santa Clara. There are naturally concerns about his college competition level, but he shot nearly 40% from 3-point range this past season and developed as a playmaker with over four assists per game. He also has a massive 7-foot-2 wingspan despite standing at just 6-foot-6.
Branham and Agbaji are two of the best shooters in this draft. Branham shot 41.6% from 3-point land while playing as Liddell’s Ohio State teammate in his lone season in college. Agbaji shot 40.7% on 3-pointers as he helped Kansas win the national championship.
Duren and Mark Williams are lengthy centers who can protect the rim and throw down lobs at a high level. If Nikola Vucevic sticks around, having a young center who brings those kinds of skills as a backup would be intriguing, though it often takes a while for young bigs to develop. Still, perhaps one of these players could be the long-term answer at center.
There are obviously other options out there as well, and there’s also always the possibility of moving up or down in the draft. Given where the Bulls are at, it will be fascinating to see what Karnisovas opts to do as he tries to mold this roster into a contender. Adding a cheap young talent at No. 18 with the hope they develop into an impact player would be a perfectly acceptable outcome, but if there’s an opportunity to add a proven player, Chicago should jump at it.
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