The aura would be very superb with both him and Ayo.
NBA Draft
- Status
I like KJ but I don't like the fit for the Bulls unless AKME are going to trade away quite a few of the glut of guards they have.
Yes, but if they use a first round pick on a guard Ayo may end up on the trading block.
Im really hoping they trade Coby at least. They’re not close to contending and they could get really good value for him
he might be there already
I could see someone like PWill and/or Jevon Carter getting traded before Coby does.
Bulls are amidst a complete roster teardown. May very well be in the AJ sweepstakes next year.
If the Bulls were a serious team everyone would be on the block
Should be PWill, Vuc, and Coby. I’m not sure what they’d even get for Carter but I wouldn’t be against it
PWill has a terrible contract. I think he's on year 2 of a 5yr? Coby and Ayo are on the last year of their deals and worth more than the max the bulls can offer for an extension - Coby significantly more. Better to trade and get some value vs letting them walk for free as unrestricted free agents...
I say this as someone that only started watching the Bulls again after Ayo joined.
The Bulls not moving Vuc this year or Caruso during the season of '24 doesn't give confidence that they'll make any moves.
Another year in the play in is far more likely.
Ball and Vuc should be the first two gone.
PWill's main issue is just that he is a bit overpaid but he could at least be a solid role player on a contending team.
The bulls biggest issue is just that they are missing a star and you can't really compete in the NBA without one.
White, Giddey, and Ayo is a legitimately solid group of guards and I think White could play as 2nd or 3rd best player on a decent contending team.
Buzelis looks promising and PWill is a roleplayer.
White, Giddey, Ayo, Buzelis, and PWill isn't the worst group to build around they just need to get that star player.
If Buzelis can make that jump to being a secondary star you're really only one star and a couple role players away from being dangerous(obviously need those role players on the interior).
I like Ayo as a solid role player but don't think he's worth more than the max the bulls can offer.
Coby is the guy they should be building around with Buzelis unless they can get a great piece for him.
Vic was a foolish to acquire in the first place and they kept that entire group way too long(Lavine should have been dealt years ago when he had way more value and DeRozan should have also been shipped). Then they acquired Ball and for some reason doubled down and extended him.
AKME is probably legitimately worse than Garpax and the incompetence of the bulls front office over the last decade is truly astounding.
I'm not sure they're incompetent necessarily. Reinsdorf ordered them to keep attendance top 5 and don't spend too much doing it. Spending big for the Bulls is barely cracking the top half of the league, and this is the team in the third largest market.
Yeah it's pretty embarrassing for a team that leads the league in attendance every year and is in the largest market with only 1 team.
Still think AKME had a lot of opportunities to turn the team into a young exciting team with a quick rebuild but instead chose to keep running it back with guys like Lavine, Vuc, and DeRozan to try to get into the play in game. Lavine actually had a ton of trade value from 20-23 when he was in his prime averaging around 25 points and shooting well.
Maybe could have gotten lucky with enough young talent and built a real contender that was cheap too.
The Sox are being sold to the Ishbias(over like a 5-7 year period) but it doesn't seem like the Reinsdorfs are going to sell the perpetual money printer that is the Bulls though it seems like the only way to get someone to spend.
Joel Goodson
- it's all ball bearings, nowadays
Vecenie's latest mock ($) has KJ at 8 and Will at 23: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/64...ft-2025-cooper-flagg-ace-bailey-dylan-harper/
There may be some loophole but Ayo/Coby are limited to 140% of current contract on an extension. Thats 9.8 for Ayo and 16.8 for Coby.
Kasparas is a consensus lotto pick at this point.
Frankly I felt KJ was frequently let down by his teammates when it came to passing and I expect his turnovers to be far fewer in the NBA.
If I were a GM, my concerns are can he keep his composure when the defense gets in his face and can he shoot like he did early in the season?
That all aside I say he deserves a lottery pick.
Last edited:
I agree. There aren't many sure-fire studs in this draft. Lots of guys with a lot of potential, but a ways to go. I think we tend to forget how young KJ is. (just turned 19 a few weeks ago) He has a chance to get a lot better.
Same there were a lot of times where ppl would make the wrong cut and he made the right pass for the assumed situation
Then he had a lot of TOs post wrist injury where he just lost the ball with that hand..i assume that wont be a problem post rehabbing it. Not gonna lie those drove me crazy in the moment bc of how "easy" they looked but i get it
virtually known at this point that the shooting and turnovers was a result of the hand.
imo he could've benefited from better around him this past season. the nba system may fit him perfectly and he may not be as "raw" as people claim.
- Status