NBA Draft
Idk. Bulls have Reindorf.
Better than him going to the Clippers.
Sure the 2 greatest basketball players ever are going to succeed regardless.
But the Bulls (who have a .35 win % since 1984 without Jordan) and the Cavs (.43 since 03 without LeBron) have had a combined 23 other top 10 picks in that time frame.
Easy counterpoints are D Rose having a career altering injury in garbage minutes (where a functional org would've had him on the bench). Or Luol Deng almost dying from the shoddy Bulls medical staff.
Bad orgs can ruin top 10 players too.
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So, for one, D Rose and Deng didn't even happen under the current iteration of the Bulls. Thibs kept D Rose in (was also involved in the Deng mess but that was mainly team doctors...I'm guessing those docs are also long gone), and he hasn't been there in over a decade, so unless you're claiming some kind of bad juju that follows a franchise around it doesn't really make sense.
Second, luck is a bigger factor than franchise. Thibs subsequently got hired by the T-Wolves and Knicks, got criticized for the same kind of stuff, but never managed to get their star players hurt in the same way. Just luck of the draw.
Most top 10 picks don't become superstars. But they all get plenty of chances to regardless of who drafts them. If a player is a superstar, they'll lift up the franchise. Any franchise.
Jerry and Michael Reinsdorf are the constants. The Bulls culture starts at the top & is a significant reason why the Bulls have been mired in mediocrity.
Those 3 franchises that hired a win now coach who hates playing rookies still had a sub .500 record the past 20 years...despite 29 top 10 picks. You might say the Knicks are an exception b/c they're in the Finals(!) and had 5 top 10 picks in the last 10 years, but the current roster only has a 2nd rounder drafted by them (Mitchell Robinson).
Yes luck plays a part, top 10 players get more chances and if you're an actual top 10 player that will lead even bad organizations to wins, but the organizational philosophy around development and staffing are very relevant.
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If the Bulls want Wagler, which has been my prediction since before the lottery when it became apparent that they were going to have some"lottery luck" and be in this or a similar situation, that they would have to "sacrifice" Wilson. Moving up to 5 from 15 would be incredibly expensive: future frps, and Matas would probably do it. While I think that Wilson has a chance to be better than all of them, the Bulls already have that archetype covered with Matas, Sticks, Noa, and Lenny. What they don't have is the perfect player to slide between Giddey and Matas, or possibly replace Giddey. So I say, trade down to 5, and grab some extra assets.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Rumblings of the Jazz falling in love with Boozer have me worried about the Bulls being forced to choose between a Peterson who they don't have 100% confidence in the physical and mental makeup in versus going off the board at 4.
I think there is almost no scenario (given the Bulls being Bulls I'll leave some wiggle room) that the Bulls go off board no matter who from the top 4 are left for them.
I'd have concerns with Peterson, but at 4 the talent is too tempting to pass up.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Hard to have the trust in Graham who doesn't have any track record yet to say that.
Wilson seems to be so exactly in line with the philosophy Graham articulated (SLAP, size length athleticism physicality) that it's hard to imagine the Bulls passing on him, but if the top 3 cool on Peterson should we be cooling on him too? All of a sudden that's a really hard question.
I liked nothing I saw or heard out of Lawrence this year, frankly.
If Peterson can spin any kind of story in interviews, all a GM will need to do is cue up the 1st half of the game against BYU in Lawrence. Peterson absolutely destroyed Dybantsa and crew in way that is rare to see in college.
Just need to overlook he then called it a day and KU had to hang on to win
Just need to overlook he then called it a day and KU had to hang on to win
"RD1, PK7 Keaton Wagler
The Kings are working out Keaton Wagler next week, according to league sources. Though Acuff remains the favorite for this choice, the franchise of course is doing its due diligence and Wagler could be available after he was previously expected to be the fifth choice. There was a bit of shock on social media when I moved Wagler down last week. But inevitably, someone will slip on draft night. And it could be Wagler, since league sources say the Clippers aren’t head over heels in love with him for the fifth pick and Wagler’s group canceled his workout this week with the Nets, who have the sixth pick.
But Wagler is still a lottery lock. Someone will scoop him up if he does fall to this range after he became the orchestrator of a high-powered Illinois offense with his high-IQ playmaking and crafty scoring. After he showed up at Illinois as a four-star recruit with no expectations of becoming a one-and-done, he scored 46 at Purdue against a top-ranked team in the country, then kept rolling and led the team to an unexpected Final Four appearance. But he's a quirky player in that he logged zero dunks. To become an NBA star, Wagler needs to overcome a lack of traditional athleticism. And teams question just how special he is as a shooter too."
Wagler might drop but that's ok. It is fair to question his shooting because his ceiling might depend on it. But I think he will be ok.
Shot 41% on catch and shoot threes and 39% on threes off the bounce.
I've always thought his skillset in the league is ELITE catch and shoot guy, along with being more than capable as a secondary creator.
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