Chicago Bulls: What if they drafted perfectly through the 2010s

Bulls had their fair share of busts along with <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/21/chicago-bulls-3-picks-2010s-worked/">diamonds in the rough</a>. However, with the draft coming up, it makes for the perfect time to look back and have some fun with draft history.</p> <h2>The Chicago Bulls had their fair share of misses in the NBA draft during the 2010s. This is what the team would have looked like if they did.</h2> <p>Obviously, no one is perfect and it would be insane to believe a team could draft perfectly for an entire decade, but with the power of hindsight, that is what we will be doing today.</p> <p>We will be taking a look back at every draft from 2010-2019 and redrafting for the Bulls and making the perfect picks for the team. To make it fair, the new pick can only be a player that was selected within the next five picks of who the Bulls originally selected to make it semi-realistic.</p> <p>The new picks are strictly my opinion and there are some cases to be made on some other players being selected. My method of selecting players was to go with the best player available rather than worrying about team fit.</p> <p>With that being said, let’s begin to dissect the 18 draft picks the Chicago Bulls made in the 2010s.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2010 Draft </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_433341" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-433341" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1231,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F102389576.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1231" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/102389576.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/102389576-768x591.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>Perfect Chicago Bulls NBA Drafts: 2010 Draft</h2> <p>The 2009-2010 season was a building year for the Chicago Bulls. They were a very young team and this year was a sort of coming-out party for Derrick Rose. In his second year in the league, Rose averaged 20.8 points and 6.0 assists.</p> <p>The team finished with the 27th-ranked offensive rating and the 11th-best defensive rating. It was clear from the jump that the Bulls would be a team that built themselves around a defensive identity.</p> <p>The Bulls finished the season with a 41-41 record which was good enough for an eighth seed finish. They were defeated by the top-seeded and LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.</p> <h3>Avery Bradley</h3> <p>The Chicago Bulls had the 17th overall pick of the 2010 draft. With this pick, they selected Kevin Seraphin. He finished his five-year career with averages of 5.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists.</p> <p>In this redraft, the Bulls selected a shooting guard from the University of Texas, <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bradlav01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Avery Bradley</a>. Bradley would fit right in on this team. In his prime, he was one of the best perimeter defenders in the entire NBA.</p> <p>This is something that would be greatly valued by the Bulls in this era. Along with this, Bradley became an above-average 3-point shooter in only his second season in the NBA. He would be a great floor spacer for Rose and would overall improve the near-league worst offense of the Bulls.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2011 Draft </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_432872" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-432872" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F673564906.jpeg" alt="Chicago Bulls" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/673564906.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/673564906-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2><strong>Perfect Chicago Bulls NBA Drafts: 2011 Draft</strong></h2> <p>The 2010-2011 season was incredible for the Bulls and arguably was the peak for the franchise in this decade. They finished with a record of 62-20 which was good for the first seed in the Eastern Conference.</p> <p>Along with this, Derrick Rose was named as the youngest MVP in NBA history. They made quick work of the Indiana Pacers and took them out in a gentleman’s sweep in the first round.</p> <p>In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Bulls knocked off the Atlanta Hawks in six games. However, their playoff run would come to an end yet again by the hands of LeBron James, this time on the Miami Heat in five games.</p> <h3><strong>Jimmy Butler</strong></h3> <p>With the 28th overall pick, the Bulls originally selected Norris Cole, however, now they will be picking <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/butleji01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Jimmy Butler</a>. Butler is by far the steal of this draft. He grinded from being the last pick in the first round to being a perennial All-Star and good enough to lead a team to the NBA Finals.</p> <p>Fans of the Bulls know firsthand just how talented Butler is and how great of a leader he can be.</p> <p>However, in this hypothetical, the Bulls front office finds a way to make Butler happy in Chicago and they are never forced to trade him.</p> <h3><strong>Bojan Bogdanovic</strong></h3> <p>With the 30th overall pick the Bulls originally selected Jimmy Butler, however, with him already being taken with the 28th pick, they now will take <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bogdabo02.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Bojan Bogdanovic</a>. Bogdanovic is another player who will help the Bulls space the floor and improve their 3-point shooting.</p> <p>If the team was able to retain Kyle Korver on the team, he and Bogdanovic would make a great duo of sharpshooters for the Bulls.</p> <h3><strong>Malcolm Lee</strong></h3> <p>The Bulls originally picked Malcolm Lee with the 43rd pick. Interestingly, <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bertada01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Davis Bertans</a> was selected only one spot before the Bulls were up to draft. If he was available at this spot, he would have been the clear pick.</p> <p>However, there were no options at this spot who had a real impact in the league. As a result of this, Lee is good enough to remain on the team.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2012 Draft </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_433342" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-433342" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1173,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F158656882.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1173" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/158656882.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/158656882-768x563.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2><strong>Perfect Chicago Bulls NBA Drafts: 2012 Draft</strong></h2> <p>The 2011-2012 season looked to be another bright spot for the Chicago Bulls. They were once again the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference with a record of 50-16.</p> <p>Chicago had the fifth-best offensive rating and the second-best defensive rating. It was looking as if this could be the year that they won the NBA Finals, however, things took a turn for the worse in the first round.</p> <p>With the game already in the hands of the Bulls, the starters were left in the game and we would experience the first of many injuries for Derrick Rose. If this freak injury would not have happened, it is not a stretch to think that the Bulls could have possibly taken down the Miami Heat and went on to win the Finals.</p> <p>However, without Rose, they were defeated in six games.</p> <h3><strong>Jae Crowder</strong></h3> <p>With the 29th overall pick, the Bulls selected Marquis Teague. Teague did not do much in the NBA, retiring after three years with averages of 2.4 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 1.5 rebounds per game. In the redraft, the Bulls selected <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/crowdja01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Jae Crowder</a>.</p> <p>Crowder is another versatile defender to add to the roster. While he will by no means make up for the lapse in offense the team will experience without Rose, he will be another great rotational player to help Butler carry the weight of the team.</p> <p>Crowder would be a great defensive addition and can stretch the floor on offense.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2013 Draft </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_433343" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-433343" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1185159216.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1185159216.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1185159216-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2><strong>Perfect Chicago Bulls NBA Drafts: 2013 Draft</strong></h2> <p>Without their MVP playing a single game, the Bulls’ record slipped this season. However, to attest to how talented the roster around Rose was, the team was still able to clinch the fifth seed in the East with a record of 45-37.</p> <p>It is likely that if they would have had the key rotational players from the redraft, they could have obtained a second or third seed even without Rose. Their offensive rating nosedived to 23rd while their defensive rating still held firm at sixth.</p> <h3><strong>Tim Hardaway Jr.</strong></h3> <p>Originally, the Bulls picked Tony Snell with the 20th overall pick. Snell did not play too big of a role on the Bulls but was someone that the fans clung to. He played with a big heart and it makes sense why he was so well-liked.</p> <p>However, from a purely basketball sense, <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=hardati01,hardati02&amp;search=Tim+Hardaway&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Tim Hardaway</a> Jr. would have been a much better pick. He would have done his part in bringing the offense back to where it needed to be without Rose.</p> <h3><strong>James Ennis</strong></h3> <p>With the 49th pick, Erik Murphy became a member of the Bulls. Instead, the pick should have been <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/ennisja01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">James Ennis</a>. Murphy was out of the league in only one season while Ennis is still active in the NBA.</p> <p>Along with this, Ennis averaged more points, rebounds, and assists than Murphy throughout their respective careers.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2014 Draft </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_432817" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-432817" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1144,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1294758820.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1144" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1294758820.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1294758820-768x549.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2><strong>Perfect Chicago Bulls NBA Drafts: 2014 Draft</strong></h2> <p>The 2013-2014 season saw more of the same for the Bulls. Rose was working on a comeback and played in 10 games this season. Without him in a full-time role, the Bulls once again had one of the worst offenses in the league.</p> <p>However, their defense was their saving grace that kept the team afloat. They finished the season with the 28th-best offense and second-best defense by ratings.</p> <p>Chicago clinched the fourth seed with a record of 48-34 but were eliminated by the Washington Wizards in five games.</p> <h3><strong>Jusuf Nurkic</strong></h3> <p>The Bulls held the 16th and 19th overall picks in this draft. With their first selection, they chose <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/nurkiju01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Jusuf Nurkic</a>.</p> <p>However, before he even played a single minute for the Bulls, they traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers along with the Memphis Grizzlies 2017 first-round pick in exchange for Mason Plumlee, a 2018 second-round pick, and cash considerations.</p> <p>This was an awful draft-night trade for the Bulls and in this hypothetical, they still make Nurkic their pick, however, they choose not to trade him. He would be very beneficial to the team’s already elite defense.</p> <p>Having a Defensive Player of the Year caliber mentor in Joakim Noah, the sky could have been the limit for Nurkic on defense.</p> <h3><strong>Rodney Hood</strong></h3> <p>With the 19th pick, the Bulls selected Gary Harris. This was another great pick by Chicago, however, he also was traded before suiting up for the team. Instead, the Bulls will select <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hoodro01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Rodney Hood</a> with their 19th pick. Hood would bring some instant offense to the Bulls. He is a career 36.7 percent shooter from three.</p> <p>Along with this, he is a quality defender who has the build to guard multiple positions.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2015 Draft </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_395453" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-395453" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F478542864.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/478542864.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/478542864-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2><strong>Perfect Chicago Bulls NBA Drafts: 2015 Draft</strong></h2> <p>The 2014-2015 season featured the rise of Jimmy Butler. Butler picked up the slack on the offensive end and offered the Bulls a team-leading 20.0 points per game.</p> <p>As a result of this, the teams’ offensive rating spiked to 11th in the league. However, their defense dipped down to also 11th in the league.</p> <p>The Bulls had a regular-season record of 50-32 which was good enough to clinch the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in six games in the first round.</p> <p>However, they would eventually fall to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the next round in six games.</p> <p>In this series, Bulls fans got one of the most memorable playoff moments since <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jordami01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Michael Jordan</a>‘s time with the team. In Game 3, Derrick Rose sealed the contest and gave the Bulls a 2-1 series lead with a buzzer-beating three.</p> <h3><strong style="color: inherit;font-family: Oswald, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 24px">Bobby Portis </strong></h3> <p>The Bulls had the 22nd overall pick in the 2015 draft. With this pick, they selected <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/portibo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Bobby Portis</a> and this was a solid enough pick to keep it in the redraft. A case could be made that Larry Nance Jr. would have been a better pick, however, Portis became a fan favorite in Chicago.</p> <p>If he stayed on the team, it is possible that he could have played his way to a bigger role than he plays on his current team, the Milwaukee Bucks.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2016 Draft </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_433344" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-433344" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1318476633.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1318476633.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1318476633-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>Perfect Chicago Bulls NBA Drafts: 2016 Draft</h2> <p>The 2015-2016 season was not a good one for the Bulls by any means. It was the first time in the decade that they missed the playoffs.</p> <p>Despite this, they still maintained a record of 42-40. This was their first season without Tom Thibodeau at the helm and arguably as a result, the Bulls defense once again worsened, now ranked 15th.</p> <p>Their offense also dipped to an almost league-worst 23rd. It was clear that change was needed in Chicago and there were major roster shifts this offseason.</p> <h3><strong>Malik Beasley</strong></h3> <p>With the 14th pick, the Bulls originally took Denzel Valentine. However, in the redraft, they will be selecting <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/beaslma01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Malik Beasley</a>.</p> <p>Beasley is beginning to prove himself as a great scorer on the Minnesota Timberwolves, and that is exactly what this Bulls team needs. The past two seasons, Beasley has averaged around or more than 20 points per game.</p> <p>He spent most of his early career stuck on the bench with the Denver Nuggets, so if he was given a bigger role right away, he may be able to save the Bulls’ awful offense.</p> <h3><strong>Georges Niang</strong></h3> <p>The second pick for the Bulls was at the 48th overall slot. Here they selected Paul Zipser.</p> <p>Zipser only lasted two seasons in the league. As a result of this, in the redraft, they selected <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/niangge01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Georges Niang</a> who is still in the league.</p> <p>He would likely only be an end-of-the-bench player, however, having your bench filled with a depth of quality NBA-level talent is never a bad thing.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2017 Draft </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_433345" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-433345" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1318476658.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1318476658.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1318476658-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>Perfect Chicago Bulls NBA Drafts: 2017<strong> Draft</strong></h2> <p>The 2016-2017 season saw a lot of roster changes and turnover for the Bulls. They traded Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks.</p> <p>Along with this, they brought in an aging Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade to come in a “co-lead” the team with Jimmy Butler.</p> <p>This ended up being a disaster and the locker room was divided into factions of young players and veterans. Despite all of the dysfunction in the locker room, the team finished the season with a 41-41 record.</p> <p>This allowed them to sneak into the playoffs and clinch the eighth seed. However, they were bounced by the Boston Celtics in the first round in six games. This season also saw the Bulls become a top-tier defensive team once again.</p> <p>Their defensive rating was sixth while their offensive still hung around the bottom half of the league in 20th.</p> <h3><strong>John Collins</strong></h3> <p>Originally, the Bulls were a part of a draft-night trade that headlined around sending Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves and the Bulls getting back Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen.</p> <p>However, in this hypothetical, Butler is still happy with the roster around him, there was never a need to bring in Rondo and Wade, and the organization is still functional.</p> <p>As a result of this, there is no need to make any trades and the Bulls will use their pick to select <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=collijo01,collijo02&amp;search=John+Collins&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">John Collins</a>.</p> <p>Collins would be another player that can raise the level of the offense and looks to be a future star in the league. He will by no means be the first option on this Bulls’ roster, however, he will be able to contribute on both ends of the floor at a higher level than Markkanen has at this point of his career.</p> <h3>Thomas Bryant</h3> <p>The Bulls originally used this pick to select Jordan Bell who was then traded to the Golden State Warriors. Once again, the Bulls will not be trading this pick and they will select <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bryanth01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Thomas Bryant</a>.</p> <p>Noah was another member of the Rose to New York trade, leaving a hole at the center position.</p> <p>Bryant would be a great option to come off of the bench and learn from Nurkic.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2018 Draft </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_433346" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-433346" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F980874164.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/980874164.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/980874164-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Chicago Bulls (Photo by Mohammed Elshamy/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2><strong>Perfect Chicago Bulls NBA Drafts: 2018 Draft</strong></h2> <p>The 2017-2018 season was an ugly one for the Bulls. It was clear they were not the same team without Butler on the roster. Their offensive rank dropped to 28th and their defensive rank fell to 24th.</p> <p>This was a very young roster and no one on the team was used to being forced to play a leading role. As a result of this, Nikola Mirotic was the teams leading scorer this season with 16.8 points per game.</p> <p>The Bulls finished with a record of 27-55 which left them far from the playoffs but landed them a rather high lottery pick.</p> <h3>Collin Sexton</h3> <p>Originally with the 5th pick, the Bulls selected Wendell Carter Jr.</p> <p>However, with the Bulls, he never really developed into the player that he was expected to be.</p> <p>Whether that being a result of the lack of coaching, leadership, or direction of the team, things did not work out for him in Chicago and he was traded from the team after only two full seasons.</p> <p>In the redraft, the Bulls select <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sextoco01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Collin Sexton</a>.</p> <p>Sexton is a very talented young player with a high defensive motor and a walking bucket. He has not really got to show his defensive talents as he has played on awful defensive Cleveland Cavalier teams.</p> <p>On this revamped Chicago Bulls roster, he would fit right in on defense and would be a great scoring option alongside Jimmy Butler.</p> <h3><strong>Landry Shamet </strong></h3> <p>With the 22nd pick, the Bulls selected Chandler Hutchinson. However, <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/shamela01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Landry Shamet</a> was selected only four picks later by the Philadelphia 76ers.</p> <p>Shamet is a player that can fit in on any NBA roster. He is a solid defender but his true value comes on the offensive end. So far in his young career, Shamet has already proven himself as a sharpshooter.</p> <p>This is something that you can never have too much of in the 3-point era the league is currently in.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2019 Draft </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_357351" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-357351" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2236,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1157248029.jpeg" alt="Chicago Bulls" width="3200" height="2236" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1157248029.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1157248029-768x537.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Chicago Bulls Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <h2><strong>Perfect Chicago Bulls NBA Drafts: 2019 Draft</strong></h2> <p>The 2018-2019 season did not go much better for the Bulls. Still stuck in the midst of a rebuild, the only bright spot was Zach LaVine emerging as an All-Star caliber player.</p> <p>He led the team with 23.7 points per game. Markkanen had a very respectable second season. Averaging 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.</p> <p>However, the team as a whole was one of the worst in the league. They had a record of 22-60, the 29th ranked offensive rating, and the 25th ranked defensive rating.</p> <p>While it is impossible to know how the team would have ranked if they had the redraft team, it is safe to say that it would be much better than how they faired in real life.</p> <h3>Coby White</h3> <p>With the seventh overall pick, the Bulls selected <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/whiteco01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Coby White</a>. This was the correct pick, especially when looking at the composition of the Bulls’ roster at the time.</p> <p>It would have made no sense to pick a big when they had drafted Wendell Carter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen with their two previous lottery picks.</p> <p>In terms of guards, White has performed the best compared to those drafted relatively close to him. White is a very quality starter for the Bulls and they got this pick perfect.</p> <h3>Eric Paschall</h3> <p>Daniel Gafford was originally picked with the 22nd pick. However, in the redraft, the Bulls will select <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/pascher01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Eric Paschall</a>.</p> <p>Both players fall into the power forward or center position. Paschall bests Gafford in points, rebounds, and assists. As a result of this, it is clear that he is the better pick.</p> <p>Paschall is a very versatile player who is capable of playing a small-ball center if there is a need for it.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Mock NBA Draft 6.0: Tonight is finally the night" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/mock-nba-draft-6-0/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/chicago-bulls-drafted-perfectly-2010s/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/07/29/mock-nba-draft-6-0/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Mock NBA Draft 6.0: Tonight is finally the night </a> </div> </div><!—pageview_candidate—>">