Chicago Bulls: Intriguing draft lottery outcomes, potential picks and trades
By Ryan Heckman
The most likely scenario, at this point, is that the Bulls end up with the 6th overall pick in the draft.
If the Bulls end up with the sixth overall pick in June, one of the most plausible scenarios that could take place is former Missouri swingman Michael Porter Jr. falling to Chicago. Porter Jr. had only one season with Missouri, and it was cut incredibly short.
After playing just two minutes of his freshman campaign early last season, Porter Jr. suffered a back injury and was taken out of his debut. What ended up transpiring is why his draft stock is in questions.
Porter Jr. had Microdiscectomy surgery of the L3-L4 spinal discs and wound up missing the majority of the 2017-2018 season. Porter Jr. returned for two games and looked rusty at best. According to one NBA scout, “he has ground to make up.”
Regardless, the kid was an absolute monster out of high school and looked like a potential no. 1 pick. His college highlights are slim to none, so enjoy the above cut from Porter Jr.’s performance at Jamal Crawford‘s Pro Am.
Kings beat Rockets. So Bulls finish tied for 6th in draft lottery standings. Own 5.3% chance at No. 1 pick, 18.25% chance at top-3 pick. Draft lottery is May 15 in Chicago.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 12, 2018
Another player that the Bulls are linked to is former Villanova standout Mikal Bridges. The 6-foot-7 wing played three seasons at Nova and is looking every bit like a top-10 pick at the moment. Bridges scored 17.7 points per game in his final year, shooting over 51 percent from the field and a staggering 43.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Either one of these guys would be a fantastic pick by the Bulls and I think could end up being formidable pieces in their starting lineup. Oddly, I might be in the minority here, but I think Bridges may end up being a better pro in the long run — I could be dead wrong. But, Bridge’s experience in college and having played three healthy years, give him an edge in my opinion.
As far as upside, Porter Jr. takes the cake. If he storms back to form as a pro, watch out. He could be a stud for a very, very long time. Like I said, either one of these guys would be fun to watch in a Bulls uniform.