Did the Chicago Bulls make the right pick with Wendell Carter?

With the No. 7 overall pick, the Chicago Bulls selected Wendell Carter, Jr.. Below we take a look at whether they got it right.

Well, the wait is finally over. After months of guessing, projecting, and debating, the Chicago Bulls made their choice. With the No. 7 overall pick, the Bulls selected center Wendell Carter Jr. out of Duke University. The focus now turns to how he’ll fit with the team and what type of player he’ll be. So let’s get right down to the question everyone is debating — did the Chicago Bulls make the right pick?

The short answer is “yes.” Look, I know there are a lot of fans out there trashing the pick. There were rumors that the Bulls were attempting to trade up into the No. 3 or No. 4 spot but that didn’t materialize. As a result, many of the top targets were off the board.

Now fans will argue Michael Porter Jr. should have been the pick. However, reports just before the draft were that he was dropping due to substantial medical concerns. Consequently, the Bulls made the right choice based on who was available. So what are they getting in Carter?

For starters, they are getting an extremely intelligent and fundamentally sound player. While he is not the most athletic big man in the draft, he is very crafty. He is not going to overwhelm you with his explosiveness or bounce, but he has a variety of post-up moves from either side, can knock down the jumper consistently, and is an above-average rebounder.

Ideally, the Bulls would want to pair Lauri Markkanen with an enforcer-type big man, but none were available at No. 7 that would not have been a reach. Nevertheless, they are getting a quality player. Some of the player comparisons I’ve heard are Al Horford and Carlos Boozer. If Carter turned out to be as good as either of those players, the pick will have been a success.

The reality is we won’t know whether Carter was the right choice for a few years. It will take time to evaluate these players. However, based on how the top of the draft shook out, Bulls fans should be happy with this pick. Under the circumstances, it was the right one.