Chicago Bulls Rumors: Who would they trade up for?

Are the Chicago Bulls considering a trade up in the draft?

For the first time in a long time, the Chicago Bulls do not have the No. 7 overall pick in the NBA Draft. Yay! Alright, that might be a little bit of hyperbole, but after having that pick in each of the last two years, and statistically being on track for it again this year, it was a gift that they ended up at No. 4.

However, according to a recent (unsubstantiated) rumor, there is talk that Arturas Karnisovas may be making another splash move this offseason by trading up one spot to No. 3. He’s already shown a willingness to make bold moves, having fired Gar Forman and Jim Boylen, demoted John Paxson, and hired Billy Donovan.

So it would not be unreasonable to think that he would be willing to explore another aggressive move to go up and get a player that the team covets. If so, who could that player possibly be?

Honestly, it is difficult seeing how it could be anyone other than LaMelo Ball. For starters, this draft does not really have a consensus No. 1 overall pick, although the expectation is that it will be Anthony Edwards out of the University of Georgia.

After Edwards, however, it gets really murky with players like James Wiseman, Ball, Obi Toppin, and Deni Avdija all falling in behind him. You could also throw in guys like Killian Hayes and Isaac Okoro at this point, but the fact remains, only one of those carries the panache that would entice a team to move up in the draft — and that is Ball.

Despite his weaknesses, Ball does so many things well. He’s creative, is a good distributor, a quality passer, and can shoot effectively. He is also someone that would thrive playing a faster-paced game which would obviously be a welcomed sight for Bulls fans who have endured some stale basketball the last few years.

Ball doesn’t come without headaches and drama, most notably due to his father’s relentless interference with his sons’ lives, but that should not take away from his talent and what he brings to the court.

Considering the Bulls might be contemplating a move up in the draft, it seems (and this is purely a guess) that the only realistic target worth moving up for would be Ball. We shall see.