It's the dawn of a new era in Chicago Bulls basketball. With a new regime in place, a soon-to-be-hired head coach, north of $60 million in cap space and two first-round picks, there's finally room for hope in the Windy City.
The Bulls should be open for business and looking to take on bad deals to acquire more draft capital. They should also pick up the phone to listen to any and all offers for almost every single player on their roster.
Notably, that includes Josh Giddey. While the Bulls shouldn't shop him around, he shouldn't be untouchable if they get a fair deal. And, with the No. 15 pick, Ebuka Okorie looks like a more than suitable replacement.
The Bulls should consider Ebuka Okorie as Josh Giddey insurance
Giddey is a young and promising player, but he might be slightly ahead of the Bulls' timeline. Moving on from him at the right price makes sense, but that would leave a huge playmaking void for this team. That's where Okorie might come in handy.
The Stanford product is more of a scoring guard than a floor general, and his 3.6 assists per game as a freshman don't necessarily scream 'facilitator.' That said, he's been a major draft riser since the NBA Draft Combine, and he has a decent 1.89 assist-to-turnover ratio. Moreover, he's an offensive catalyst and a three-level scorer, averaging 23.2 points per game for the Cardinal.
The Bulls won't be able to get their hands on Darius Acuff Jr. or Keaton Wagler at No. 15, but Okorie is certainly an intriguing pickup in that No. 15 range, assuming they do move on from Giddey. That's, of course, a big 'if,' as he's on a reasonable deal and has played very well for the organization.
Then again, the Bulls are a rebuilding team first and foremost. As such, only Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue should be truly untouchable in trade talks. Everything else should be up for grabs at the right price, maybe even including their first-round picks.
Giddey would certainly welcome the opportunity to play for a playoff-caliber team, which he may not experience in Chicago for the next couple of years. Spending your prime years on a retooling team isn't for everybody, and he might be the first one to push for a move out of Chicago.
If that happens, Okorie's scoring prowess, quick hands -- he posted 1.6 steals per game and a 2.7 percent steal percentage -- driving skills, and decision-making should put him right in the Bulls' radar. He still needs to bulk up and be more physical, but the IQ and efficiency are there.
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