Better fit for the Bulls at #7?

Rivers can’t run the point at all…and even if he could Rose won’t even miss the whole year most likely So why would they use a pick only focusing on a few months (where they probably won’t be real conteneders) when they can focus on a guy who will fit better for years to come.

 Austin Rivers is the best 1-on-1 player out of the group of wings they’d likely be picking out of (Lillard may be the only exception, but as a PG they probably wouldn’t be considering him).  If you don’t think Rivers is going to be good in the league, I get it. But if he even comes close to sniffing his potential there may not be a better guard in this entire draft (let alone at 7) for the Bulls. Rivers is the kind of I-get-my-own-offense 2giard the bulls haven’t had since MJ. He’s a streaky spot up shooter, but the same could be said about everyone in the draft outside of Lillard, D Lamb and John Jenkins. 

 Jamal Crawford was a member of the Bulls, so Rivers wouldn’t be the best one-on-one 2 guard for the Bulls since MJ.  I think that Rivers is at best a Jamal Crawford type of player.  I understand the attraction of Rivers, but I feel he won’t be the BPA at that pick.  Jeremy Lamb has more potential and is the #2 sg on my board, and Dion Waiters is likely a superior prospect as well.

Honestly, despite Rose’s injury, he is still their franchise player and they should build around him.  The skills Rivers brings to the table can be duplicated and exceeded by Rose.  Lamb, on the other hand, has more potential as a scorer and defender and may be a better fit than Rivers alongside Rose.

 Interesting, if the Bulls pull this off, the assumption is it’s going to be for one of the top wing guys. Giving up Deng whose pretty much their only solid wing player, with Rose the obvious franchise guy at the 1, and a strong group of bigs, that leads to many players being potential picks for Chicago. 

I don’t think Beal or MKG can conceivably fall that far. Beal seems like he’s either going 2 or 3, MKG will go 4 or 5. So basically, they are picking from the group of Barnes, J Lamb, Rivers, or Waiters. Unless they really wanted to stretch for Terrence Ross, which I don’t think they will do. 

Of those 4, I would prefer them rolling the dice on Rivers or Waiters as opposed to picking Barnes or J Lamb.

Barnes is basically Deng-lite. He isn’t going to do a whole lot different than what Deng did, he won’t be as prolific as a defensive player, and he fails in the one area the bulls need: A second player who can attack the rim off the dribble.

J Lamb, to me, just doesn’t look like an NBA star. He seemed very passive at UConn, isn’t a great shooter, and isn’t a great slasher. He has a nice pull up jumper, but he seems more like a role player.

Now to Rivers and Waiters. I would love either on Chicago. I love that both of them have great ball handling skills, both can attack and get to the rim, both can shoot, and both are cold blooded. I think both of them will flourish into good NBA players, and both would supply Chicago with that 2nd guy to Rose, if they pan out. 

 Does this mean the Bulls think Jimmy Butler is ready to contribute at a high level?

Jamal Crawford, Ben Gordon and Jalen Rose all played for the Bulls after Jordan. At least one of those guys if not more was a better one on one scorer then Rivers.

If they trade Deng for the 7th pick, they’d be really thin at SF, leaving them with Jimmy Butler and Kyle Korver. Given the latest mocks, I don’t see Barnes slipping that low and obviously MGK won’t either. Out of the SG prospects, I like Rivers the best in terms of overall potential and he could be the second scorer Chicago lacked with Rose out of the lineup. The problem there is that a healthy Rose and Rivers don’t mesh well in my opinion. Rivers needs the ball in his hands as the primary scorer to be effective. I wouldn’t sleep on Waiters as the pick if it happens. 

 It’s to my understanding that if the Bulls make this move it is for the future, not the not. Who cares if Rivers fits better when Rose is out, because he won’t be a good fit when he comes back because he won’t always have the ball in his hands. 

Lamb would be the obvious choice because of his three point shooting and defensive prowess that you know Thibs would like. People under rate Lamb, and now it’s gone too far with a lot of people saying they would take Rivers over him. I get it, Lamb is going to be role player, but thankfully that Bulls have a superstar in Derrick Rose! 

The Bulls need to retool their roster to compete with the likes of Miami and OKC.  Financially they are strapped with the ugly Boozer contract, and the ideal roles that Noah and Deng fill, they are overpaid.  Moving Deng for the 7th pick and Wright would free up future money, but I would also like to see the Bulls move Noah this year as well.  Could they get a top 5 for him and add Barnes and Lamb.  Resign Asik to start at center, and add a verteran to round out the rotation.  The Bulls can then let the kids learn this year as Rose comes back and potentially have a great pick next year as well.  Maybe the young talent will allow Boozer to increase his trade value through the season and they can get out from under that.  As constructed, the Bulls aren’t in the shape offensively to beat the Heat, so moving money for the future would work this year as Rose is expected to be out until at least January and probably wont be ready to carry the load upon his return.  Use this as a transition year and let the chips fall into place from there.