NBA Draft Primer: Bulls Looking For Backcourt Help?
By Cody Westerlund--
(CBS) Armed with two first-round picks, a second-rounder and a stated desire to add more shooting entering draft night in 2014, there was was plenty of intrigue surrounding the Bulls. The result was some wheeling and dealing, with Chicago moving up to No. 11 overall to acquire wing Doug McDermott in a trade that centered around the Nuggets receiving the Bulls' Nos. 16 and 19 picks.
One year later, there figures to be far less drama.
Entering Thursday's NBA Draft, the Bulls hold just one pick -- a later first-rounder at No. 22 overall. Chicago doesn't hold a second-round pick, as it shipped second-rounders in 2015 and 2016 to Orlando last July to dump Anthony Randolph's salary, a contract it took on as part of the deal to acquire McDermott.
Because of existing contract structures, the Bulls currently have far less financial flexibility than they did last offseason. Assuming Jimmy Butler signs a contract that starts around $16 million -- the Bulls have publicly stated they want to retain Butler, who figures to get that max-level starting salary but could also assume a lot of risk by signing a much smaller one-year qualifying offer -- and Kirk Hinrich picks up his player option for about $2.8 million, Chicago will have nearly $78 million committed to nine players, according to USA Today's Hoops Hype: Derrick Rose, Butler, Joakim Noah, Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson, Nikola Mirotic, McDermott, Tony Snell and Hinrich.
The NBA salary cap has been projected at $67.1 million for the 2015-'16 season. The luxury tax line is projected to be around $81.6 million, so it will factor into some of the Bulls' decisions this offseason, especially if ownership wants to avoid paying tax penalties. That view will affect whether the Bulls choose to use some sort of mid-level exception (likely the taxpayer mid-level exception if Butler comes back) and whether they need to shed salary in a trade.
All those salary complications make the Bulls' No. 22 pick Thursday more notable as a way to add a potential rotation player for this season. With that in mind, here's a look at some details for the NBA Draft.
Logistics
When: Thursday, 6 p.m.
Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn
TV: ESPN
Note: The Bulls' braintrust will be at team headquarters at the Advocate Center, with general manager Gar Forman and coach Fred Hoiberg scheduled to address the media after the draft.
Bulls' outlook
The Bulls were the NBA's fifth-oldest team in 2014-'15, and they could use a youth infusion in the frontcourt and backcourt. As it pertains to competing in 2015-'16 though, adding guard/wing help makes the most sense. Aaron Brooks and Mike Dunleavy are both unrestricted free agents who could be gone, and the team has desired for some time to add a young point guard to back up Rose and who could perhaps share some time with him so Rose can play off the ball. Chicago tried and failed in that regard in drafting Marquis Teague in 2012, and it could be time to give it another shot in a draft that appears to have more backcourt talent available in the latter third of the first round than frontcourt talent.
Adding a guard would also give Hoiberg more flexibility to use a small lineup, which he was apt to do at Iowa State and is the way the NBA is trending. If the Bulls do surprise and take a big man at No. 22, either a real talent slipped or there remain serious worries about the health of Noah and Gibson.
Names to watch for
Here are some of the players receiving the most buzz for the Bulls in mock drafts, analysis from experts and reported workouts.
PG Tyus Jones, Duke, 6-foot-2, 19 years old
SG R.J. Hunter, Georgia State, 6-foot-6, 21
G Jerian Grant, Notre Dame, 6-foot-5, 22
PG Delon Wright, Utah, 6-foot-6, 23
SF Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Arizona, 6-foot-7, 20
G/F Justin Anderson, Virginia, 6-foot-6, 21
SG Rashad Vaughn, UNLV, 6-foot-5, 18
PG Terry Rozier, Louisville, 6-foot-2, 21
F Sam Dekker, Wisconsin, 6-foot-7, 21
Quotable
"When you look at the players this organization has taken late in the first round, in the 20s, all the way up to Jimmy being taken 30 (in 2011), there's a track record of taking very good players that can come out and compete as rookies. It's something I'm looking forward to. I obviously was around the college game. I saw a lot of players and I'll try to give as much input as I can, but knowing that these guys (executives) have to make the final decision." -- Hoiberg
1st-round order
1. Timberwolves
2. Lakers
3. 76ers
4. Knicks
5. Magic
6. Kings
7. Nuggets
8. Pistons
9. Hornets
10. Heat
11. Pacers
12. Jazz
13. Suns
14. Thunder
15. Hawks
16. Celtics
17. Bucks
18. Rockets
19. Wizards
20. Raptors
21. Mavericks
22. Bulls
23. Blazers
24. Cavaliers
25. Grizzlies
26. Spurs
27. Lakers
28. Celtics
29. Nets
30. Warriors
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for CBSChicago.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.
