NBA Draft 2018 6.0: Lucky #7 and 22.

[GimmeDat]

My opinion - Jabari Parker is a better version of what I think MPJ will become. There's some differences stylistically but essentially, for a score-1st combo forward, I like Jabari more, and they both have their injury issues.

I think Jabari has proven that he can shoot the rock (37% from 3 the last couple of years and 49% FG), has slightly better chops as a ball handler and passer, boards well (around 7 per 40 over the last couple of seasons), has similar scoring volume (20ppg sort of guy given the role and minutes), plays within a team offense better and is much more viable at the 3 than MPJ.

Obviously, that all comes down to his price point, because MPJ would be coming on a rookie scale deal as opposed to Jabari if you signed him, but all that aside, if you don't like Jabari regardless of injury history, then I think you should question you interest in MPJ. I've seen people talk about MPJ's ability to get to his shot as a rare ability that should be coveted at a very high level, but just remember, some of you also bash guys like Lavine and Parker for their deficiencies in the same breath, so consider MPJ's flaws as well when evaluating him.

I'm not sure either guy is a perfect fit given the defensive issues surrounding both, but I do believe that Jabari has star potential when healthy.

I think a combo forward needs to be on the cards somehow over the next few years. Miles Bridges, Knox or MPJ in this draft, Jabari in FA, or one of the many names like Zion Williamson, Sekou Doumbouya, Nassir Little, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Hunter in the 2019 draft.. there's plenty of avenues to acquire this piece. Either way, somebody who can both man that SF spot and slide up to the 4 effectively and allowing Lauri to play the 5 makes a tonne of sense. Out of those names, I'm not sure MPJ is an ideal fit unless he can make major changes to his decision making, passing, and most importantly, defense.

[Benedict Miller]

Carter is probably the safest pick

Safe isn't always the best route.

I agree

[Dez]

We are actually in a position to take a risk and if they draft him I'll back medical professionals and scouts that have watched him over your blind bias any day.

Let's say this draft pick (whoever it is) doesn't work out. Would you say that Chicago was in a position to afford to miss? I absolutely don't agree with that.

Why not? We simply end up in the lottery again.

[GimmeDat]

I think because Carter's safe, people assume he doesn't have upside. I think a guy with his size and his well-roundedness, while not 'sexy', has a pretty high caliber upside. I struggle to get excited for him but I know if I think low of him it's going to bite me in the ass. He's really damn good.

[wolffy]

We are actually in a position to take a risk and if they draft him I'll back medical professionals and scouts that have watched him over your blind bias any day.

Let's say this draft pick (whoever it is) doesn't work out. Would you say that Chicago was in a position to afford to miss? I absolutely don't agree with that.

Why not? We simply end up in the lottery again.

If you believe you need a superstar to win a championship then if you dont hit a homerun it realistically is better to miss. A guy who is merely a good starter is just going to hurt your draft position. I dont like looking at it like that but there is truth in it.

[NewEra21]

We are actually in a position to take a risk and if they draft him I'll back medical professionals and scouts that have watched him over your blind bias any day.

Let's say this draft pick (whoever it is) doesn't work out. Would you say that Chicago was in a position to afford to miss? I absolutely don't agree with that.

Why not? We simply end up in the lottery again.

At the end of the day, the Bulls need to get value in the player they select at 7. Carter may be the "safe" pick, but it seems pretty obvious that he can do just a little bit of everything from the C position and the only question mark on him is can he switch onto guards. Sure thats important in todays NBA, but thats literally all I hear people complaining about him. That one thing. He provides value in so many other aspects of the game that I dont see in MPJ. And because he does, it makes him a viable trade chip down the road if need be.

[Axolotl]

Carter is a safe pick because he is already good, and has no major flaws. He is one of the most well-rounded players in this draft

What keeps him from the top is his mediocre athleticism and, maybe, some lack of enthusiasm and intensity.

He may become very good, but I see him as a complementary piece and we need more.

That said, I would be content with Carter. He is #8 on my board.

[Betta Bulleavit]

I think because Carter's safe, people assume he doesn't have upside. I think a guy with his size and his well-roundedness, while not 'sexy', has a pretty high caliber upside. I struggle to get excited for him but I know if I think low of him it's going to bite me in the ass. He's really damn good.

I'm sort of in the same place that you are regarding WCJ. I like him. A lot. And I've said that from the beginning. However, you know that if you take him, you aren't really taking that homerun cut that most people want to see us take. Taking him is more akin to shorting up your swing to handle a pitch so that you can go for a nice little gapper.

Here's what I think though. Going for the gapper isn't a bad idea if you have a couple of guys on..or you are trying to start a rally. So the bottom line there is that even a nice gapper can be useful as hell in the right situation. For me, if we take WCJ with number 7, I can be very cool with that. But I do think that what we do with the 22nd pick (and perhaps trying to move up) becomes VERY important. I think that if we can use that pick and a player to move up into the range to get a Miles Bridges, Mikal Bridges, Knox type of player, that could create a nice little "sum of the parts" type situation. Sure. We may still find ourselves needing a star player. But those two (high floor) moves could give us just the type of foundation that we'd need to help lure the star level player that we know we are going to need.

[Betta Bulleavit]

Let's say this draft pick (whoever it is) doesn't work out. Would you say that Chicago was in a position to afford to miss? I absolutely don't agree with that.

Why not? We simply end up in the lottery again.

If you believe you need a superstar to win a championship then if you dont hit a homerun it realistically is better to miss. A guy who is merely a good starter is just going to hurt your draft position. I dont like looking at it like that but there is truth in it.

It also depends heavily on WHEN you are expecting to try to contend as well though. Some of the guys that are dominant right now may not be in say...2 or 3 years. So you have to play the long game to a degree when you are in the spot that we are in. Even if we get a star player, we are still going to need other pieces to fortify the team if we plan to contend at any point.

[blicka]

Not the bulls mo to take risks, they have played it safe for years. Which is why I doubt they draft mpj or Trae young. I hope Bamba is there at 7

This is why I think wcj will be the pick. I really hope I’m wrong and they shock me

[sco]

My opinion - Jabari Parker is a better version of what I think MPJ will become. There's some differences stylistically but essentially, for a score-1st combo forward, I like Jabari more, and they both have their injury issues.

I think Jabari has proven that he can shoot the rock (37% from 3 the last couple of years and 49% FG), has slightly better chops as a ball handler and passer, boards well (around 7 per 40 over the last couple of seasons), has similar scoring volume (20ppg sort of guy given the role and minutes), plays within a team offense better and is much more viable at the 3 than MPJ.

Obviously, that all comes down to his price point, because MPJ would be coming on a rookie scale deal as opposed to Jabari if you signed him, but all that aside, if you don't like Jabari regardless of injury history, then I think you should question you interest in MPJ. I've seen people talk about MPJ's ability to get to his shot as a rare ability that should be coveted at a very high level, but just remember, some of you also bash guys like Lavine and Parker for their deficiencies in the same breath, so consider MPJ's flaws as well when evaluating him.

I'm not sure either guy is a perfect fit given the defensive issues surrounding both, but I do believe that Jabari has star potential when healthy.

I think a combo forward needs to be on the cards somehow over the next few years. Miles Bridges, Knox or MPJ in this draft, Jabari in FA, or one of the many names like Zion Williamson, Sekou Doumbouya, Nassir Little, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Hunter in the 2019 draft.. there's plenty of avenues to acquire this piece. Either way, somebody who can both man that SF spot and slide up to the 4 effectively and allowing Lauri to play the 5 makes a tonne of sense. Out of those names, I'm not sure MPJ is an ideal fit unless he can make major changes to his decision making, passing, and most importantly, defense.

I think Jabari is a good upside comp for MPJ. Maybe we should just go after Jabari?

[Benedict Miller]

Carter disappearing in some of the big games was a head scratcher for me. Shot 3-9 When he played against a front court with length against Kansas, but he only had 2 rebounds. Duke was outrebounded that night by 21. 3-9 shooting, fine....but 2 rebounds? Bamba had 15 rebounds, 8 blocks and 22 points against that same Kansas team.

[NewEra21]

The Bulls are in talent acquisition mode. They are primed with cap space these next couple years and they are going to use it. They need to hit on these players regardless if they are safe or not so they can become an attractive destination for marquee free agents. Whether the stars want to play with them, or the youngins could be traded for other pieces. Which is why I'm ok with the safe pick for now. If the Bulls fans really think it all depends on this draft for the Bulls to make it or break it idk what to tell you. We are still gonna suck next year and be a bottom 7 team if we pick Mikal or Carter Jr. We arent in a position like Orlando yet where we have been a bottom feeder for multiple years wasting picks on boom or bust players and allocating all our money to mediocre free agents.

If we were Orlando than yeah, take the boom or bust guy no question. A little bit of hope that we can grasp onto to get us out this hell. But we're not there yet. So I don't think it's such a terrible thing to take the well rounded C with less than desired atheticism, or the prototype 3 & D wing with questionable upside over the scoring forward with a crap back.

[Red Larrivee]

We are actually in a position to take a risk and if they draft him I'll back medical professionals and scouts that have watched him over your blind bias any day.

Let's say this draft pick (whoever it is) doesn't work out. Would you say that Chicago was in a position to afford to miss? I absolutely don't agree with that.

Why not? We simply end up in the lottery again.

You may simply end up in the lottery again regardless. Chicago is thin on talent. They have to hit on this pick.

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[Red Larrivee]

Carter disappearing in some of the big games was a head scratcher for me. Shot 3-9 When he played against a front court with length against Kansas, but he only had 2 rebounds. Duke was outrebounded that night by 21. 3-9 shooting, fine....but 2 rebounds? Bamba had 15 rebounds, 8 blocks and 22 points against that same Kansas team.

Carter was in foul trouble all game and never got into any sort of rhythm. Not really a head scratcher. That's why they got killed on the boards and couldn't get key stops.

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[Betta Bulleavit]

Not the bulls mo to take risks, they have played it safe for years. Which is why I doubt they draft mpj or Trae young. I hope Bamba is there at 7

This is why I think wcj will be the pick. I really hope I’m wrong and they shock me

If the Bulls take WCJ at 7, it will provide a nice tasty treat for all the FO haters the chew on over the summer. But my deep belief is that it won't be long before that crowd will settle down substantially once they start watching him play. Then they will start cheering when some of the other, more highly touted players start to fall flat.

It's really this simple. If you feel like the Bulls need to go with a good player that is going to be a positive contributor towards this rebuild, then you will likely be fine with WCJ. However, if you feel like the Bulls need to go for the long ball even if it means looking like a fool for going down swinging, then you will likely hate a WCJ pick.

I don't think there is anything wrong with taking Trae young as a high upside pick because he brings a quality that will make him serviceable at a minimum in this league. He can shoot. But I question his fit on this team. I have cooled on MPJ A LOT. And it's not just the back thing. I am starting to question his ability to play at a high level against the most elite in the sport. To me, that's not just taking a HR hack. It's similar to blindfolding yourself, not knowing the pitcher, and then going and just foolishly swinging hoping to connect. Nothing smart or strategic about that. So at our slot, that pretty much leaves us with Bamba (possibly), WCJ and Mikal Bridges. I'd rather go big at 7 because they will all be gone later in the draft. I believe that you can use 22 and a player to trade up if you want to get your 3. So in that sense, I'm good with Bamba (higher upside than WCJ) or WCJ (higher floor than Bamba).

[Big Pippen]

Give me a guy (Carter) with a pedigree good enough to start freshmen year at Duke, smart enough for Harvard to have been his second choice, above average mobility (for a big), post moves to the left and right, versatile defensive skill, and hes what.. 18? 19?

If a one and done, smart, two way player from Duke has low upside... Im not sure where this hype process has gotten.

The modern game is more than chucking threes. It requires bigs who smart, versatile, and team oriented. Im not sure there is a better description for Wendall Carter.

[sco]

The Bulls are in talent acquisition mode. They are primed with cap space these next couple years and they are going to use it. They need to hit on these players regardless if they are safe or not so they can become an attractive destination for marquee free agents. Whether the stars want to play with them, or the youngins could be traded for other pieces. Which is why I'm ok with the safe pick for now. If the Bulls fans really think it all depends on this draft for the Bulls to make it or break it idk what to tell you. We are still gonna suck next year and be a bottom 7 team if we pick Mikal or Carter Jr. We arent in a position like Orlando yet where we have been a bottom feeder for multiple years wasting picks on boom or bust players and allocating all our money to mediocre free agents.

If we were Orlando than yeah, take the boom or bust guy no question. A little bit of hope that we can grasp onto to get us out this hell. But we're not there yet. So I don't think it's such a terrible thing to take the well rounded C with less than desired atheticism, or the prototype 3 & D wing with questionable upside over the scoring forward with a crap back.

I disagree. To become an attractive FA destination you need, IMO, either a top 10 player or 2 top 20 guys. We have:

1) I possible top 20 guy in Lauri
2) 2 unlikely top 20 guys in Dunn and Lavine

We are exactly where you say Orlando is.

[NewEra21]

The Bulls are in talent acquisition mode. They are primed with cap space these next couple years and they are going to use it. They need to hit on these players regardless if they are safe or not so they can become an attractive destination for marquee free agents. Whether the stars want to play with them, or the youngins could be traded for other pieces. Which is why I'm ok with the safe pick for now. If the Bulls fans really think it all depends on this draft for the Bulls to make it or break it idk what to tell you. We are still gonna suck next year and be a bottom 7 team if we pick Mikal or Carter Jr. We arent in a position like Orlando yet where we have been a bottom feeder for multiple years wasting picks on boom or bust players and allocating all our money to mediocre free agents.

If we were Orlando than yeah, take the boom or bust guy no question. A little bit of hope that we can grasp onto to get us out this hell. But we're not there yet. So I don't think it's such a terrible thing to take the well rounded C with less than desired atheticism, or the prototype 3 & D wing with questionable upside over the scoring forward with a crap back.

I disagree. To become an attractive FA destination you need, IMO, either a top 10 player or 2 top 20 guys. We have:

1) I possible top 20 guy in Lauri
2) 2 unlikely top 20 guys in Dunn and Lavine

We are exactly where you say Orlando is.

Bulls have enough cap space to get their stars in free agency. I also mentioned that hitting on these picks is important cuz then they could be used in packages to acquire other stars. We don't have a top 10 or a couple top 20 players right now, but we will have the money and if we hit on these picks, we could have the talent to acquire them.

[Red Larrivee]

Give me a guy (Carter) with a pedigree good enough to start freshmen year at Duke, smart enough for Harvard to have been his second choice, above average mobility (for a big), post moves to the left and right, versatile defensive skill, and hes what.. 18? 19?

If a one and done, smart, two way player from Duke has low upside... Im not sure where this hype process has gotten.

The modern game is more than chucking threes. It requires bigs who smart, versatile, and team oriented. Im not sure there is a better description for Wendall Carter.

Spot on. Carter is one of the most fundamentally sound players available and has a positive impact on winning games. It's not a sexy choice, but he checks a ton of boxes on both sides of the ball.

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