2024 NBA Draft - DA BULLS Edition Pick #11

[drosestruts]

About a month out from a draft that I'm finding very hard to predict. Amongst players I anticipate to be available at 11 my rankings are:

1. Tyler Smith - big fan of his shooting ability, showed more than just being a spot-up shooter. Shoots off movement, can hit stepbacks.
2. Yves Misi - potentially influenced by our lack of athletic mobile big men for years
3. Tristan da Silva - who doesn't like a smart player with a good shot and good size - Cam Johnson vibes
4. DaRon Holmes - I watched 0 Dayton basketball games but his size, stats, and highlight intruige me a lot. 6'10" swiss army knife
5. Terrence Shannon Jr. - Good 3-level scorer and big time competitor


Players I expect to be gone but if they dropped I'd be happy

1. Nikola Topic - haven't seen a conformation of his injury, even if he were out for the year i'd take him
2. Reed Sheppard - Performance > metrics. I don't care that's he's short, he produces.


Players that give me pause

1. Matas Buzelis - I'm unsure what it is he's good at
2. Donovan Clingan & Zach Eddey - concerned about their mobility
3. Ron Holland - does a lot, but none of it well. 56% TS%, 1:1 assist to turnover ratio

[ChettheJet]

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2379407

alright go here and redo the 2016 draft with 8 years of evidence and experience to know what happened and how wrong so many were. Enough with the AKME don't know anything, there were 30 teams with all the scouting, interviews, brain power and look how it turned out. Most of those 30 front offices have been fired and many rehired. Don't bother acting like with 8 years of hindsight that you could have done better.

[DuckIII]

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2379407

alright go here and redo the 2016 draft with 8 years of evidence and experience to know what happened and how wrong so many were. Enough with the AKME don't know anything, there were 30 teams with all the scouting, interviews, brain power and look how it turned out. Most of those 30 front offices have been fired and many rehired. Don't bother acting like with 8 years of hindsight that you could have done better.

What a weird post. What does the unpredictability of the draft and a draft 8 years ago have to do with AK as Bulls GM?

[Dan Z]

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2379407

alright go here and redo the 2016 draft with 8 years of evidence and experience to know what happened and how wrong so many were. Enough with the AKME don't know anything, there were 30 teams with all the scouting, interviews, brain power and look how it turned out. Most of those 30 front offices have been fired and many rehired. Don't bother acting like with 8 years of hindsight that you could have done better.

What a weird post. What does the unpredictability of the draft and a draft 8 years ago have to do with AK as Bulls GM?

Especially since AK wasn't here in 2016.

[2weekswithpay]

With the combine results being posted, these are my thoughts on some players.

Dalton Knecht - With his great combine numbers, I hope we can stop comparing Knecht to one-dimensional 3pt shooters like McDermott. His shooting is the selling point but Knecht is a better athlete and offers more as a creator than the usual shooters. The defense is still an issue but I don't think he's a lost cause on that end. Bad defenders have improved before, Max Strus had a -1 DBPM as a senior and he's a solid defender right now and this is after tearing his ACL. Knecht does have the size to offer some value on defense.

Kyle Filipowski - A bit disappointed with his short wingspan. 6'10.75' with a 6'10.50'' wingspan. Hard to envision Flip ever being a full time starting 5 since I don't believe he can anchor a defense even with his improvements on that end. His mobility was better this season after he had hip surgery, he can't switch onto guards but he should be able to switch on most wings/forwards. His mobility should help him at the 4 and while he isn't the best rim protector, he's still 7ft and that's valuable as a help defender. He's the best passing big in this draft class and improved significantly as a sophomore. The shooting is still a question mark but 7 footers that can dribble/pass/shoot aren't easy to find. Bigs that can be offensive hubs in short stretches can have value. Look at what Hartenstien is doing in NY.

Ja'Kobe Walter - A shooter who didn't shoot all that well this year. After a hot start, Walter went into a really bad shooting slump that tanked his shooting percentages. Walter shot over 80% from the FT line on good volume and he has good shooting mechanics so people still buy his ability to shoot. He isn't a good playmaker/ballhandler and was probably asked to do too much at Baylor. A simplified role in the NBA should help him. Wasn't a good defender but does have good size for a SG. 6'4.25 with a 6'10 wingspan. You hope that you can turn him into another 3&D guard/wing like KCP or Aaron Nesmith.

Isaiah Collier - Was not as tall as people speculated. Collier was listed as 6'4/6'5 but measured as 6'2.50 with a 6'4.75 wingspan. Collier is still built like a tank but the slightly smaller size hurts his stock a bit since he's a slashing guard and won't be able to bully opponents like he did at USC. People understandably don't want another guard but Collier's slashing is a good complement to Coby's shooting ability. He had issues with decision-making and TOs. Playing with NBA spacing will help him but he still needs reps with the ball, so if the Bulls bring back Demar, (They will) he doesn't make much sense at 11th. Doesn't shoot, rebound, or defend so he has a lot to improve on.

Yves Missi - Raw athletic rim running 5. Missi is a great athlete and there's a pathway for him to be the starting 5. Good size at just under 6'11, great leaper, finished well at the rim, and has good mobility. He's pretty good for someone who has only played organized basketball for 3 years. The appeal is understandable considering we haven't had an athletic 5 since Gafford. For the downsides, like most athletic bigs, Missi can't shoot at all and he's an awful passer. Missi's AST% is really low, having a AST% < 4 can be a red flag. Since 2010, these are the bigs that were drafted in the first round with an AST% < 4.

Spoiler:

Jaxson Hayes Andrew Nicholson Mo Bamba Mfiondu Kabengele Festus Ezeli Andre Drummond Adreian Payne Damian Jones Miles Plumlee

Despite his size and athleticism, Missi didn't block as many shots as you'd expect and wasn't a good defensive rebounder. Statistically, he performed similarly to freshman Gafford which isn't a criticism but there are downsides to drafting a player of this archetype this high in the draft. For every Dereck Lively, there's a James Wiseman or Jaxson Hayes. I don't hate the player but picking him at 11 is concerning.

Cody Williams - People are down on Cody Williams. He's a worse rebounder than Pat was in college. He doesn't get blocks or steals, is not a ballhandler/playmaker, and doesn't have a history of shooting the ball well. Is known for disappearing in games, and a lot of our frustrations with Pat can be seen in Cody. For the positives, Cody played great for the first 1 months of the season. Then he suffered a wrist injury, and after that, he got hit in the face and had to wear a mask, then he sprained his ankle. Not making excuses for him but you can say injuries derailed his season. Not an explosive athlete but does get downhill and was very efficient at converting shots around the basket. He shot 73.6% at the rim which is great and it's even more impressive when Cody is only 178lbs. He needs a lot of work but I don't know if this team can pass up on front court depth

I really enjoyed your breakdowns. I few responses to these:

- I'm more of a Knecht fan then not... but I am not as bullish as you on the defense. The McDermott and Strus comparisons are interesting. I would say Knecht is a better athlete then McDermott but not Strus. McDermott could just not hang laterally, consistently on the defensive end. It wasnt about his vertical leap or size...he just cant move his feet well enough. I just see some heavy feet with Knecht. I think he's gonna score the ball and that release is quick and he'll shoot it with a hand in the face too. At 11, and in this draft, I would take him without hesitation.

- I'm more of a Missi fan. But again, its because of the lack of depth/talent in this draft. I love the high ceiling and I love the lob threat. The thing I love the most is the motor. Dude runs the floor hard, knows what he is there for and plays with a fire and passion that I like. You need that with the young athletic big men. If you get a kid who is capped as a rim running big, but plays hard and competes, I'll take a chance on that. Anything else he learns and improves on is gravy. Again, only because this draft looks very weak.

- Filipowski...reminds me a bit of Kelly Olynyk to me. I hated Olynyk coming out, short arms, average athlete and I didnt see a high ceiling. But he knew how to play. I see the same with Filipowski, I think his IQ and size are what will make him succeed. If he shoots it well he could be a very nice piece. Hes not a quick or agile as Olynyk is but I just think he is just a smart, skilled ball player.

Curious on if you've watched Topic, Clingan or Risacher? Thoughts?

I've watched all 3 although my main impressions on Risacher and Topic come from watching them play at FIBA.

Risacher - Not going to wow you with any highlight plays. He doesn't have the best first step or vertical pop and his lack of strength leads to issues finishing at the rim. Not the best ballhandler and hasn't shown much as a passer. He can make simple reads but I wouldn't expect anything more. Has shot the ball extremely well this season. Knows when to cut and how to properly space the floor. Great size at 6'9 and he moves well enough to potentially guard 2-4. Smart defender, that knows how to defend and rotate. Good 3&D forward which may be a bit disappointing but 3&D wings/forwards are highly valued (OG/Mikal Bridges). A few 3&D were drafted in the top 5 in recent years. Jabari Smith, Keegan Murray, Deandre Hunter etc.

Topic - Good size at the guard spot with above-average straight-line speed. Not an above the rim athlete but it hasn't stopped him from finishing around the rim. Capable of driving and finishing with both hands. He is a phenomenal passer out of the PNR for his age. Probably the best passing guard/wing since Giddey and I think he has the best offensive feel in this draft class. With that said, he isn't a threat to score outside the paint. No in-between game, not a shooting threat and he has weird mechanics. Could use a bit more change of pace to his drives, spins, fakes, etc. Little things to keep the defense guessing. Defensively, he's bad. Doesn't move well laterally, the effort isn't always there, and he can be a bit slow at recognizing what happening in front of him. Very good FT shooter so there may be some hidden shooting talent there.

Clingan - It probably doesn't need to be mentioned but Clingan is massive. Not the quickest but he has great positioning and awareness on defense. Knows where to be and how to contest without fouling. He wasn't just the best rim protector in college because of his size. He lacks strength but that is a bigger issue when he has to finish at the basket, not many players are going to be effective in the post against him. On offense, he plays hard, sets effective screens, and is solid at punishing mismatches. Underrated passer, had a 2:1 ast to TO ratio this season. Capable of running DHOs and passing in short roll situations. He's smart and can be utilized in more ways than just a rim runner. Uconn has a pretty complicated offense for a college team and Clingan's ability to read the floor and set screens played a big part in their success. Potential conditioning issues, since he rarely played 30 minutes or more and there is an injury risk with him so his medicals are important.

[SfBull]

About a month out from a draft that I'm finding very hard to predict. Amongst players I anticipate to be available at 11 my rankings are:

1. Tyler Smith - big fan of his shooting ability, showed more than just being a spot-up shooter. Shoots off movement, can hit stepbacks.
2. Yves Misi - potentially influenced by our lack of athletic mobile big men for years
3. Tristan da Silva - who doesn't like a smart player with a good shot and good size - Cam Johnson vibes
4. DaRon Holmes - I watched 0 Dayton basketball games but his size, stats, and highlight intruige me a lot. 6'10" swiss army knife
5. Terrence Shannon Jr. - Good 3-level scorer and big time competitor


Players I expect to be gone but if they dropped I'd be happy

1. Nikola Topic - haven't seen a conformation of his injury, even if he were out for the year i'd take him
2. Reed Sheppard - Performance > metrics. I don't care that's he's short, he produces.


Players that give me pause

1. Matas Buzelis - I'm unsure what it is he's good at
2. Donovan Clingan & Zach Eddey - concerned about their mobility
3. Ron Holland - does a lot, but none of it well. 56% TS%, 1:1 assist to turnover ratio

Why would you pick an injured point guard with #11?
Better trade the pick ,we need improvement now.

[SfBull]

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2379407

alright go here and redo the 2016 draft with 8 years of evidence and experience to know what happened and how wrong so many were. Enough with the AKME don't know anything, there were 30 teams with all the scouting, interviews, brain power and look how it turned out. Most of those 30 front offices have been fired and many rehired. Don't bother acting like with 8 years of hindsight that you could have done better.

AKME 's work has been a big failure so far.

[Dan Z]

About a month out from a draft that I'm finding very hard to predict. Amongst players I anticipate to be available at 11 my rankings are:

1. Tyler Smith - big fan of his shooting ability, showed more than just being a spot-up shooter. Shoots off movement, can hit stepbacks.
2. Yves Misi - potentially influenced by our lack of athletic mobile big men for years
3. Tristan da Silva - who doesn't like a smart player with a good shot and good size - Cam Johnson vibes
4. DaRon Holmes - I watched 0 Dayton basketball games but his size, stats, and highlight intruige me a lot. 6'10" swiss army knife
5. Terrence Shannon Jr. - Good 3-level scorer and big time competitor


Players I expect to be gone but if they dropped I'd be happy

1. Nikola Topic - haven't seen a conformation of his injury, even if he were out for the year i'd take him
2. Reed Sheppard - Performance > metrics. I don't care that's he's short, he produces.


Players that give me pause

1. Matas Buzelis - I'm unsure what it is he's good at
2. Donovan Clingan & Zach Eddey - concerned about their mobility
3. Ron Holland - does a lot, but none of it well. 56% TS%, 1:1 assist to turnover ratio

Why would you pick an injured point guard with #11?
Better trade the pick ,we need improvement now.

Embiid and Chet Holgren were picked high and couldn't play their first year due to injuries. Michael Porter Jr also dropped in the draft due to injury concerns.

If Topic is there at 11 (I'd be surprised) you pick him because you believe in his future potential.

[Ralphb07]

Assuming these guys are gone Sarr, Sheppard, Williams, Holland, Dillingham, Topic, Clingan, Risacher, Buzelis and Castle, I really like Carter and Salaun at 11 for the Bulls.

[d boy gentleman]

Hope beyond hope but, I'd hope for either Clingan or Ware to be thereat 11

[DuckIII]

Hope beyond hope but, I'd hope for either Clingan or Ware to be thereat 11

That would be a pretty startling slide for Clingan based on the current projections. My early thought when he rocketed up boards (I liked him for the Bulls at 11) to the high lottery was that it was a short term tourney bump and he would work his way back to our neighborhood. But the more time goes on the more highly he’s projected.

If he were to fall to 11 at this point I’d be concerned it was something in a physical. Point being, I really like him but I’ve completely written him off as an option at 11.

[Rose2Boozer]

Hope beyond hope but, I'd hope for either Clingan or Ware to be thereat 11

Kel'el Ware and Tyler Smith are my favorite prospects at 11. After they measured out, Ware should have a slight edge over Smith. Hell, I wouldn't mind AK finding a way(trade Caruso) to draft both guys.

[SfBull]

About a month out from a draft that I'm finding very hard to predict. Amongst players I anticipate to be available at 11 my rankings are:

1. Tyler Smith - big fan of his shooting ability, showed more than just being a spot-up shooter. Shoots off movement, can hit stepbacks.
2. Yves Misi - potentially influenced by our lack of athletic mobile big men for years
3. Tristan da Silva - who doesn't like a smart player with a good shot and good size - Cam Johnson vibes
4. DaRon Holmes - I watched 0 Dayton basketball games but his size, stats, and highlight intruige me a lot. 6'10" swiss army knife
5. Terrence Shannon Jr. - Good 3-level scorer and big time competitor


Players I expect to be gone but if they dropped I'd be happy

1. Nikola Topic - haven't seen a conformation of his injury, even if he were out for the year i'd take him
2. Reed Sheppard - Performance > metrics. I don't care that's he's short, he produces.


Players that give me pause

1. Matas Buzelis - I'm unsure what it is he's good at
2. Donovan Clingan & Zach Eddey - concerned about their mobility
3. Ron Holland - does a lot, but none of it well. 56% TS%, 1:1 assist to turnover ratio

Why would you pick an injured point guard with #11?
Better trade the pick ,we need improvement now.

Embiid and Chet Holgren were picked high and couldn't play their first year due to injuries. Michael Porter Jr also dropped in the draft due to injury concerns.

If Topic is there at 11 (I'd be surprised) you pick him because you believe in his future potential.

Is him that good?I understand the logic of drafting high potential guys like Embiid and Porter but don't know nothing of Topic

[Mindcrime]

With this year's draft being such a crap shot, why not go with the raw talent that has the most upside IF developed properly? Not that I expect AKME to do it since they alrady swinged on Terry and Phillips and I don't really trust them developing, but at #11 I can't see anything else intriguing than Cody Williams. He has enough lenght for the position at almost 6'8, verry athletic and despite being graded low on the defensive side has pretty good and fast hands poking the ball for fastbreaks.

[ChiTownHero1992]

After the combine results i'm still seeing basically the same group I said pre-combine as our best bets:

McCain, Carter, Williams, Holland, Walter, Salaun and Collier...

Personally I'd like McCain or Williams best out of that group but would be ok with Holland or Salaun.

If we go guard: McCain, Collier, Walter, Carter in that order
If we go forward: Williams, Holland, Salaun
If we reach for a Center: Ware over Edey

[DuckIII]

With this year's draft being such a crap shot, why not go with the raw talent that has the most upside IF developed properly? Not that I expect AKME to do it since they alrady swinged on Terry and Phillips and I don't really trust them developing, but at #11 I can't see anything else intriguing than Cody Williams. He has enough lenght for the position at almost 6'8, verry athletic and despite being graded low on the defensive side has pretty good and fast hands poking the ball for fastbreaks.

If AK believes he will be able to sign DDR and be “competitive” the next two years I’d be extremely surprised if he used the 11 pick on a high upside project.

[League Circles]

With this year's draft being such a crap shot, why not go with the raw talent that has the most upside IF developed properly? Not that I expect AKME to do it since they alrady swinged on Terry and Phillips and I don't really trust them developing, but at #11 I can't see anything else intriguing than Cody Williams. He has enough lenght for the position at almost 6'8, verry athletic and despite being graded low on the defensive side has pretty good and fast hands poking the ball for fastbreaks.

If AK believes he will be able to sign DDR and be “competitive” the next two years I’d be extremely surprised if he used the 11 pick on a high upside project.

Unless the prospective draftee is a legit threat to start at the 4 or 5 spots as a rookie (unlikely but maybe possible with Edey or similar), I disagree, just cause even a more "ready" rookie than most will really struggle to earn any PT at all at the 1-3 spots, and if Demar and Patrick and Andre all come back, there will also be very little pressure/opportunity for a more ready pick at 11 to play in the frontcourt too.

Also I think the days of more ready/ less ready are gone. For most guys it's a question of whether or not they'll ever be able to be good, not a matter of when. The fact that one and done has been the norm for decades now mean that most prospects are guesses, and the ones that you'd think would be more easy to project are such outliers that that's also impossible, like Edey.

[prolific passer]

The filipowski brothers are not like like the Lopez brothers from back in the day when getting drafted. Coming out Brook was the offensive one why Robin was the defensive one. Kyle is the good player of the brothers why his brother barely plays.

[R3AL1TY]

Assuming certain guys won't be available, my 3 guys at #11 are Ware, Salaun, and Filipowski.

[ChiTownHero1992]

With this year's draft being such a crap shot, why not go with the raw talent that has the most upside IF developed properly? Not that I expect AKME to do it since they alrady swinged on Terry and Phillips and I don't really trust them developing, but at #11 I can't see anything else intriguing than Cody Williams. He has enough lenght for the position at almost 6'8, verry athletic and despite being graded low on the defensive side has pretty good and fast hands poking the ball for fastbreaks.

If AK believes he will be able to sign DDR and be “competitive” the next two years I’d be extremely surprised if he used the 11 pick on a high upside project.

Firmly believe AKME takes Edey at 11 thinking that he'll be the savior to the frontcourt problems/as well as a Drummond "replacement" and then watch him bust....