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The Chicago Bulls select fourth in the upcoming NBA Draft and Deni Avdija is a name commonly mentioned as a potential pick. Well, not everyone is high on him.
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“He Has No Elite Skills”
Fred Pfeiffer aka See Red Fred of Chicago BullsEye pulled no punches with his take on Avdija. Perhaps the most damning portion of his evaluation was the “he has no elite skills” part.
Well, I think it is safe to say Pfeiffer doesn’t want to see the Bulls select the 19-year-old Israeli prospect.
Pfeiffer has mentioned Auburn defender Isaac Okoro as a better fit for the team because of his prowess on the defensive end and overall athleticism.
Pretty Harsh Take on a 19-Year-Old
I understand Pfeiffer not being sold on Avdija, but it’s far too soon to have a complete take on who he is, or who he’ll be as a pro. Stats have obvious validity, but you can’t base your entire take on them.
These numbers can be especially deceptive when consider young players often play inconsistent minutes for young players. This breakdown from J. Kyle Mann of The Ringer is a more comprehensive take on Avdija’s current ability and ceiling.
Trust me, this isn’t all glamour, but it is a bit fairer. Like Pfeiffer, Man doesn’t believe Avdija will be a star in the NBA, but it doesn’t sound quite as negative.
In fact, the Bulls are identified by Mann as a good fit for Avdija’s talents.
Is Avdija the Kind of Game Changer the Bulls Need?
The answer to this question is probably no. Avdija looks like a solid player in the league, but perhaps not a needle mover. When you’re looking at a team like the Bulls that wasn’t even invited to the NBA Restart this past season and has historically had trouble attracting major free agents, it is very important to hit big in the draft.
Every time the Bulls have been contenders in the NBA over the past 40-50 years, they have pulled most of their main pieces from the draft. Landing at No. 4 was huge for Chicago, and they cannot afford to miss with this pick.