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The Chicago Bulls‘ biggest need this offseason is at point guard, a position currently filled by an injured Coby White, and 29-year old Tomas Satoransky.
Third-string guard Ryan Arcidiacono has a team option for $3-million, but regardless of whether or not they exercise it, the Bulls will still be looking to add a new face, if not faces, to the rotation.
Fortunately, the offseason will present them with a number of options, and they’ve already been linked to free agents Dennis Schroder and Lonzo Ball.
But what about the upcoming NBA Draft?
Projected first overall pick Cade Cunningham, among others, represents a ready-to-start point guard talent whose salary would cost less than that of most free-agent targets.
Prior to contrary belief, there is an outcome where he lands on the Chicago Bulls.
And some view it as one of the best places for the 19-year old.
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Chicago’s Isn’t Yet ‘Out’ of the Cade Sweepstakes
Fans have been quick to write the Chicago Bulls off of mock drafts and big boards after the team traded for Nikola Vucevic at the deadline, and included protections on their pick in this year’s draft.
It’s top-four protected, so they won’t truly be ruled out until Tuesday night when the NBA holds the draft lottery to determine the order for teams selecting first through fourteenth.
Chicago has a 20.2% chance at retaining their first-round pick, according to Tankathon.com, and a 4.5% chance at landing the first overall pick.
That gives them the eighth-worst odds at landing the rights to drafting Cade Cunningham, and for those with a glass half empty mentality, remember, stranger things have happened.
Zion Williamson’s landing with the New Orleans Pelicans is a byproduct of similar circumstances. They finished 30-42 the season prior to the 2020 NBA Draft and entered the lottery with just a 6% chance at the first overall pick.
Perhaps the Chicago Bulls will see a similar miracle unfold on Tuesday night.
Vecenie: Cunningham the ‘Perfect Player’ for LaVine and Vucevic
In his latest piece for The Athletic, Sam Vecenie went through all 14 lottery teams and ranked them as landing spots for Cade Cunningham.
The Chicago Bulls clocked in at 11th out of 14, but largely due to their poor finish to the 2020-2021 season, and Zach LaVine’s pending contract extension:
So why are the Bulls lower on this list despite the fact that I think they make the playoffs next season with Cunningham? Well, LaVine is a free agent after next season with no assurance he’ll be on the roster past that. And the team didn’t look particularly good after acquiring Vucevic at the deadline last year.
Otherwise, Vecenie thinks Cunningham would make for a perfect fit in the Windy City:
Cunningham is the perfect player to pair with Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. He’d be awesome running dribble handoffs and screening actions with Vucevic, and LaVine’s explosive scoring ability would allow Cunningham to focus on facilitating.
NBADraft.net has the Oklahoma State product’s NBA comparison as a cross between Jayson Tatum/Luka Doncic.
You’ll notice that neither of those guys plays point guard, Cunningham’s position.
The 19-year old didn’t exactly light up the Cowboys’ assist records in college, averaging just 3.5 assists per game.
But he was more of a one-man show then, as opposed to the in-between player he’d have to be in Chicago.
It makes sense, almost too much; Cade Cunningham’s fit with the Chicago Bulls.
And until Mark Tatum calls out their draft slot on Tuesday night, it’s an outcome fans can justifiably hold out for.
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