Sarah Stier/Getty Images Mark Williams
The Chicago Bulls are in the middle of the playoff push. The team is currently 41-27 and is sitting in fourth place in a very tight Eastern Conference. Chicago is just a half-game behind the Philadelphia 76ers and a half-game in front of the Boston Celtics.
While the Bulls have had a good season the team has shown some weaknesses at times. Chicago has been maligned by a number of long-term injuries with Patrick Williams, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and Derrick Jones Jr.
The team is starting to get healthy, but the Bulls still have a lack of size and depth on the interior. They tried to patch things by adding Tristan Thompson, but have still had struggles with depth and defending opposing big men.
Draft Prospects to Watch
The best and cheapest way for the Bulls to improve themselves on the interior might be through the 2022 NBA Draft. With March Madness getting underway this week it’s a good time to take a look at some of the top college prospects that could be available in the 2022 draft.
If the draft was today the Bulls would have the 24th overall pick. While elite talent is usually off the board at that point you can still find value there, especially in this year’s draft which is thought to be pretty deep in talent.
While the Bulls could ultimately identify another need they want to address in the draft, we’re going to focus on big men who could be available to help them on the interior. This is also a draft that is pretty deep in terms of size.
In looking at mock drafts from ESPN, CBS, NBA Draft Room, and NBADraft.net I chose four big men that could still be on the board for the Bulls when they pick. The first one that could be available is Duke center, Mark Williams.
The Duke big man is a sophomore that is listed at 7’0 242 pounds. This season Williams has averaged 10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game. He is a traditional back-to-the-basket big that has the ability to play above the rim. On the mocks, we listed Williams is slated to go anywhere from 14th to 27th.
Another possible fit for the Bulls is Auburn center, Walker Kessler. In his sophomore season, he’s averaged 11.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and is second in the country in blocks at 4.5 per game. Kessler is listed at 7’1 245 pounds, he is currently projected to be a mid to late first-round pick.
If Williams and Kessler are both off the board then the Bulls could look at Arizona center Christian Koloko. The 7’1 230-pound junior has averaged 12.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game. Koloko is currently expected to be a late first-round pick.
Another option for the Bulls would be Kentucky center, Oscar Tshiebwe. The 6’9 255 pound junior is a monster on the boards leading the country at 15.1 rebounds per game. Tshiebwe has also averaged 17.1 points and 1.6 blocks per game. He is currently viewed as the favorite to win the Wooden Award, which recognizes the nation’s top player. Tshiebwe is currently expected to go in the late first or early second round of the draft.
Rest of the Season
The Bulls’ draft position will ultimately be affected by now the team plays the rest of the season. If the team continues their struggles against top teams it’s possible they’ll end up with a higher draft pick.
Over the last 14 games of the regular season, the Bulls will play 11 teams that are currently in the playoff field. How they play during this upcoming stretch won’t only affect their playoff seeding, but also the offseason.