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The Chicago Bulls won’t have a first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, so that means they will not have a shot at drafting one of the more high-profile prospects. Because of this, Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley may turn their attention to G-Leaguers, underrated upperclassmen from college, or draft-and-stash players like Croatia’s Roko Prkacin.
Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley mentioned Prkacin and two others as potential fallback plans.
There’s the possibility of grabbing a point guard like a Daishen Nix. Or maybe the Bulls go the draft-and-stash route for the second straight summer, targeting a Rokas Jokubaitis or Roko Prkacin — the youngest player in the 2021 NBA Draft. Whichever direction executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas chooses with the 38th overall pick in next month’s draft, however, expect it to feel a bit empty. That’s not to say that Karnisovas doesn’t have the scouting chops to unearth a second-round gem. See Nikola Jokic and the 2014 second round, when Karnisovas was the assistant general manager for Denver. But there are far more Paul Zipsers and Cameron Bairstows in Round Two than landing an impact All-Star like a Jokic or a Draymond Green. That’s just draft reality.
While most mock drafts don’t have Prkacin going in the first round, with the exception of USA Today’s Cody Taylor, but the 18-year-old could be off the board by the time the Bulls pick.
Chicago may need to move up a few spots, perhaps into the bottom of the first round to get their hands on Prkacin.
Who is Roko Prkacin?
At 6’9″ and 220 pounds, Prkacin has good size considering he won’t be 19 until November. He is the youngest player in the draft, and likely just scratching the service of what he can become if he reaches his potential.
He’s not a point guard prospect, and that may be disappointing to those who have their eyes and hearts set on the Bulls addressing that position in the draft. Chicago will almost certainly make a move to improve at point guard–especially with Coby White injured–but it probably won’t be in the draft.
That said, Prkacin has the look of a versatile and athletic forward capable of creating his own shot, knocking down threes from spot-up situations, and he finishes aggressively at the rim. Like most 18-year-old prospects, he has some room for improvement on the defensive end.
Still, he is the kind of prospect who might nestle in well alongside Patrick Williams. In fact, if he progressed, Prkacin could be the player that changes PWill’s position to power forward for good.
A Good Fit for the Bulls, But Patience Would Be Key
The Bulls are looking for high-motor players with upside, and when you’re selecting players in the second round, that’s key.
Still, Prkacin is so young, patience would be the key–and that’s if he’s able to join an NBA team any time soon. He’s not going to help any team win for about 3 years, even if he is eligible to come over sooner rather than later.
Drafting Prkacin is still a low-risk, potentially high reward move.
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