18 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

So who is the high ceiling pop up prospect who will never get there?

IMO it's Acuff. I just don't trust iso guards that are under 6-4. As for the Bulls, what a spot! We are guaranteed either Boozer or Wilson, with a small shot of Peterson falling, which would be just fine as well.

I have the tiers as follows:

A+ prospect (All Star floor, MVP potential):

Dybantsa, Peterson

A prospect (perennial All Star Potential, solid starter floor)

Boozer, Wilson

B+ prospect (All Star Potential, rotation floor)

Wagler

B prospect (Good starter potential, rotation floor)

Acuff, Brown, Mara, Yaxel, Steinbach.

And then everybody else. I'm not as high on Burries and the other guards in that 6-12 range as some others. I see alot of good pieces but it's really hard to project them as anything other than solid pieces.

At 15 for Chicago if somehow Mara is still there that's the pick but he'll be gone probably top 10 is the rumor right now. I'd have to look at Steinbach as the pick if he's there. A really good prospect imo, I saw him here in Seattle and he's a floor spacing mobile big. Needs refinement but he'd be an instant boost off the bench imo. The kid from Kentucky scares the hell out of me with his knees but at 15 if the Bulls want to take a HR swing after locking up say Boozer at 4, why not?

edit: I'm not high on Essengue at all. I think he's a lot like Pat Williams in that his motor just is not there. I wasn't impressed with him at all in either SL or in the few minutes he got before getting hurt. That said, rooting like hell he can be a useful piece, if nothing else maybe trade bait after a solid healthy 2026-27 season in the rotation.

Edited Monday at 05:29 PM4 days by chitownsportsfan

39 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

I don't consider Giddey part of the core. Sure cuz of his contract he is right now, but he's not a guy I feel Graham considers a longterm piece. Similar to Pat Williams who unfortunately will still be around too cuz of his contract.

I see one possibility of a “fun toy” in Matas but here we are moving into year 3 and it’s just not that exciting, it was a year in which he was a rising star yet again but not an all star. Graham can strip this team to the studs, I have no connection to any of this roster

7 hours ago, Quin said:

Bulls are weird cause they'll have a lot of fun toys, a lot of them raw (which is why my slight lean is to Boozer).

Tier 1 — Core: Giddey, Buzelis, Wilson/Boozer, #15 (hopefully)

Tier 2 — Young, raw, toolsy: Essengue, Miller, Dillingham

Tier 3 — Solid dudes with defined roles: Tre, Okoro, Stix

Shooting guard is the glaring hole. Funnily enough if you look at the free agents, Ayo is one of (if not the) best fit.

I made pretty much the exact post a few weeks ago. They're in a really interesting spot where a case can be made a few different ways.

I know reports are that they may be looking into using their cap space on bad contracts that come with draft picks, but i really hope they look into the RFA market. Getting a young guy like Peyton Watson or Walker Kessler still fits the timeline of these young guys hopefully developing into stars. Getting Ayo back would be pretty cool too but I think Minny brings him back.

1 minute ago, The_scs787 said:

I made pretty much the exact post a few weeks ago. They're in a really interesting spot where a case can be made a few different ways.

I know reports are that they may be looking into using their cap space on bad contracts that come with draft picks, but i really hope they look into the RFA market. Getting a young guy like Peyton Watson or Walker Kessler still fits the timeline of these young guys hopefully developing into stars. Getting Ayo back would be pretty cool too but I think Minny brings him back.

I stick to they need to stack more assets so I'm very supportive of cap space for more picks. I'm also supportive for playing RFA market. They also need to be smart enough that they don't hamper themselves so much given the new lottery rules that go into effect. Everything I've heard so far from new president is refreshing compared to the previous one (doesn't say much).

Almost feels like a do-over; We have Matas (Lauri comparison), Giddey (Lavine) and a 4th overall pick (same as bulls had). But I hope this regime treats this much better. Go nail the 4th pick and have right internal scouting view and lets not jump to trade future assets away for Vuc.

7 hours ago, chitownsportsfan said:

IMO it's Acuff. I just don't trust iso guards that are under 6-4. As for the Bulls, what a spot! We are guaranteed either Boozer or Wilson, with a small shot of Peterson falling, which would be just fine as well.

I have the tiers as follows:

A+ prospect (All Star floor, MVP potential):

Dybantsa, Peterson

A prospect (perennial All Star Potential, solid starter floor)

Boozer, Wilson

B+ prospect (All Star Potential, rotation floor)

Wagler

B prospect (Good starter potential, rotation floor)

Acuff, Brown, Mara, Yaxel, Steinbach.

And then everybody else. I'm not as high on Burries and the other guards in that 6-12 range as some others. I see alot of good pieces but it's really hard to project them as anything other than solid pieces.

At 15 for Chicago if somehow Mara is still there that's the pick but he'll be gone probably top 10 is the rumor right now. I'd have to look at Steinbach as the pick if he's there. A really good prospect imo, I saw him here in Seattle and he's a floor spacing mobile big. Needs refinement but he'd be an instant boost off the bench imo. The kid from Kentucky scares the hell out of me with his knees but at 15 if the Bulls want to take a HR swing after locking up say Boozer at 4, why not?

edit: I'm not high on Essengue at all. I think he's a lot like Pat Williams in that his motor just is not there. I wasn't impressed with him at all in either SL or in the few minutes he got before getting hurt. That said, rooting like hell he can be a useful piece, if nothing else maybe trade bait after a solid healthy 2026-27 season in the rotation.

Mara's going 8th now in some mocks.

Not an Ament TN fan? Flemings Hou?

Quaintance the ky player

Philon is super athletic twitchy, will get compared to Sexton since same school...his frame is still super thin though, absorbing wear and tear of 81 games another big question mark

more quick than explosive leaper ala Morant coming into league

15. Chicago Bulls (via Portland)

Labaron Philon, 6-4, Alabama sophomore guard

After selecting Wilson in the lottery, it’s time for the Bulls to find their actual point guard of the future — and not the filler that ended last season. Philon is a shifty, score-first point guard who blossomed into one of the best guards in college basketball as a sophomore. He doubled his scoring output with buttery floaters, a deceptive handle, and a feel for running an offense, while also beginning to shore up the shooting questions that once clouded his projection. But Philon is also a below-the-rim athlete and is listed under 180 pounds, so his slight frame remains the one thing standing between him and stardom

Edited Tuesday at 12:46 AM3 days by caulfield12

7 hours ago, chitownsportsfan said:

IMO it's Acuff. I just don't trust iso guards that are under 6-4. As for the Bulls, what a spot! We are guaranteed either Boozer or Wilson, with a small shot of Peterson falling, which would be just fine as well.

I have the tiers as follows:

A+ prospect (All Star floor, MVP potential):

Dybantsa, Peterson

A prospect (perennial All Star Potential, solid starter floor)

Boozer, Wilson

B+ prospect (All Star Potential, rotation floor)

Wagler

B prospect (Good starter potential, rotation floor)

Acuff, Brown, Mara, Yaxel, Steinbach.

And then everybody else. I'm not as high on Burries and the other guards in that 6-12 range as some others. I see alot of good pieces but it's really hard to project them as anything other than solid pieces.

At 15 for Chicago if somehow Mara is still there that's the pick but he'll be gone probably top 10 is the rumor right now. I'd have to look at Steinbach as the pick if he's there. A really good prospect imo, I saw him here in Seattle and he's a floor spacing mobile big. Needs refinement but he'd be an instant boost off the bench imo. The kid from Kentucky scares the hell out of me with his knees but at 15 if the Bulls want to take a HR swing after locking up say Boozer at 4, why not?

edit: I'm not high on Essengue at all. I think he's a lot like Pat Williams in that his motor just is not there. I wasn't impressed with him at all in either SL or in the few minutes he got before getting hurt. That said, rooting like hell he can be a useful piece, if nothing else maybe trade bait after a solid healthy 2026-27 season in the rotation.

If Mara is gone I like Cam Carr at 15 if he's there. Yes they need a center, but they also need a shooting guard and Carr is one of the better off ball scorers in the the draft, he has great length, and is a strong defender.

My dream scenario would be packaging 38 with a few 2nd rounders and moving up to take Veesaar.

Edited Tuesday at 12:52 AM3 days by The_scs787

I like Giddey a lot, I think he can be a starting PG on a championship caliber team if the pieces around him are good and hes the 3rd or 4th option. That being said, looking at the PGs in this draft if you can get a 1st for him, especially this year, I think you can make that trade.

Wonder if theres a team would want to part ways with a big bad contract, add a good starting PG, and send us a 1st.

6 hours ago, The_scs787 said:

I like Giddey a lot, I think he can be a starting PG on a championship caliber team if the pieces around him are good and hes the 3rd or 4th option. That being said, looking at the PGs in this draft if you can get a 1st for him, especially this year, I think you can make that trade.

Wonder if theres a team would want to part ways with a big bad contract, add a good starting PG, and send us a 1st.

Ja Morant ... haha

1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

Ja Morant ... haha

Lol that kinda defeats the purpose of trading Giddey because the PG market is flush buttttt.... I'd do Ja and 16 for Giddey. Grab Carr at 15 and Steinbach at 16.

Ja-Carr-Matas-Wilson-Steinbach would be loads of fun.

https://nypost.com/2026/05/13/us-news/wesley-edens-blackmail-suspect-bailed-out-by-chinese-foreign-agent/

Bucks owner and daughter in the news a lot recently

Over $1 billion a pretty expensive hook up

Edited Wednesday at 10:31 AM2 days by caulfield12

Caleb Wilson really wants to be a Bull

2 hours ago, Kyyle23 said:

Both guys have the same titles as how OKC built their front office. A Bulls competent front office. Is this real life?

Edited yesterday at 05:38 PM1 day by SoxAce

4 hours ago, SoxAce said:

Both guys have the same titles as how OKC built their front office. A Bulls competent front office. Is this real life?

Was Jerry still in charge for AKME?? The more I hear from Michael and see some of the moves, the more I start to like him.

Also.... Boozer is starting to grow on me. He was awful shooting the 3 in the tourney and that made me kinda sour on him. Didn't realize he shot 39% from 3 overall. I could definitely see Wilson going 3 and im now more content with taking Boozer at 4.

3 hours ago, The_scs787 said:

Was Jerry still in charge for AKME?? The more I hear from Michael and see some of the moves, the more I start to like him.

Also.... Boozer is starting to grow on me. He was awful shooting the 3 in the tourney and that made me kinda sour on him. Didn't realize he shot 39% from 3 overall. I could definitely see Wilson going 3 and im now more content with taking Boozer at 4.

He’s just never going to be that exciting dynamic highlight reel athlete…that’s always going to be the main point of critics.

2 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

He’s just never going to be that exciting dynamic highlight reel athlete…that’s always going to be the main point of critics.

Oh no, we'd have to be satisfied with these types of highlights. Whatever would we do?

5 hours ago, Quin said:

Oh no, we'd have to be satisfied with these types of highlights. Whatever would we do?

Lol. I think maybe some Bulls fans are having PTSD from his dad. Carlos was also a dann fine player but what he represented(the results of the decision) left a bad taste in our mouths.

16 hours ago, The_scs787 said:

Was Jerry still in charge for AKME?? The more I hear from Michael and see some of the moves, the more I start to like him.

Also.... Boozer is starting to grow on me. He was awful shooting the 3 in the tourney and that made me kinda sour on him. Didn't realize he shot 39% from 3 overall. I could definitely see Wilson going 3 and im now more content with taking Boozer at 4.

Michael hired AKME. That was like his first big move and he was front and center. He officially took Team President role in 2010

5 hours ago, The_scs787 said:

Lol. I think maybe some Bulls fans are having PTSD from his dad. Carlos was also a dann fine player but what he represented(the results of the decision) left a bad taste in our mouths.

There is one part of Carlos' game that Cam absolutely NEEDS to add if he joins the Bulls.

I need him to yell "GET DAT" and "SHOOT IT BUZI"

People get too enamored with athleticism. Today's game basketball IQ rules more than sheer athleticism. Look at today's superstars. Joker, Luka, Halliburton, SGA.. other than Wemby who is a freaking athletic cyborg we've never seen before, none of those guys are athletic demons. What do all of those guys have? ELITE basketball IQ. For my money Boozer is the second best prospect in this class after Peterson. I would be ecstatic if we got him.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by SoxAce

I am exstatic over any of the top 4. We are in a spot where I won't debate - but I see a wide gap between those 4 and the next class, and the next group has some very talented prospects too. Bulls front office obviously needs to look and assess this group but also validate what there views are on say 4 vs. 5 as if they have a more narrow view than they should assess other things (I don't think they will but if they do). Similarly - if they look at the next 6 spots and see guys that are blue chip, they need to assess at what point might they take a swing for one more of those by moving up (even if it means giving up a future material asset). Again - may not be that the value lines up - but they got to look at all of those things.

11 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

People get too enamored with athleticism. Today's game basketball IQ rules more than sheer athleticism. Look at today's superstars. Joker, Luka, Halliburton, SGA.. other than Wemby who is a freaking athletic cyborg we've never seen before, none of those guys are athletic demons. What do all of those guys have? ELITE basketball IQ. For my money Boozer is the second best prospect in this class after Peterson. I would be ecstatic if we got him.

I really want to be TeamPeterson, but the off the court stuff at Kansas definitely scares me.

39 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I really want to be TeamPeterson, but the off the court stuff at Kansas definitely scares me.

Oh I definitely agree it was a problem. But his talent alone makes it well worth the gamble. That kid is special. Like legit superstar upside. I think it's moot anyways as I highly doubt he'll be there at 4.