Will their failure to jump up at the NBA Draft Lottery, the Chicago Bulls don’t have a pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Their first-round pick didn’t land in the top four, meaning it will convey to the Orlando Magic through the Nikola Vucevic trade. Meanwhile, their second-rounder was stripped after the NBA ruled Chicago broke tampering laws while negotiating the Lonzo Ball signing.
Now, the Bulls face a tough decision. Do they attempt to trade into this year’s draft or accept that they won’t be making a selection? Arturas Karnisovas seems intent on maintaining the current core, so that would lead to the belief Chicago will pass on the draft. However, their recent activity suggests otherwise.
According to Cody Westerlund of 670 The Score, the Bulls interviewed 2023 Draft prospect Brandon Miller, who is widely projected to be a top-three pick this year. The third pick is owned by the Portland Trail Blazers, which could mean a trade might be in play.
Brandon Miller says he met with the #Bulls at NBA Draft Combine earlier in week.
Alas, the Bulls don’t own a draft pick now.
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) May 17, 2023
Almost every mock draft out there has Miller going in the top three. Victor Wembanyama is projected to go first, with Miller and Scoot Henderson going second and third (in either order).
Chicago could just be doing their due diligence, looking at the top talent in this year’s draft. However, considering there is a clear pathway for them to acquire the third pick, working out Miller reeks of a move that’s more than that.
Above all, Miller is a bucket. He’s one of the best scorers in this year’s draft and has all the tools to maintain that title in the NBA. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer compares him to Paul George and Danny Granger, noting shooting, playmaking, and driving ability as top attributes.
At 6-foot-9 and with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, Miller is also a solid perimeter defender. The 20-year-old has all the makings of an NBA star, and any team who selects him could be picking the league’s next elite wing.
The catch with Miller is his potential involvement in a shooting in Tuscaloosa. He allegedly brought a firearm to his teammate, Darius Miles, which was used in a fatal shooting. However, he was never charged or suspended for the accusations.
Unless Karnisovas and the Bulls completely change their ideology and decide to blow up the team, trading for a top-three pick seems unlikely.
However, with the news coming out that they worked out Miller, anything is possible.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25784222/247333_EOY_Package_Check_In_CVirginia_ROGUELIKES.jpg "2024 has been an amazing year for roguelikes")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24924653/236780_Google_AntiTrust_Trial_Custom_Art_CVirginia__0003_1.png "Google’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25672934/Metaphor_Key_Art_Horizontal.png "There’s a reason Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s battle music sounds as cool as it does")
