Chicago Bulls Draft Prospects Part 2: The Wing Men

The following is the second part of a brief analysis of players that the Chicago Bulls may look to draft with the 20th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. The first part focuses on big men the Bulls may look to draft with the 20th pick to fill the need for a back up big man. That post can be found here. The following post takes a look at some of the guards and wing players the Bulls may look to draft in the first round to get some much needed isolation scoring and three point shooting.

With the 20th pick in the draft, the Chicago Bulls select…

Allen Crabbe- California (University of California Berkley)
Of all the proposed guards the Chicago Bulls may take with the 20th pick, Allen Crabbe tops the list of who they are likely to take. Offensively Crabbe is a strong player who is regarded as being one of the better shooters in the draft. He moves well without the ball often times putting himself in positions where he can cut right to the hoop or get into open space for spot-up jump shots. He can also hit the three which is a big plus for him given that the Bulls were one of the worst teams in the league in terms of three point shooting. Crabbe, however, isn’t strong in isolation situations which is something Chicago needs out of the wing players they bring in. Defensively, Crabbe has the physical makings to be a good defender but, as he admits, doesn’t put in the effort to be great at defending. This may not be too much of an issue in Tom Thibodeau’s system and he may improve over time, but as of now it’s a big question mark.

Tim Hardaway Jr- Michigan
Hardaway Jr is another guard who is likely just as high on the Chicago Bulls’ big board as Allen Crabbe, if not higher. Overall, Hardaway is a strong overall player and is NBA ready. Offensively he’s decent at finishing at the rim, a good passer, a strong shooter, knows how to play in and thrives in isolation situations, and can hit the three point shot. The biggest question mark for Hardaway Jr is his ability to play consistently, something that has prevented him from being a lottery level talent. Defensively, Hardaway Jr isn’t going to be anyone who forces steals and block consistently given he only has a 6’7″ wingspan, but his athleticism and drive could still make him an above average defender. The Bulls have hosted Hardaway Jr. for a few workouts already which may indicate high interest from their side, but with how secretive general manager Gar Foreman is it’s hard to say anything with certainty.

Jamaal Franklin- San Diego State University
When I saw Jamaal Franklin on several mock drafts going at 20 to the Chicago Bulls, I was intrigued. Franklin has the physical tools to be a great defender with a 6’11 wingspan, good athleticism, and the work ethic. While this is good, for Chicago it may not be enough. Offensively Franklin, while a good ball handler who can create offense, isn’t the best shooter. His form can be excellent but he lacks consistency for it to be great. He also has some difficulty spreading the floor with the three point shot, something the Bulls desperately need. More than anything, Franklin seems to be a spot-up shooter but Chicago already has two wing players like that in Luol Deng and Jimmy Butler. It’ll be interesting to see if the Bulls end up taking Franklin with the 20th pick or if they end up trading down and drafting him later on in the first round.