THE 4TH (PICK) IS WITH THEM
Karnisovas excited despite consensus that it’s a weak class
Typical Bulls.
They finally get invited to the penthouse party after years of hoping and praying, only to find out that instead of a who’s who of elite prospects on the guest list, it’s just — who?
The Bulls had a 32% chance to jump from the No. 7 spot into the top four of the NBA Draft Lottery, and they did just that, hitting right on No. 4 Thursday.
But don’t tell Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas that this is a weak class of prospects. He said months ago that he felt all the so-called experts were missing the boat.
That stance hasn’t changed. “We’re going to select the player that is going to help us next year and into the future, for sure,’’ Karnisovas said.
“Hopefully at four we’re going to get a very good player.’’
He’s also sticking to the notion that with moving parts from other organizations joining the Bulls’ front office, as well as the leftover guys from the old regime, there will be more information to help make the best pick possible.
“We’ve already been meeting every week, discussing the draft board,’’ Karnisovas said. “Obviously, it’s going to help moving from seven to four, but all the additions in the front office are going to bring the best practices from their teams, and we’re going to settle on what’s going to work for us. “That’s going to be the strategy.’’ And there’s also the idea of possibly moving up or down, especially with this draft offering up such a small divide between a player picked No. 3 overall compared to a player grabbed with the 13th pick.
“There’s a bunch of things that happen in the draft,’’ Karnisovas said. “Are you going to move up? Are you going to move down? Who knows? There’s going to be a lot of conversations with other teams, and it’s an exciting time.’’
One team to keep conversing with is the Warriors, who sit at No. 2 overall. They were ravaged by injuries and defections entering this season but are poised to make another run at a title next season with many of the familiar faces.
They don’t need youth; they need proven commodities.
Could there be a match there if Zach LaVine wants out, even with the recent coaching move? Unlikely, but that call has to be made.