The Bulls didn’t get the result they were hoping for out of the NBA Draft Lottery. They lost their No. 8 pick to the Magic and do not have a selection until No. 38 in the second round. If you want to overreact to this news you go right ahead. As for me, I know the depth in this years draft is not very deep. There is talent at the top but gets lean after Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs and Jalen Green.

The Bulls have already got what they needed out of the draft in 2020. Forward Patrick Williams should be a key franchise piece for the next decade. Trading draft capital to acquire Nikola Vucevic was a big swing for the fences; something the previous Bulls regime would not have done. They have staked their future in those two guys building around Zach Lavine. It’s critical for Vucevic and Williams to develop for this team to truly compete in the East.

From what I have seen, Patrick Williams has the talent to be an All-Star player. There’s a reason he was given the nickname “The Paw” around the league. His calling card is on the defensive end. He can guard all five positions if he has to and do it well. His versatility and toughness will prove vital for a team that lacks exactly that. As the 20-21 season progressed, so did his offensive game. He became more confident after the All-Star break which shows he is willing to put in the work to get better. 39% from 3-point range, 52% from 2-point range and 73% from the free-throw line are great numbers for a 19-year old rookie.

I always prefer to look at per 36 minute numbers for guys that don’t get a lot of playing time. Those averages look like this: 12 point per game, 1.2 steals, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. That is more than efficient and I expect those numbers to take a jump in year 2 with coach Billy Donovan. Look for Patrick Williams to average 15-20 points a night and guard the opposing teams star player every night.

One thing I will always do is keep it 100%. That being said, I did not have a firm grasp on Nikola Vucevic’s game. I did not spend much of any of my time watching Orlando Magic basketball. I have to say watching him in Bulls red, I was impressed with his offensive bag. He has a silky shot from the post and outside the arc. He can be the perfect big guy to pair with Zach Lavine. The pick and roll between those two should be absolutely lethal. He reminded me of Carlos Boozer when he played for the Bulls. Vucevic is a guy that you can count on for a nightly double-double.

However, the team did struggle early on to mesh with Vucevic. The offensive efficiency was inconsistent and the pace of the offense was slowed down as well. The conclusion I make to that is, they just need time to practice and play together. On the defensive end he is extremely limited. Putting it nicely, that is not Vucevic’s strong suit. He can block shots but he doesn’t hold his own against some of the better and more athletic bigs in the Association. It is crucial that the Bulls pair Vucevic with a high-level defender at the 4. Whether that’s Thad, Pat Will or an outside free agent the Bulls need to find a guy to insert in the starting lineup that can help defend bigs down low. Let’s hope that the summer provides the Bulls ample time to learn about how Vucevic can play within their offense.

This summer will prove pivotal if the Bulls are serious about competing in the Eastern Conference. They have decisions to make about Lauri Markkanen, Garrett Temple, Daniel Theis and Denzel Valentine. Out of those four players I would only try to keep Daniel Theis. This team has a young nucleus in Zach Lavine, Coby White, Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic. What they need now are veteran guys to come in, push the young guys and play their role. When you look at the teams currently in the playoffs, every team has a bevy of veteran players who not only play roles on the court, but provide toughness and leadership in practice, on the bench and off the floor. Think of guys like Jae Crowder, PJ Tucker, Lou Williams and Rajon Rondo.

The Bulls should make it a priority to retain the services of Daniel Theis who was huge for the team down the stretch. His teammates in Boston raved about him, and there is a reason for that. He plays both ends of the floor and doesn’t mind doing the dirty work to help you win.

His per 36 minute numbers were solid for a guy that only played 23 games for the Bulls and started 14. He averaged 14.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block (per 36 minutes). I loved how active he was on both ends of the floor and his defensive versatility proved to be essential for this team. It should relatively easy to retain Theis based on what his salary looked like with Boston. He made $5 million annually on his last deal. Even if he wants an increase in pay, the Bulls front office should find no problem opening the check book (do people still use those?) for Theis. According to Bulls insider K.C. Johnson, other teams in the league won’t have a problem paying him either.

In conversations I’ve had with people around the league, Charlotte is one of several teams expected to show interest in Theis. The Bulls are interested. But you also have to guard against getting into a bidding war when you have more pressing needs.

K.C. Johnson

Where it becomes tricky for the Bulls is what to do with Lauri Markkanen. Well, it’s not tricky for me I’m just writing a story. Move on from this man PLEASE. This has nothing to do with Markkanen as a player. He is immensely talented and still young at 24 years old. It is a mystery to me why Markkanen has not worked in a Bulls uniform. A 7-footer with range out to the 3-point line should be dominant in the game; especially in 2021. With all the changes to the game in the last few years, Lauri should be unstoppable. He has had time to show the organization that he can be a cornerstone player but it just has not worked. He struggles to stay healthy and when he is healthy doesn’t show the aggressive nature you expect out of someone with his skill level. A fresh start could be all Lauri needs. Just not with the Bulls. Losing him for nothing would be a difficult pill to swallow, but is something the Bulls need to do. Working out a sign-and-trade and getting back something in return would be best case scenario.

As for Denzel Valentine, get this man as far away from the Bulls as possible. I don’t need to spend a lot of time talking about the reasons why do I? Alright good.

Missing out on the play-in tournament should make the Bulls front office hungry. Bulls executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas has shown he is willing to make moves to vastly improve this roster. He will need to do that this summer or risk losing Zach Lavine down the road. The Bulls sudden win-now approach is refreshing, but it only works with the right cast of players. For my sanity as a Bulls fan I hope he is getting to work.