The Chicago Bulls have completed step one of their rebuild by making it back to the playoffs. Now, they have to find out a way to make this core a consistent playoff team. Their next chance to work toward that goal will come at the 2022 NBA Draft, where they have the 18th overall selection, which they could use in trades if they don't think the later parts of the 202 draft class are that good.
Using the 18th overall pick in trades is tricky for the Bulls. Since they didn't have a first-round pick last year, they can only make a trade after they make the pick official. The restriction makes it ticky to wheel and deal but not impossible.
The Bulls could land deals centered around stars like Jerami Grant and role players like Kenrich Williams or Kelly Olynyk. Here is how they could make those deals happen.
3 best Bulls trades using No. 18 pick in 2022 NBA Draft
3. Kenrich Williams
The Bulls could obtain Kenrich Williams and the 30th overall pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Javonte Green and the 18th pick. Since the Bulls still get a pick in this year's draft, they wouldn't have to wait until its own selection in order to make it happen.
Williams would be perfect for Chicago. He is a stout defender and selfless passer who has shown shooting abilities in the past. Although he shot just 33.9 percent from deep last season, he shot 44.4 percent the season prior. Even if his shot doesn't return, his defense is enough of a reason to use him off the bench.
For the Thunder, they get to move up 12 spots in the draft in exchange for a player who could sign elsewhere next offseason. They already have plenty of young forwards to play, so moving on from the 27-year-old Williams makes sense.
2. Eric Bledsoe and the No. 7 pick
The Bulls could make a major splash and move up in the 2022 NBA Draft to the seventh pick. They could obtain it from the Portland Trail Blazers, along with Eric Bledsoe and the 36th pick, for Nikola Vucevic and the 18th pick.
Portland may lose Jusuf Nurkic this offseason, so they will need a center to help them contend for the playoffs when Damian Lillard comes back. Vucevic could be an upgrade over Nurkic and be a strong scoring option next to Lillard. The Blazers also still keep a first-round draft pick in this transaction, giving them the chance to find a cost-controlled rotation player.
Bledsoe may not end up being useful for the Bulls this season. His abilities are diminishing and he dealt with an Achilles tendon injury last season. The real reason to ake this trade is to obtain the seventh pick. The Bulls could land a stud 3-point shooter like AJ Griffin or Bennedict Mathurin or go for a stellar defender with offensive upside like Jeremy Sochan or Dyson Daniels.
1. Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk
The Bulls could trade the 18th pick, Vucevic and Coby White to the Detroit Pistons for Jerami Grant, Kelly Olynyk, Killian Hayes and the 46th overall pick.
Grant would be a strong option at the forward spot next to DeMar DeRozan. As a solid scorer and shooter and versatile defender, he would fit well and potentially give the Bulls an intriguing small-ball lineup. If the Bulls want to get a center back in return, they could ask for Olynyk in the deal, too. Should they want that, they would also have to swap White for Hayes in order to make the trade financially viable. Although the Bulls would miss Coby's shooting, Olynyk can space the floor as well.
The Pistons, meanwhile, can flip Vuc at the deadline or give Cade Cunningham a center with more offensive skills for the time being before flipping him. They also, of course, add another first-round draft pick to go along with their fifth overall selection. The Bulls may seek more future picks but Detroit has plenty to offer.
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