The Chicago Bulls could be aggressive players in this upcoming 2018 NBA Draft, likely looking to potentially trade up to snag Texas Longhorns center Mo Bamba, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
“Whether or not the Bulls will sacrifice a future asset for the potential trade-up needed to land the Texas big man or roll the dice he falls to them is the question,” wrote Johnson. “The Bulls have had consistent contact with Bamba throughout the pre-draft process, including a recent conversation with team president and chief operating officer Michael Reinsdorf, sources said. The Bulls also met with Bamba at last month’s NBA draft combine and hosted him for an individual draft workout earlier this month.”
Bamba has been praised as one of the more cerebral prospects in the draft, despite already boasting an impressing 7-foot-1 frame and the longest wingspan ever recorded at 7-foot-10.
A defensive stalwart that was second in the nation in blocked shots with 3.7 rejections per game during his lone season at Texas, Bamba fits the mold of a lob-catching, rim-running center that can make his niche in the league as the likes of DeAndre Jordan and Clint Capela have done over the last few years.
Bamba has been ranked as high as the fourth pick in this year's draft, but after refusing to work out for the Memphis Grizzlies or share any medical information with them, it's unlikely they will draft him. The Dallas Mavericks could be on the run for his services but could have shifted their eyes to Michael Porter Jr., who has climbed up the draft board within the past week.
“There’s a sense around the league that if the Bulls want Bamba, they’d have to trade up to the fourth pick and perhaps the third pick to land him. The Grizzlies have been trying to unload Chandler Parsons’ cumbersome contract in any talks about surrendering their fourth pick.”
The Bulls might just have to bite a bullet if they hope to land Bamba, pairing him with a young, talented offensive side in the likes of Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen, the two foundations of this franchise.
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