Chicago Bulls take Arkansas' Bobby Portis at No. 22
The Chicago Bulls chose Arkansas power forward Bobby Portis with the 22nd overall pick in the NBA draft on Thursday night.
There were a number of ways the Bulls could have gone. They chose a big man, adding the SEC Player of the Year to a front line with a banged up Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah along with the aging Pau Gasol.
The 6-foot-11, 242-pound Portis averaged 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds for the Razorbacks. He finished among the top five in the SEC in scoring, rebounding, offensive and defensive rebounds, and field-goal percentage.
Portis joins a 50-win team that fought through injuries and bowed out to LeBron James and the banged up Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Chicago then fired coach Tom Thibodeau after a falling out with management, even though he led the Bulls to the playoffs all five seasons. They hired Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg, hoping a change on the sideline would energize the team.
Chicago did not have a pick in the second round. Unlike last summer, when they pursued Carmelo Anthony and signed Gasol, the Bulls don't have the salary cap space to make a major move in free agency. Guard Jimmy Butler figures to earn maximum money as a restricted free agent after making his first All-Star game. But barring a trade, it figures to be a rather quiet summer.
The Bulls will be counting on improvement from within as they try to figure out a way to become the first team not led by James to win the East since the Boston Celtics in 2010.
That still largely hinges on Derrick Rose, and the 2011 MVP remains a big question mark.
Last season was a mixed bag for him after he missed most of the previous two because of injuries to his knees. Rose was inconsistent over 51 games, averaging 17.7 points, and had minor surgery on his right knee late in the season.
Rose is not the only question mark.
Gasol turns 35 next season and figures to decline , although he showed no signs of that last season after signing with Chicago. Noah was limited last season coming off surgery on his left knee. Gibson had his left ankle operated on last week and will need four months to resume full activities, meaning his status for the season opener is unknown.
The Bulls will also be looking for more from Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott.
Mirotic emerged as one of the top rookies last season, averaging 20.8 points in March, but struggled in the playoffs. McDermott struggled on defense, injured his right knee and played sparingly last season after Denver took him at No. 11 and traded his rights to Chicago.