If the Chicago Bulls could redo the 2022 NBA Draft, who would they take?

Did the Bulls make the right draft choice last year?
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Hindsight is 20/20. While it’s too early to pass any kind of judgment on the Chicago Bulls’ first-round pick this season, it was evident that the former Arizona Wildcat star Dalen Terry was not completely ready for the NBA. To be fair, the 6-foot-7 guard did not receive too many opportunities to showcase what he could do on NBA courts, as he was given just a little over five minutes per game in 38 appearances this season.

With that in mind, The Athletic took a deep dive in re-drafting the entire 2022 NBA Draft, and here’s what they came up with when it came to the Bulls’ pick at no. 18.

Andrew Nembhard with the 18th pick

Originally selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 31st pick, the Gonzaga product had a superb rookie campaign and would have been a solid part of the Bulls’ rotation had the team used their 18th pick on him. A well-built 6-foot-5 combo guard, Nembhard might have also given Ayo Dosunmu—who spent most of the season as the starting point guard—a run for his money as the team’s starter, thanks to his heads-up plays and fearlessness.

He definitely showed this in a game versus the Los Angeles Lakers when he calmly drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Pacers the thrilling win.

What do the Bulls need?

Terry was always projected to be a long-term project, and it certainly played out that way as he only saw limited action this season, but there is hope for him to become an integral part of the rotation next year as his size and length make him a solid defender.

The Bulls absolutely need more consistent production from their guards, especially with Lonzo Ball’s availability in question. Terry could provide some of that production, but the Bulls will also need to make sure they bring in a veteran who can give their backcourt a boost as well as guidance for the young guns.


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Stephen Beslic
STEPHEN BESLIC

Stephen Beslic is a writer on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. Stephen played basketball from the age of 10 and graduated from Faculty of Economic and Business in Zagreb, Croatia, majoring in Marketing.