NEWSLETTER
Thursday, June 20th, the Chicago Bulls will go on the clock with the No. 7 overall pick for the third season in a row. What they do with that pick – whether it’s using it themselves or trading up/down – will go a long way towards defining the rest of this rebuild, and, indeed, how quickly it’ll all finally be over.
With that in mind, we’re going to take a look at some of the more realistic and recent draft prospects attached to the Bulls over the next two weeks, to see who might be a fit or not.
Previously: N/A
First up: Duke’s Cam Reddish.
Not yet finding a consistent projection, Reddish is said to go anywhere between No. 4 and No. 8 in the draft. With Reddish in the mix to be at the top of the Bulls draft board come June 20th, let’s lay out a quick guide of what you should know.
Work Profile:
College Stat Line:
Strengths:
When you watch Reddish play, you’ll see him do a little bit of everything, and never look bad doing it. The numbers from his first year at Duke don’t pop out (thanks to Zion Willamson and RJ Barrett), but his effortless, fluid motion when handling the basketball does.
He has a really solid shooting form that helps him hit long-range three-pointers and knock down shots over defenders in the mid-range game. I would also consider Reddish to be an above-average passer who helps create offense across the court. For his position, Reddish checks in with great size and a wing-span that can surely give other NBA small forwards problems. Anyway, it’s easy to see why his game translates to the next level by watching him, so check out his college highlights below.
Weaknesses:
The draft stock on Reddish is highly reliant on his potential upside. We are assuming that his situation at Duke held him back from being the college star he was projected to be coming out of high school. Although, it’s fair to worry that since we’ve already seen him play alongside potential NBA superstar-caliber talent that we actually have gotten a fair look at what Reddish is capable of.
Reddish also has the tendency to be a streaky player, something made even more evident by his ability to go cold and disappear in some games. Again, he wasn’t always needed on a Duke team that had two of the top-3 projected picks in this year’s draft, but with his expected skillset to be ranked just as high as Willamson and Barrett, his toughness and competitive drive came into question a bit this season.
Current Bulls “Fit”
If the Bulls opted to pick Reddish with the No. 7 pick in the draft, that most likely means the top-rated point guards are already off the board. I think it’s safe to say Reddish isn’t the team’s first pick when taking into considerstation immediate fit on the team. The Bulls traded for Otto Porter Jr. last season, a player that is already viewed as a sure-thing starter at the small forward position. However, the Bulls need desperate help in the depth category, and Reddish coming off the bench to back-up Porter Jr. could defintiely help the team’s second unit. Not to mention, Reddish would have two years to learn under Porter Jr. before stepping into a starting role (assuming the Bulls decide not to re-sign Porter Jr.).
Considering Reddish’s college experience, a situation where he doesn’t have to be “the guy” right away is probably best suited. He learned how to help facilitate a team with natural scorers, which is something he would have to be doing again when on the floor with guys like LaVine and Markkanen. The Bulls roster would give him the opportunity to grow and showcase his skills without having too much-loaded pressure (unlike a drafted point guard).
The fit may not be the best, but it almost never hurts a team to add a versatile, athletic wing.
Other Helpful Scouting Reports:
If You’re Looking for More:
Working thru Cam Reddish's scouting vid. Maybe the biggest disparity between the 'strengths' & 'weaknesses' sections of any prospect I can remember. When Reddish is tuned in he looks like a future All-Star. When he choses not to show, he looks like a completely different player. pic.twitter.com/gQZbqDqcuh
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) May 30, 2019
With @ATLHawks Cam Reddish would find an ideal situation in which he wouldn't be asked to carry too heavy of a scoring load immediately alongside @TheTraeYoung + #Atlanta's promising young core — yet he would still be able to contribute significantly >> https://t.co/X5xKokDLxu pic.twitter.com/dUUtz0amLM
— DraftExpressContent (@DXContent) June 3, 2019
