All hail the Chicago Bulls, America's team! That time they got smoked by the Miami Heat in the NBA Playoffs seems like so long ago. In the 2011 NBA Draft, the Bulls reclaimed their throne as the good cowboys of the league.
NBA Draft Grades 2011: Bulls Can Do No Wrong, Land Nikola Mirotic And Jimmy Butler
(I'm not really sure how this happened, but I think Kyle Korver has something to do with it.)
Gained: Nikola Mirotic, Jimmy Butler.
Gave up: The rights to Norris Cole and Malcolm Lee.
Synopsis: The Bulls traded the No. 28 and No. 43 picks (Cole and Lee) to the Timberwolves for No. 23, which became Mirotic, considered one of the very best Europeans in the draft but someone a couple years away from getting out of his contract. Chicago also had the No. 30 pick, and used it on Butler, a versatile wing who fits the Chicago mold.
There's not a ton of help here for next year; Butler could replace Keith Bogans in the rotation, in theory, but you can't expect too much offense out of him right away. Like, he's not going to outplay Ronnie Brewer or Kyle Korver.
But at No. 30 in an iffy draft, can you expect much more?
Grade: B+.
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Hit our 2011 NBA Draft hub for full coverage of the aftermath.
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