The Chicago Bulls failed to land a 2017 lottery pick on Tuesday night, perhaps implying the end of Jimmy Butler to the Boston Celtics trade talks.
At first glance, Tuesday night changed nothing for the Chicago Bulls.
The 2017 NBA Draft Lottery, held on May 16, yielded the draft order for the bottom 14 teams in the league. And although the Bulls finished the season 41-41, clinching the eighth seed and earning themselves the No. 16 spot, they did have a possibility of snagging a higher pick.
Had the Sacramento Kings fallen outside of the top 10, they would have owed Chicago their first-round pick. But unfortunately, they jumped from the No. 8 spot all the way to No. 3 (then falling to No. 5 by virtue of a pick swap with the Philadelphia 76ers), leaving the Bulls empty-handed except for the No. 38 pick they’re still owed from the 2014 Luol Deng trade.
So what does this all mean for the organization?
Well, it possibly puts an end to the Boston Celtics’ interest in Jimmy Butler.
Prior to the trade deadline, there was much speculation that if Butler were to be traded anywhere, it would be to Boston.
However, Chicago was gunning for the Celtics’ No. 1 pick in exchange for their superstar, something that the Celtics were unwilling to give away without protection. And now that Boston has both the top pick and enough money to sign a top-tier free agent? They may no longer be interested in acquiring Butler.
Storyline was big before -- it will be even bigger if Celtics lose to Cavs: Would Boston move #1 pick for Jimmy Butler?
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) May 17, 2017
This may not actually matter to the Bulls, as vice president John Paxson recently said he had no interest in trading the 27-year-old. But having that option available could have been nice.
Now, Chicago will have to instead focus on who to draft come June 22. And while it may still be early, there are already some predictions out there.
Take Sam Smith for example, who has the Bulls taking Donovan Mitchell at No. 16. Mitchell, a shooting guard from the University of Louisville, may be undersized at 6-foot-1, but has the agility to make him a serious threat on the court.
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Of course, there is always the possibility that Chicago orchestrates a trade and ends up without a pick, period.
In the meantime, last year’s No. 14 pick Denzel Valentine just underwent surgery on his left ankle. Currently in a walking boot after doctors “cleaned up” the area, Valentine is still expected to play in this year’s Summer League, which begins in early July. The 23-year-old dealt with two separate ankle injuries in 2016-17, resulting in seeing time in just 57 games. He also only averaged 5.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists a matchup in 17.1 minutes of play.
The Bulls have plenty of decisions to make this offseason. Between whether or not to re-sign Rajon Rondo to what to do with Nikola Mirotic, it seems their No. 16 pick is the least of their worries at the moment.
But with that being said, one never knows what draft picks will turn into. Just look at Butler for instance, who dropped to No. 30 overall, only to become one of the league’s top players.
Next: Winners and losers of the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery
The Boston Celtics may have won the lottery this year, via their 2013 trade of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets, but the Chicago Bulls’ No. 16 pick should not be counted out just yet.