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Chicago Bulls: 5 options for pick No. 38 in 2017 NBA Draft

By James D. Tillman III

Feb 28, 2017; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) high fives fans after Purdue clinches the Big Ten League Championship after defeating the Indiana Hoosiers at Mackey Arena. Purdue defeats Indiana 86-75. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2017; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) high fives fans after Purdue clinches the Big Ten League Championship after defeating the Indiana Hoosiers at Mackey Arena. Purdue defeats Indiana 86-75. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 10, 2017; Las Vegas, NV, USA; California Golden Bears forward Ivan Rabb (1) look to pass while being guarded by Oregon Ducks forward Kavell Bigby-Williams (35) and forward Chris Boucher (25) during the Pac-12 Conference Tournament at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2017; Las Vegas, NV, USA; California Golden Bears forward Ivan Rabb (1) look to pass while being guarded by Oregon Ducks forward Kavell Bigby-Williams (35) and forward Chris Boucher (25) during the Pac-12 Conference Tournament at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Ivan Rabb, PF, California

With Robin Lopez having a solid season and Cristiano Felicio continuing to live up to expectations, the Bulls are pretty much set at the center position. But if they don’t plan to re-sign Felicio Cristiano — who is a restricted free agent — there are a few options to pick from.

One such option is Ivan Rabb from California. During his sophomore season, Rabb averaged 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per contest.

The Good:

  • Agile for his size (6’10”) and has potential to contribute in small-ball lineups.
  • Good motor. Showed ability to beat opposing bigs down the floor.
  • Solid rebounder in traffic. Averaged 12.8 rebounds on an adjusted 40-minute scale (3.7 OREB). Recorded 19 double-digit rebounding games.
  • Showed flashes of midrange potential. Converted 46 percent of jump shots within 17 feet and connected on eight of his 20 attempts from beyond the arc.

The Bad:

  • Decreased shooting percentage despite higher usage rage compared to freshman season.
  • Lacks size to defend NBA centers.
  • Not a great rim protector. Averaged just 1.2 blocks per 40 minutes.
  • Lacks great foot speed. Often gets beat when guarding quicker players.

The bad news is Rabb will need to make improvements at both ends of the floor in order to bolster his chances of succeeding at the next level.

The good news is he just 20 yeas old. While he is a work in progress, there is plenty of time for him to become a player that is capable of contributing with the second unit.

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