Chicago Bulls: Complete 2017 offseason grades

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 18: Nikola Mirotic #44 of the Chicago Bulls takes a shot in front of the Bulls' bench during the second quarter of Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on April 18, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

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No. 7 pick: Lauri Markkanen

The Bulls dealt away their best perimeter shooter in Doug McDermott prior to the trade deadline back in February. On top of that, they finished 24th in the league in 3-point shooting.

That being said, one of the needs the Bulls had going into this year’s NBA Draft was acquiring a player who could knock down the long ball.

Enter Lauri Markkanen.

During his lone season with the Arizona Wildcats, Markkanen averaged 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. What impressed the Bulls about Markkanen is the fact he converted 42 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.

The other side to this story is Markkanen is not a great rim protector, as he averaged less than a block per contest last season. Along with that, the rookie isn’t considered overly strong for a player his size and he often has a difficult time when it comes to holding his own on the glass, which is significant because rebounding is one of the areas the Bulls excelled in last season.

Perhaps Markkanen will turn out to be the stretch-4 the Bulls have been seeking the last few years. If that does happen, maybe the fans will be forgiving about the fact the organization included its No. 16 pick in the Jimmy Butler deal in order to acquire his services.

Grade: C

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