Chicago Bulls: 5 options for pick No. 7 in 2018 NBA Draft

5. Mohamed Bamba, C — Texas

The Bulls are pretty solid at the power forward spot. Lauri Markkanen exceeded expectations across the board during his rookie campaign and Bobby Portis’ career season proved that the front office made a wise decision in picking up his fourth-year option.

However, the Bulls need a center for their future beyond Robin Lopez, so Mohamed Bamba could make for an interesting selection. In his lone season with the Texas Longhorns, Bamba was a double-double machine, averaging 12.9 points and 10.5 rebounds per contest on an efficient 54.1 percent shooting from the field.

The scoring and rebounding numbers are respectable, but where Mamba really stands out is at the defensive end of the floor. Not only did he average 3.7 blocks per contest, he finished first in the Big 12 with a defensive rating of 89.6 points per 100 possessions.  On top of that, Mamba was the only collegiate player to record at least 300 rebounds and 100 blocked shots.

On the other side of the coin, as good as Bamba may be defensively, he doesn’t always box out well and outside of being able to finish around the rim, his offensive game is very limited. As of right now, Bamba is projected to go as high as No. 4 and as low as No. 8, which could mean that he’s off the board by the time Chicago is slated to make its pick.

If he’s still on the board and the Bulls wish to add a player to the fold who can be a difference-maker from a defensive standpoint, the two sides could be a good fit.