With how their roster is laid out, the Chicago Bulls are a middle-of-the-pack team. They had a nice run at the start of the 2021-22 season when Lonzo Ball was healthy, but unfortunately, the Bulls can’t count on that anymore. They need to move forward under the assumption that they will be without Ball.
Considering the middling success of the Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic Big Three, Chicago’s best bet could be to shake up the roster and plan for the future. And while they don’t currently have a pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, they have been interviewing some of this year’s top prospects.
Among those prospects is Alabama forward Brandon Miller, who is a projected top-three pick. If the Bulls wanted to select him, they would need to strike a deal to land the second or third pick. Luckily for them, the Portland Trail Blazers are reportedly shopping the third pick.
And while that could be a real possibility, it’s not one Miller has any knowledge of. When asked if Chicago talked to him about potentially trading up in the draft to pick him, Miller simply said, “Nah,” according to Cody Westerlund of 670 The Score.
Did #Bulls give any indication to you that they could trade up if they didn’t land a high pick in lottery?
Brandon Miller: “Nah.” https://t.co/7EwOlzyIfd
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) May 17, 2023
Obviously, the Bulls could have spoken to Miller about the possibility, and he’s simply choosing not to make the information public. Chicago could also just be doing their due diligence and speaking to every top prospect.
That said, there has been a lot of smoke surrounding the idea that Chicago could trade up into the 2023 NBA Draft.