As things stand, the Chicago Bulls don’t have a pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Their first-round pick was conveyed to the Orlando Magic by way of the Nikola Vucevic trade, and their second-rounder was stripped of them by the NBA, as it was concluded that they broke tampering rules when signing Lonzo Ball in 2021.
However, the Bulls could still trade up into the draft. In fact, it would be smart of them to do so, as it would add another player on the roster on a cost-controlled contract. For a team with as little three-point shooting as Chicago, Iowa forward Kris Murray is the perfect trade-up target.
Chicago desperately needs to add forward depth this summer, and Murray would be a great addition to their lineup alongside Patrick Williams and DeMar DeRozan.
Murray just wrapped up his third season with the Hawkeyes and put up solid stats. He shot just 33.5 percent from behind the arc, but that was, in large part, due to his expanded offensive role. On a team like the Bulls, where he would be almost solely a catch-and-shoot guy, his percentage would shoot upward.
According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, Murray’s NBA comparison is his twin brother, Keegan Murray, who was drafted fourth-overall by the Sacramento Kings last offseason.
O’Connor lists Murray’s best attributes as his feel for the game, his catch-and-shoot game, his on-ball defense, and his off-ball defense.
At 6-foot-8, Murray would be an amazing 3&D forward for the Bulls to add to their rotation. He’s currently projected to be selected anywhere from the late lottery to the mid-20s.
If Chicago can trade up into the draft and select Murray, it would be a massive win.
