How close was Cooper Flagg to being a Bull?
A half-court prayer by Josh Giddey against the Lakers, an unnecessary 20-point victory against the tanking 76ers in the regular-season finale or two comebacks from 20-point deficits from way back in October. Pick only one.
If any one of those games had gone the other way, the first round of the NBA Draft on Wednesday would be a coronation in Chicago rather than a game of chance.
That’s the price of ‘‘competitive integrity’’ in the NBA these days.
Instead, Flagg will go to the Mavericks with the No. 1 overall pick after they defied the 1.8% odds in the draft lottery last month, moving up from No. 11 to the mountaintop. That No. 11 spot could have belonged to the Bulls if they had one more loss or would have won the coin toss against the Mavericks, whom they tied in the standings.
The good news for executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is that he got his draft pick back in the Zach LaVine trade in February and that it is a deep class to choose from. Karnisovas just has to make sure he can follow up the Matas Buzelis pick from a year ago by hitting again.
So here it is, the annual Mock Draft Sure to Go Wrong by Pick No. 4:
1. Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, F, Duke
One executive told the Sun-Times last month that there are only five NBA players right now who wouldn’t be traded for Flagg. He has the skills and mindset to be the next face of the league.
2. Spurs: Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers
The guard room in San Antonio is about to get crowded. Victor Wembanyama will have another talented ball-handler to make his life even easier.
3. 76ers: VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor
Do the 76ers make the obvious pick and go with the polarizing Ace Bailey, or do they trade for a veteran? Option 3 is Edgecombe, who can be an explosive defensive-minded guard.
4. Hornets: Kon Knueppel, G/F, Duke
The hottest name in the draft class jumps to No. 4, helping out a Hornets offense that ranked 28th in three-point percentage last season.
5. Jazz: Tre Johnson, G, Texas
CEO Danny Ainge needs a plug-and-fit scorer in his rebuild, and Johnson checks a lot of those boxes. He has a Tyler Herro-like mindset.
6. Wizards: Airious ‘‘Ace’’ Bailey, F, Rutgers
Meet the enigma of the first round. Bailey could be a headache with the way he conducts his business or could be a superstar to turn the Wizards around.
7. Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma
The new front office already has mastered the art of disinformation leading up to the draft. And while Fears is the obvious pick, keep an eye on Duke’s Khaman Maluach or Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis.
8. Nets: Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
The Blue Devils see a third player come off the board, and Maluach is by far the rawest. He will be an instant rim protector, and the offense is coming.
9. Raptors: Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois
Big, talented point guards have sprouted up all around the Eastern Conference the last few season, so the Raptors simply are jumping in.
10. Rockets: Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina
In a copycat league, if the Rockets want to get by teams such as the Thunder, then they better find elite defenders like the ones OKC has. Few are more elite in this draft class than Murray-Boyles.
11. Trail Blazers: Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
A ‘‘three-and-D’’ guy, Bryant adds to a roster that started to show some life last season. Bryant is a worker who will help with the culture in the Northwest.
12. BULLS: Asa Newell, F/C, Georgia
His athleticism and wingspan are nice, but Newell also brings an attitude. The Bulls need some intensity in the paint, and Newell has some Joakim Noah in him.
13. Hawks: Egor Demin, G, BYU
Don’t be surprised if the Bulls grab Demin, especially if they have plans to try and trade Coby White or Ayo Dosunmu. Demin to the Hawks would give them an exit strategy from Trae Young.
14. Spurs: Noa Essengue, F, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
A sequel to ‘‘The French Connection’’? With Wembanyama already patrolling the paint, Essengue is a great addition.
15. Thunder: Cedric Coward, G, Washington State
There is definitely some Jalen Williams to Coward’s game, and the Thunder love overlooked players who want to prove people wrong.
16. Grizzlies: Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State
With Desmond Bane having been traded to the Magic, the Grizzlies use one of the draft picks they acquired in the deal to grab another versatile three-point-shooting guard.
17. Timberwolves: Derik Queen, C, Maryland
There are some question marks with the Timberwolves’ frontcourt with Naz Reid and Julius Randle set to test the market. Queen lacks athleticism but has point-center playmaking abilities.
18. Wizards: Danny Wolf, F, Michigan
After having picked Bailey earlier in the draft and having selected center Alex Sarr No. 2 overall last year, the Wizards will add a high IQ and a playmaking mentality to the mix.
19. Nets: Nolan Traore, G, Saint-Quentin (France)
Traore was hyped as a top-10 prospect at this time last summer but slid after some inconsistent showings throughout the season. The Nets have multiple first-round picks, so they’ll take the gamble.
20. Heat: Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown
There are mixed feelings about Sorber, but what can’t be denied is his ability to defend the paint. Sounds like a perfect fit for ‘‘Heat Culture.’’
21. Jazz: Joan Beringer, C, Cedevita Olimpija (Slovenia)
There’s a lot of rawness to his offensive game, but he might end up being the best rim protector in the draft class when it’s all said and done. Current Jazz big man Walker Kessler has been inconsistent since his rookie season.
22. Hawks: Will Riley, F/G, Illinois
His defense has to improve, but Riley has a high ceiling. He might need a few seasons as a rotation player off the bench to pop.
23. Pelicans: Liam McNeeley, G/F, UConn
The Pelicans acquired this pick in a trade with the Pacers, and it feels as though they can continue the culture change with this hard-nosed competitor.
24. Thunder: Hugo Gonzalez, G/F, Real Madrid
The hype around Gonzalez was through the ceiling a year ago, but it has subsided. This is a perfect pick for the Thunder, who could stash him for another year in Europe.
25. Magic: Maxime Raynaud, F/C, Stanford
The Magic haven’t had a true floor spacer at center since trading Nikola Vucevic to the Bulls. Raynaud has a chance to change that.
26. Nets: Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State
The Nets continue collecting best-available talent by adding Clifford. The physical guard got better and better as the college season went on.
27. Nets: Rasheer Fleming, F, Saint Joseph’s
The fact that Fleming made 39% of his threes last season was nice. Then factor in a ridiculous 7-5 wingspan on his 6-8 frame, and there’s something there.
28. Celtics: Drake Powell, G/F, North Carolina
The Bulls like a lot of things about Powell and might look to trade into the late first round to try to get him. He’s one of the high climbers the last month.
29. Suns: Noah Penda, F, Le Mans (France)
Don’t look now, but the Suns might be putting out ‘‘Help Wanted’’ signs for a vacancy at forward as the Kevin Durant trade rumors heat up.
30. Clippers: Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida
The Clippers are in salary-cap hell and could use any sort of rookie contract to help in the rotation. Clayton is just a flat-out winner.