We’re hours away from the 2024 NBA Draft mixer (does anyone still use that term?), and who the Chicago Bulls will hit it off with is anyone’s guess.
As far as we know, they’ve flitered with countless different players and paths. We’ve already heard about everything from draft night promises to trade-up candidates, which has ma⛄de settling on a clear target for the organization difficult. only added to that challenge on Wednesday morning, throwing another new name into the list of possible picks for Arturas Karnisovas.
“Shannon’s name is the one I’ve heard most associated with the Bulls over the last 48 hours,” The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie wrote.
To be clear, Terrence Shannon Jr. is one the of players who have conducted a pre-draft workout for the Chicago Bulls. However, he’s also largely been projected to go after Chicago selects in the mid-first-round. This is why Vec𝓡enie in his latest mock draft actually has the Bulls trading DOWN with the Los Angeles Lakers to the No. 17 spot. In the process, they pick up second-year guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, t💜wo future second-rounders, and draft Shannon.
Does Terrence Shannon Jr. Make Sense for the Bulls?
Look, there is no denying Shannon’s scoring potential. He is a beast of a wing who relentlessly attacks the basket and gets to the free-throw line. The athleticism the former Fighting Illini would bring to the floor could be much-needed if the Bulls finally find a way to move on from Zach LaVine. Not to mention, if he can focus less on scoring and more on the defensive end, there is real potential there for him to be a valuable multi-positional tool.
Having said that, Shannon’s jumper can have a tendency to come and go at times. He relies heavily on his downhill game, which could present some challenges as he faces longer wing defenders and more physical rim protection at the NBA level. Let’s also not forget that he is one of the oldest players in the draft.
Shannon will turn 24 years old at the end of July. How much more he can grow his game is a legitimate question, and he may be the type that’s better suited for a win-now organization who needs a scoring spark off the bench.
Now, if the Bulls were to trade down into the mid-to-late first round, there are worse picks than Shannon. But I just don’t think doing that is worth it. Especially when we consider the youth movement that this organization could be on the verge of, selecting a higher-upside player in the lottery feels like the smart move.
The case could be made that grabbing Shannon only continues the link of thinking that has plagued this franchise. I can already hear Karnisovas talking about Shannon’s ability to help them “remain competitive” and touting the fact that he is from Chicago. Again, if the Bulls were to trade down and acquire assets (which isn’t at all my favorite move, especially if they’re just getting Hood-Schifino), taking Shannon might be fine depending on who’s left on the board. But I hope this isn’t a priority right now.
And this is coming from an Illini alum!
Anyway, here’s a look at some of my top prospects for the Bulls at No. 11:
