It can’t be business as usual for the Bulls’ front office in the NBA draft, can it?
Barring a Jimmy Butler mega-trade, general manager Gar Forman and vice president of basketball operations John Paxson own the 16th overall pick in the first round and promised that athleticism — or lack thereof — finally would be addressed.
Then again, Gar/Pax promise a lot of things, and they seldom have delivered.
Let’s hope that Michael Reinsdorf’s influence is real and the days of making the “safe’’ pick fall to the wayside.
So here it is, the annual “NBA Mock Draft Surely To Go Wrong By Pick No. 2.’’
1. Philadelphia
Markelle Fultz, Washington, guard: The 76ers love this guy, and wouldn’t have swapped picks with Boston if they didn’t. “Trust the process?’’ Just not the results.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
Lonzo Ball, UCLA, guard: The Lakers have done their best to throw out some smokescreens, but the Big Baller Empire plays out best in Hollywood.
3. Boston
Josh Jackson, Kansas, forward: Could this be where the Bulls jump in with a Butler trade? Stones check time for Gar/Pax.
4. Phoenix
Jayson Tatum, Duke, forward: Maybe the most NBA-ready scorer in the draft, and gets to run with Devin Booker.
5. Sacramento
De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky, guard: Speed, speed, and more speed, as the Kings get their point guard.
6. Orlando
Lauri Markkanen, Arizona, forward: The Magic are a mess, and adding a stretch-4 is a quick way to start the cleanup.
7. Minnesota
Jonathan Isaac, Florida State, forward: Thibs does it again, adding another solid young piece to a future powerhouse.
8. New York
Dennis Smith, N.C. State, guard: This pick makes sense, but it’s almost a guarantee that Phil will screw it up.
9. Dallas
Frank Ntilikina, France, guard: The Mavs and a highly-skilled Euro player? Perfect match.
10. Sacramento
Luke Kennard, Duke, guard: The backcourt of the future is now set as the Kings grab their scorer.
11. Charlotte
Justin Jackson, North Carolina, forward: Michael Jordan sees that Tar Heel powder blue and just can’t help himself.
12. Detroit
Donovan Mitchell, Louisville, guard: Off-the-charts athleticism is too good to pass up, and his outside shot is coming.
13. Denver
Malik Monk, Kentucky, guard: Christmas in June for Nuggets if Monk slides this far.
14. Miami
Zach Collins, Gonzaga, center: Some help up front with rim protection and a guy that can stretch the floor.
15. Portland
Harry Giles, Duke, forward: His knee injury history is a concern, but a huge upside if he’s healthy.
16. BULLS
OG Anunoby, Indiana, forward: Knee surgery could keep him sidelined most of the season, but the upside is huge and it might be all about 2018 for the Bulls anyway.
17. Milwaukee
Jarrett Allen, Texas, center: Another athlete that can run the floor while the Bucks continue pushing forward in the East.
18. Indiana
Terrance Ferguson, Australia, guard: Meet the guy that will be replacing the soon-to-be departed Paul George.
19. Atlanta
Justin Patton, Creighton, center: Raw, but teams love his ceiling.
20. Portland
T.J. Leaf, UCLA, forward: Want to compete with Golden State? Better add shooters.
21. Oklahoma City
John Collins, Wake Forest, forward: The Thunder add another big man to help rebound all of Russell Westbrook’s misses.
22. Brooklyn
Ike Anigbogu, UCLA, forward: The defense is there, but the offense is miles behind.
23. Toronto
Frank Mason, Kansas, guard: Small, but hard-nosed, and the Raptors better have some insurance for Kyle Lowry’s possible departure.
24. Utah
Anzejs Pasecniks, Latvia, center: A potential backup for Rudy Gobert who gives a completely different look with his offense.
25. Orlando
Frank Jackson, Duke, guard: A tweener, but a great athlete who can score the ball and attack the rim.
26. Portland
Isaiah Hartenstein, Germany, forward: With three first-round picks, the big man allows the Blazers to stash him for another year overseas.
27. Los Angeles Lakers
Edrice Adebayo, Kentucky, forward: There’s a chance Lakers won’t even have this pick by draft time.
28. Los Angeles Lakers
Tony Bradley, North Carolina, center: Who doesn’t need a player with a 7-4 wingspan?
29. San Antonio
Josh Hart, Villanova, guard: A high-IQ player who does everything well. So basically the perfect Spurs player.
30. Utah
Semi Ojeleye, SMU, forward: Athletic and a solid shooter. The Bulls hope he can slip their way in the second round.
Follow me on Twitter @suntimes_hoops.
Email: jcowley@suntimes.com
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