NBA Draft 2020: Top 3 options for Chicago Bulls to pick in 1st round

Possible NBA Draft target for Chicago Bulls – Isaac Okoro

Forward – Auburn – 6’6 – 225 lbs – 19 years old

If the Bulls elect to pass on a guard, then they will surely look for depth on the wing. Otto Porter Jr. will almost certainly opt in to the last year of his contract for 28 million (that’s a lot of money for Otto Porter), but Denzel Valentine and Shaquille Harrison will enter unrestricted free agency, giving the Bulls a lack of depth on the wing.

And no wing has a higher upside in the 2020 draft class than Auburn’s Isaac Okoro. Okoro came to the Tigers as a four-star but instantly established himself as one of the best forwards in this class. He’s an explosive leaper, who can jump off of both feet. He has a knack for rebounding, timing up misses well and consistently getting a hand on the ball. Okoro’s effort and intensity are a key reason the Tigers were atop the SEC again.

Okoro was at his best on the defensive end this past season. He was constantly asked to match up with top SEC guards like Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Maxey and Kira Lewis and Okoro smothered them. He is a plus defender on and off the ball and that should instantly translate to the NBA. He was one of the top isolation defenders in the country, allowing 13 points on 29 isolation possessions ending in a shot, which ranked in the 88th percentile. He was in the 91st percentile for post-up defense.

Offensively, Okoro is a bit of a mixed bag. He’s a bull in transition, using his speed and strength to get downhill. Okoro can finish with either hand consistently, as he was in the 89th percentile in field goal percentage around the basket. He’s also a high IQ player who makes smart reads when passing. Although he has a tendency to get overzealous and tries to thread the needle too much, resulting in a 1:1 assist to turnover ratio.

The biggest knock on Okoro’s game is his shooting or lack thereof. He’s got workable mechanics, but was a 32 percent three-point shooter and shot 67 percent from the free throw line. Opponents would sag off of him, ruining the Tigers’ spacing. The Georgia native’s ceiling depends entirely on his jumper. If he becomes an average shooter, then he can be a long-term starter in the NBA.

With the Bulls, Okoro’s energy and defense would be welcomed. His lack of shooting could be hidden a bit when playing with a frontcourt pairing that can shoot like Markkanen and Carter. Okoro’s passing could shine with that spacing. If the Bulls believe they can turn Okoro into a good shooter, then he seems like the best fit. Even if he never fully develops his shot, Okoro brings enough the table where he can last as a role player.