Billy Donovan’s Response To Owning A Protected Top-Ten Draft Pick

The overbearing cloud drifting over the entire 2024-25 season for the Chicago Bulls is their draft pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. If this selection lands in the top ten, the Bulls would retain their pick and continue to build on their youthful roster. On the contrary, if their draft slot is outside the top ten, it would head to the San Antonio Spurs. This week’s winning streak and continued trade rumor talk have ignited this topic within the building, and reporters have asked the players and coaches for their thoughts on the tanking versus competing for the playoffs debate. As Zach LaVine put it best, “coaches and players don’t tank.” In any sport, the ones on the field will always be fighting for their side to win every game, and the group upstairs is tasked with the logistics of putting a product between the lines that best directs the future of their respective franchise. In Chicago’s case, it’s been a 50/50 argument for Arturas Karnisovas on whether to tank for that draft pick and trade their aging veteran stars or ride out the current bunch, lose the draft pick, but potentially make the playoffs for the first time in three years. Billy Donovan had some words regarding the front office’s behavior.

The Integrity Of Competition

Chicago’s head coach has never shied away from the truth. When asked head-on about the looming protected draft pick and the organization’s direction, he was proud of the front office’s efforts to never waver from keeping the “integrity of competition” intact. From his words, Karnisovas’s group hasn’t appeared to pass down any agendas to play the younger guys, mandates to trade certain players or highlight others, or required Donovan to finish in a specific grouping of the standings.

Here’s what Donovan said: pic.twitter.com/MsWK4RPIdI

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 19, 2024

While it’s commendable to compete nightly for the fans and the players risking their health for the franchise, some moves can be made to increase the team’s odds of retaining its highly sought-after draft pick. Trading away Zach LaVine or Nikola Vucevic would be one of those moves, simultaneously improving the development of the next wave of core players while still likely finishing at the bottom of the standings.

Current Pace: NBA Play-In Tournament (Again)

Chicago is currently in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. They are two games away from the sixth seed, and two games away from missing the postseason altogether. Oddly enough, this year is equally as competitive as the last two, with a much younger core. 13 players are earning 11 or more minutes per night, and only three are 29 years old or older. Nine are younger than 25, and four are 22 or younger.

The #Bulls Young Core:

Guards:

– Ayo Dosunmu (age 24)
– Coby White (age 24)
– Josh Giddey (age 21)
– Dalen Terry (age 21)

Forwards:

– Patrick Williams (age 22)
– Matas Buzelis (19 years old)
– Julian Phillips (age 20)

Center:

– Jalen Smith (age 24) pic.twitter.com/bhdiqCawv0

— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@DieHardCBfans) July 1, 2024

The debate continues: should the Bulls tank, retain their draft selection, and continue the youth movement? Or do they opt to ride the current group to the finish line, compete in the NBA Play-In Tournament for a third straight year, and lose their top-ten draft pick in 2025?