Bulls Aim to Improve Offense With McDermott

With the 16th and 19th picks in the 2014 NBA draft, the Chicago Bulls obtained Doug McDermott. Which is pretty much what happened when the Bulls made a trade Thursday with the Denver Nuggets, who had selected the Creighton University star with the No. 11 pick. A good move by the Bulls (at least on paper — as opposed to hardwood of an actual NBA floor).

Video below of model Izabel Goulart, who appears to be a fan of Brazil’s World Cup soccer team.

* McDermott doesn’t quite measure up to 6-8. Which is OK with the Bulls as long as he can measure up to being a scoring threat with good shooting proficiency.

* At the very worst, the McDermott deal saves the Bulls salary cap space. At best, it gives the team a greater scoring threat than they had last season.

* With their second-round pick, the Bulls chose New Mexico power forward Cameron Bairstow, a 6-9 Australian native who averaged 20.4 points and 7.4 rebounds as a senior. Who knows whether he has a chance to be a part of next season’s team. Maybe he could change his name to make himself more appealing. Something like Luc Longley Jr. might work.

* A reminder: Anyone handing out grades on teams’ performances in the draft should be issuing “incomplete.” Well, unless the team had no picks.

* Did anybody have a perfect mock draft or anything close to it? Did anyone have all the players picked in the first round? Does any of that matter?

* It is unclear whether this is New York Knicks president (and former Bulls coach) Phil Jackson’s idea as some form of revenge on the media, but his new team selected Thanasis Antetokounmpo with its second-round pick. If ever there was an NBA player who merited being known by one name — one possibly even shortened — this guy has to be a No. 1 pick.

* The NBA draft can be of significant importance — if you have a top 3 or so pick. Otherwise, it tends to be a matter of luck (or perhaps great insight, scouting, etc.) as far as major impact goes.

* The NBA draft merely serves as prelude to the more important offseason activity: free agency. Let me know when the Bulls sign one who is of star quality. As opposed to a player of star quality whom the Bulls almost signed.

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