The NBA Draft lottery is always an important night for NBA teams. But this year, it carries even more significance for the Bulls.
Chicago will have a first round pick hanging in the balance when the draft order is determined on Tuesday, May 16. They traded the pick to Orlando in the deal that brought them center Nikola Vucevic back at the 2021 trade deadline.
The pick is top-four protected, meaning there's a slim chance they could retain it. However, they will need to catch a very lucky break when the balls are drawn. If they don't, their first round selection will instead go to the Magic.
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Here are the full details on why Orlando will likely end up with Chicago's first round draft pick this year:
Magic and Bulls draft pick, explained: Nikola Vucevic trade
At the 2021 NBA trade deadline, the Bulls made an aggressive trade with the Magic that landed them Vucevic in exchange for a couple of players and draft picks.
Here are the full details from that trade:
Bulls received
- Nikola Vucevic
- Al-Farouq Aminu
Magic received
- Wendell Carter Jr.
- Otto Porter Jr.
- 2021 first-round pick (became Franz Wagner)
- 2023 top-four protected first-round pick
Chicago also received journeyman forward Al-Farouq Aminu in the deal. However, he played in just six games for the team before being traded to the Spurs, and he hasn't played in the NBA since October 2021.
Orlando came away with former top-10 pick in Wendell Carter Jr., who averaged 15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 57 games this season. The other player involved, Otto Porter Jr., played just three games for the Magic before being traded to the Warriors.
The deal also sent two first-round picks to the Magic, one of which became Franz Wagner, who made the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2022. The other is a top-four protected pick in this year's draft.
Lottery protections: Chances Bulls keep pick
Here's what that means: If the Bulls get a huge stroke of luck and end up landing one of the first four picks of this year's NBA Draft, it's theirs to keep. If they fall outside the top four as expected, their pick belongs to the Magic.
The Bulls were eliminated in the play-in round this year, which led to them being ranked 11th in the upcoming NBA Draft lottery odds. That gives them a very slim 1.8 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick. There is a slightly better — but still unlikely — chance of them being drawn in the top four. The odds of that happening are 8.5 percent, according to NBA.com.
MORE: Updated odds, tiebreakers and more ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft lottery
So, to put it simply, the Bulls have an 8.5 percent chance of not only hanging onto their first round pick, but ending up with one of the top four overall selections. The Magic have a 91.5 percent chance of receiving the pick instead, but if they do, it is guaranteed to be outside of the top four.
Orlando, by the way, has a 9 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick and a 37.2 percent chance of cracking the top four with their own first round pick this year. That means they could be on the clock twice in the early stages of the 2023 NBA Draft.
What channel is the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery on?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: Sling TV
Fans in the U.S. can watch the NBA Draft Lottery and playoffs on Sling TV, which is now offering $10 off your first month! Stream Sling Orange for $30 in your first month to catch the lottery plus every playoff games on TNT, ESPN & ABC. Local regional blackout restrictions apply.
SIGN UP FOR SLING: English | Spanish
The draft starts at 8:30 p.m. ET in the United States and Canada.
