NBA: Ranking every team based off draft success over the last 20 years

NBA New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NBA New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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NBA Chicago Bulls Jimmy Butler (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

13. Chicago Bulls: 36.5 points 

  • 2000: Jamal Crawford: 0.5
  • 2001: Tyson Chandler: 3 (1x all-star, 1x 3rd team)
  • 2002: Jay Williams: -2 (bust with 2nd overall pick)
  • 2003: Kirk Hinrich: 0.5
  • 2004: Ben Gordon: 0.5
  • 2004: Luol Deng: 2 (2x all-star)
  • 2007: Joakim Noah: 6 (2x all-star, 1x 1st team)
  • 2008: Derrick Rose: 12 (3x all-star, 1x MVP, 1x 1st team)
  • 2009: Taj Gibson: 0.5
  • 2011: Jimmy Butler: 13.5 (5x all-star, 2x 3rd team, 1.5x for pick outside of lottery)

Are we allowed to say that the Gar/Pax era for the Bulls wasn’t a complete disaster? I definitely won’t say they were great at their jobs and at times not even defensible, but if they get all the blame then don’t they deserve the credit for the good things too?

Say what you will about the Gar/Pax regime, it was definitely terrible the last few years, but drafting Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson, and Jimmy Butler over a span of five drafts and making the playoffs 11 out of 13 years from 2005-17 is a great accomplishment.