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After Bulls' Lost Season, NBA Draft Combine Takes On Greater Importance

By Cody Westerlund--

(CBS) A year ago at this time, the NBA Draft Combine made its annual stop in Chicago. As it pertained to the Bulls -- who the last time we saw a May 10 were locked up in a tight second-round series against the Cavaliers -- it carried little fanfare. That's the way of life for perennial playoff inhabitants.

All that has changed.

As the combine gets going in earnest with interviews Wednesday and then workouts Thursday, it carries greater meaning for the Bulls. A 42-40 season that chairman Jerry Reinsdorf felt the need to call a "disappointment" was marked by a lost locker room and misfits for what rookie coach Fred Hoiberg wanted to do stylistically. After backing Hoiberg on the night of a meaningless season finale, Chicago management is set to embark on a roster revision that, if it goes to plan, will better suit its hand-picked coach's vision.

That starts with hitting in the June 23 draft, and the combine is a step toward doing that. Chicago's currently in line to receive the No. 14 pick, barring ping-pong ball luck. The Bulls have a 0.5 percent chance of nabbing the No. 1 pick in next Tuesday's draft lottery and a 1.8 percent shot at a top-three pick.

Foremost on the Bulls' wish list figures to be a lead guard, which is what they desired in 2015 before a run of backcourt players went just before their slot and they saw power forward Bobby Portis fall into their lap at No. 22. Point guard Derrick Rose is entering the final year of his contract, while E'Twaun Moore and Aaron Brooks will enter free agency, so the Bulls are thin in the backcourt.

More specifically, the Bulls could use a dribble-drive creator who can bend defenses with speed and quickness, as one scout put it. You could make the argument that this past season's Bulls only had one of those types in Rose, as much of Jimmy Butler's playmaking came from his strength, improved ball-handling, smarts and maturity in reading defenses. In Hoiberg's ideal world, he'd have more players who could create naturally off the bounce. In 2015-'16, he had too many players of singular talent.

Of course, there's a catch: The point guard position isn't as deep this year as last. Many draft pundits project the mid-round value to come in the form of big men or wings. That could leave the Bulls front office with a far more difficult choice than they had in 2015.

The Bulls are fond of Providence guard Kris Dunn, the Tribune has reported, but he'll be gone by No. 14. Kentucky guard Jamal Murray and an wing standout, Oklahoma's Buddy Hield, figure to be selected in the top 10 as well. Notre Dame point guard Demetrius Jackson, Kentucky point guard Tyler Ulis and Vanderbilt guard Wade Baldwin are players who are more likely to be available around No. 14 and figure to be closely evaluated by the Bulls at the combine. Interviews with prospects start Wednesday, while on-court workouts take place Thursday and Friday at the Quest Multisport Complex.

The next week will give a small glimpse of whom the Bulls are intrigued by leading up to June 23. An organization that rarely makes high-profile moves during the season, the Bulls have a history of making draft-night deals, recently in 2014 when they traded two first-rounders and two second-rounders to move up to take Doug McDermott and also in 2011 when they maneuvered to get Nikola Mirotic.

"The draft's always been big to us," Bulls general manager Gar Forman said at season's end. "I think there's opportunities in this draft. You hear people say it's maybe not as strong of a draft. To us, there's always opportunities in a draft. We feel where we'll be picking, we'll have an opportunity to get a very good player. That'll be one piece."

Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for CBSChicago.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.

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