Second-round draft picks have become valuable currency lately.
That’s why the Bulls had better hope that forward Julian Phillips turns out to be a solid NBA rotation player.
The Bulls sent two second-round picks (2026, 2027) to the Wizards on draft night to select Phillips at No. 35, and he had some positive moments in four Summer League games.
The concern is that executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas paid too much.
For a second consecutive summer, the Central Division rival Cavaliers had the 49th overall pick. They selected Isaiah Mobley — brother of Cavs standout Evan Mobley — in 2022, then took Emoni Bates last month.
All Mobley and Bates did was help lead Cleveland to the 2023 Summer League title.
A big bunch of nothing? Maybe. But also another statement from a front office that has made all the right moves the last two seasons, jumping the Bulls in roster-building as well as the standings.
Sitting atop the Central Division in the Eastern Conference might mean little next April, but your division rivals are still the teams you play against the most in the regular season. That’s why the Cavs should be all smiles with the summer they’re having.
CENTRAL DIVISION OFFSEASON
POWER RANKINGS
1. Cavaliers
Adding Donovan Mitchell last summer was an organizational game-changer. This summer has been about adding the pieces to close the gap between them and the division-winning Bucks. Mission accomplished.
The Cavs kept Caris LeVert from bolting in free agency and added much-needed three-point shooting with Max Strus and Georges Niang.
Isaiah Mobley and Bates will be hard-pressed to find playing time on the deep Cavs but are nice insurance policies for the future.
Cleveland doesn’t have a Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it does have the most balanced roster in the Central, one that can beat opponents in many ways.
2. Bucks
For Milwaukee this summer, it wasn’t about adding as much as keeping the core intact.
The front office did that, re-signing Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez and adding depth in Malik Beasley and Jae Crowder.
There’s a two-year window for this current core, with Antetokounmpo holding a player option for the 2025-26 season.
The road to Central supremacy still goes through Milwaukee, but Cleveland has built a tank worthy of a challenge.
3. Pacers
They became Tyrese Haliburton’s team after they maxed the point guard this offseason, but the Pacers didn’t stop there.
Indiana swooped in and nabbed free-agent forward Bruce Brown from the champion Nuggets, then acquired Obi Toppin from the Knicks to bolster the frontcourt.
Jarace Walker was acquired from the Wizards in a lottery draft swap, and while he struggled in Summer League, he still has a lot of potential.
Meanwhile, the Pacers still hold a valuable trade chip in shooter Buddy Hield. Stay tuned.
4. BULLS
Keeping the core intact was always the priority this summer, and Karnisovas did just that, signing free agent Nikola Vucevic to a three-year, $60 million deal.
Priority No. 2 was adding three-point shooting, and that was also addressed with free agents Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig.
Did the Bulls close the gap on Milwaukee and Cleveland? Unlikely. What they seemingly did was make sure to be in better position to win the play-in tournament and become a No. 7 or 8 seed in the playoffs. Golf clap.
5. Pistons
It’s not that Detroit didn’t have a good offseason. No. 5 pick Ausar Thompson had flashes in Summer League and showed some serious athletic potential.
But this is all about a collection of young talent — Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Thompson and James Wiseman — getting through the growing pains and coming together as a cohesive unit.
So while the Pistons are young and talented, they’re still a wait-and-see.
