The Chicago Bulls are in an interesting spot. They jumped three spots in the draft, and, like the Hornets, need to take a swing on a high potential player. Sadly, in this draft class, there are not many great prospects. With all of the top-3 being gone, they have to take the first player in the next tier of guys, and Toppin makes a lot of sense.
Lauri Markkanen has been somewhat disappointing over the past two years. He started his rookie year very well and is an elite shooter for his size. That said, he has not improved since his first season in the NBA and might be best suited as a sixth-man sort of player.
Obi Toppin is a player that would thrive next to Wendell Carter. He is a competitor on offense, capable of becoming something of a unicorn – a big that can score at all three levels while also being something of a playmaker (albeit not a primary one).
The Bulls have a new front office as well as a new coaching staff – they are not particularly attached to anyone on the current roster. Because of this, Toppin is a much easier selection to justify, and he could make one of the bigger impacts during his first year in the league.