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Bulls and Kings swap picks and players; Chicago takes Marcus Smart

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SB Nation's NBA Network conducted a mock draft with bloggers from each team site making or trading "their" team's pick. We continue with the next pick in the 2014 NBA Mock Draft with Blog a Bull selecting guard Marcus Smart from Oklahoma State following a trade.

Jamie Squire

NBA Mock Draft Pick #10 -- Marcus Smart, Guard, Oklahoma State

SB Nation's Bulls blog Blog A Bull explains the pick/trade:

If the Chicago Bulls had it their way, they would sign Carmelo Anthony in free agency while retaining Taj Gibson. After exploring every avenue to make that happen, we decided it just wasn't feasible. Trading Gibson is heartbreaking, but it's starting to feel like a necessity to give Anthony the contract he'll want. By including Gibson along with the No. 16 and No. 19 selections in the first round, the Bulls are able to get great asset instead of just merely dumping Gibson's salary.

There are a number of players who could have helped the Bulls at No. 10, but the selection of Marcus Smart is a no-brainer. He's big enough to play shooting guard next to Derrick Rose. In the doomsday scenario that Rose will never be the same player after two straight season-ending knee injuries, Smart is a natural replacement at point guard.

This would give the Bulls the cap space to sign Anthony while adding a great young guard to augment a talented starting lineup. It was tough to give away Gibson, but it makes sense in this scenario.

MoreFull NBA Draft Coverage


1 Cleveland Cavaliers: ANDREW WIGGINS 
2 Milwaukee Bucks JABARI PARKER
3 Philadelphia 76ers DANTE EXUM
4 Orlando Magic JULIUS RANDLE
5 Utah Jazz JOEL EMBIID
6 Minnesota Timberwolves (Via Celtics) AARON GORDON
7 Los Angeles Lakers NOAH VONLEH
8 Philadelphia 76ers (via Kings) DARIO SARIC
9 Charlotte Hornets DOUG MCDERMOTT
10 Chicago Bulls (via 76ers) MARCUS SMART
11 Denver Nuggets
12 Orlando Magic
13 Minnesota Timberwolves
14 Phoenix Suns
15 Atlanta Hawks
16 Chicago Bulls
17 Boston Celtics
18 Phoenix Suns
19 Chicago Bulls
20 Toronto Raptors
21 Oklahoma City Thunder
22 Memphis Grizzlies
23 Utah Jazz
24 Charlotte Hornets
25 Houston Rockets
26 Miami Heat
27 Phoenix Suns
28 Los Angeles Clippers
29 Oklahoma City Thunder
30 San Antonio Spurs