3 Big Mistakes the Chicago Bulls Must Avoid on Draft Night

The Chicago Bulls will have a lot of power in this year's NBA Draft, but they can't let that go to their head.

First-year front office leader Bryson Graham has four picks (No. 4, No. 15, No. 38, No. 56) in what appears to be one of the deepest drafts in quite some time. While it's hard to imagine he aces every single one, there are certainly some steps he can take to ensure that he maximizes the opportunity.

Indeed, as we talk more and more about what decisions the Bulls should make on Tuesday night, why don't we take a second to address some things they shouldn't do? The chaos of draft night can make even the most sane executive's head spin, so let's go over three mistakes Graham has to avoid as he prepares to manage the first draft of his lead executive career.

Don't Get Cute at No. 4

Mar 26, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) shoots past Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the West Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

This is probably a painfully obvious statement, but does that make it any less important?

The truth is that Bryson Graham is a new and young executive. Time and again, we have seen first-year front office leaders swing for the fences. Sure, this often comes in the form of a big-time trade for a veteran star, but it could also come in the form of a draft night reach. Arturas Karnisovas did it with Patrick Williams before also deciding to move off Lauri Markkanen and Lauri Markkanen for veteran help at the following trade deadline. *shivers*

To be clear, Bryson Graham has preached a very different mindset since taking over. He's stressed the importance of building from the ground up. This is why it feels safest to assume that Graham keeps things simple on Tuesday night.

At the same time, you never know until the pick is in, especially for someone whose reputation is built around talent evaluation. Your ego can always take over when sitting in the head chair, so Graham has to fight any urge to look like the smartest person in the room. The Bulls have also worked out every top guard in this draft, from Darius Acuff Jr. to Keaton Wagler. In fact, the latter only visited with two teams: Chicago and Los Angeles. Could that say something about how the Bulls feel about him?

Once again, no one is expecting the Bulls to get cute, but that's because it would be arguably the biggest mistake they could make.

Don't Go All-In On a Trade-Up

UConn Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. (2) defends and is called for a foul against Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) on Saturday, April 4, 2026, during a Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There have been A LOT of rumblings about the Chicago Bulls investigating a trade-up. Some believe they could be looking to pair Caleb Wilson with one of the top guards in this class. Others believe they could want to get their hands on a center of the future like Aday Mara.

Look, there is no denying that walking away with two lottery-level players in this draft would be extremely exciting for the organization. This is one of the deepest classes in years, and there will be a lot of good players left after the Bulls make their selection at No. 4. But isn't that why Chicago should simply stay put at No. 15?

A perfectly exciting prospect is going to be on the board when the Bulls are set to pick again. Heck, there is a very good chance that someone widely expected to go in the lottery ends up sliding into Bryson Graham's lap. That's often what happens when the draft is this talented. The last thing the Bulls want to do is give up multiple future assets at the start of a rebuild just to move up a handful of spots. Those kinds of deals can always come back to bite you in the you-know-what.

Does that mean that every trade should be off the table for Chicago? No. If you really like someone who is at risk of going at No. 13 or No. 14, maybe you can strike a deal with one of those teams to swap picks for a handful of seconds. Giving up first-round picks at this juncture feels unnecessary, though. It's something the previous front office did early in their process and almost immediately regretted. *shivers again*

At the end of the day, someone good is going to be there at No. 15. Maybe it's a shocking slide for Brayden Burries. Maybe it's an encouraging big man like Hannes Steinbach or Morez Johnson Jr. Maybe it's one of the combine's most exciting guards in Cameron Carr. Even if it's a pre-draft workout darling like Bennett Stirtz, the Bulls should have a reason to feel good about the talent available.

Don't Worry About Fit

Apr 6, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) and Michigan Wolverines guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (11) celebrate after defeating the Connecticut Huskies in the national championship of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Assuming Caleb Wilson is the move at No. 4, some might try to make an argument that the Bulls should look toward the backcourt at No. 15. The team just gave up both Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White at the deadline, leaving an obvious primary scoring and shooting hole next to Josh Giddey. With how many guards are in this class, it's very possible they could find a suitable option in the middle of the first round.

Nevertheless, fit shouldn't matter a lick to this new front office. They were brought there to rejuvenate the franchise and add as much talent as possible. Sure, you want to be conscious of giving players room to grow, but this shouldn't currently come at the expense of not taking the best player on your board at each draft spot.

In other words, if the Bulls have another long forward or center as the best available player at No. 15, they should by all means call it in. The draft isn't a time to overthink things, particularly when you're in a rebuild. The time to make sure all the pieces fit together is when you know exactly who the pieces should be long-term. Chicago is still very much in the stages of finding that out.

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