Bulls Draft Lottery Sim I: Luck Sends Cameron Boozer to Chicago

With the Chicago Bulls in the thick of a 10-game losing streak, the time is now to start thinking about the NBA Draft.

The organization has only seen its lottery odds trend up over the last handful of weeks, and they now hold a 20.3 percent chance at a Top 4 pick this summer. With that being the case, I thought it was time we started reviewing some prospects, and what better way to do that than by running some good old lottery simulations?

Over the next handful of weeks, I'm going to let Tankathon work its magic. The plan is to press the simulation button twice and proceed to select a player for the Chicago Bulls in whichever spot they land. You will first see the existing lottery order on the day of publishing, before the new order and draft pick.

Good news: Our first go at things saw the ping pong balls land in the Bulls' favor!

Current NBA Draft Lottery Order (Feb. 25)

1. Sacramento Kings
2. Indiana Pacers
3. Brooklyn Nets
4. Wizards
5. Atlanta Hawks (via Pelicans)
6. Utah Jazz
7. Dallas Mavericks
8. Memphis Grizzlies
9. Chicago Bulls
10. Milwaukee Bucks
11. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers)
12. Portland Trail Blazers
13. Hornets
14. San Antonio Spurs (via Hawks)

NBA Draft Lottery Simulation I

1. Indiana Pacers
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. Chicago Bulls
4. Memphis Grizzlies
5. Sacramento Kings
6. Brooklyn Nets
7. Washington Wizards
8. Atlanta Hawks (via Pelicans)
9. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Jazz)
10 Milwaukee Bucks
11. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers)
12. Portland Trail Blazers
13. Charlotte Hornets
14. San Antonio Spurs (via Hawks)

The Chicago Bulls Select ...

Cameron Boozer of the Chicago Bulls — Feb 24, 2026; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) drives as Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Cole Certa (5) defends during the second half at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

March can changing everything, but the hierarchy of this 2026 NBA Draft class has been somewhat consistent over the last handful of months. Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa have repeatedly been considered No. 1 and No. 2, and this has made Duke's Cameron Boozer the obvious No. 3. In other words, if all does go according to plan to start draft night in June, the Bulls would be a laughing stock if they eyed anyone other than the versatile forward.

Son of former Chicago Bulls big man Carlos, Cameron has been one of college basketball's most unstoppable forces. He has lived up to high school hype in essentially every sense, averaging 22.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.7 steals a night. Over his 28 games for the Blue Devils, he has also shot a dominant 58.3 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from long range on meaningful volume (3.7 attempts per game).

In his most recent outing against Notre Dame, Boozer almost single-handedly outscored and out-rebounded the entire Notre Dame team in the first half. Yes, you read that right. He walked into the locker room with 20 points and 9 boards, whereas the Fighting Irish had just 22 points and 10 boards. As far as I'm concerned, that tells you just about everything you need to know about Boozer's incredible season.

To be completely honest, it's very difficult to find the holes in Boozer's game. Is he the most aesthetically pleasing or explosive player? No. But he is a physical beast with excellent touch around the rim, a solid jumper, legitimately ball-handling ability, and defensive versatility. Players like Kevin Love and Paolo Banchero have become popular comparisons, and it's not hard to see why when watching Boozer play. He couples an efficient stroke and perimeter game with a bruising post presence.

With that being the case, I also think his fit alongside a core piece like Matas Buzelis would make plenty of sense. The former No. 11 pick has proven to be more comfortable at the three this season, and he is fresh off dropping a career-high in that spot against the Hornets. Likewise, we have seen him struggle quite a bit with larger wings and bigs. Will he only add muscle as the years go by? Yes, but Buzelis has also commented before about how important it is for him to keep his speed and athletic pop.

There may be some concerns regarding exactly which position best suits Boozer, as his below-the-rim playstyle can hurt him at the five, while his lack of sheer quickness can be a problem against some fours. But there is also no question that he will enter the league with an NBA-ready body. The fact that he also has the three-point stroke should only make teams feel more excited about being able to suit him up in both spots. Basketball has become an increasingly positionless game, and Boozer is a product of that.

There is a real world where Boozer emerges as the best player from this draft. He has arguably the highest floor of any prospect and thus should have one of the easiest adjustments to the next level. Peterson and Dybantsa may have a slightly higher ceiling because of their raw athleticism and perimeter-centric game, but there is something to be said about going with the safer pick. Boozer could very well prove to be that in the lead-up to June, which may even result in him hearing his name before the No. 3 spot.