It's Hard to Believe the Chicago Bulls Have 10 Former Lottery Picks on Their Roster

On the surface, the Chicago Bulls' current strategy has merit.

Plenty of previously heralded prospects will end up in the wrong situation. We have seen it happen countless times around the NBA, only for that same player to find the success many once expected in a new environment. With that in mind, you can understand the Bulls' desire to become a haven for youngsters who have been cast aside.

It's the approach they took with Josh Giddey, who quickly looked rejuvenated after putting on a Bulls uniform. It's also the approach they saw teams take with Wendell Carter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen, the second of whom went on to become a legitimate All-Star-caliber player. Indeed, particularly in situations where you can buy low on these players, it's a move that can be hard to fault.

At the same time, there is a reason why these former high draft selections become gettable. Is it possible that they simply ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time to begin their career? Sure. But it's also possible they were not ready for the spotlight in the way many previously thought. More often than not, players fail to live up to the hype. This is why – when you really take a step back and think deeper – building a team primarily around cast-off lottery picks feels ... risky.

So, guess who did exactly that?

The Chicago Bulls' current roster evokes a chuckle. One reason is undoubtedly the sheer number of small guards, but the other is the shocking number of former Top 14 picks. Thanks to their post-trade deadline shake-up, they will finish 2025-26 with ten former lottery picks on the roster – all of which were selected in the Top 12. The Bulls even have three players picked Top 10 in the 2020 NBA Draft!

Former Lottery Picks on the Current Chicago Bulls

Noa Essengue – No. 12, 2025 NBA Draft (Ratiopharm Ulm)
Matas Buzelis – No. 11, 2024 NBA Draft (G League Ignite)
Rob Dillingham – No. 8, 2024 NBA Draft (Kentucky)
Jaden Ivey – No. 4, 2022 NBA Draft (Purdue)
Josh Giddey – No. 6, 2021 NBA Draft (Adelaide 36ers)
Patrick Williams – No. 4, 2020 NBA Draft (Florida State)
Isaac Okoro – No. 5, 2020 NBA Draft (Auburn)
Jalen Smith – No. 10, 2020 NBA Draft (Maryland)
Collin Sexton – No. 8, 2018 NBA Draft (Alabama)
Zach Collins – No. 10, 2017 NBA Draft (Gonzaga)

Of course, despite investing in all of these previously touted players, the Bulls have gone 1-9 since the February 5 deadline. Their victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday afternoon was the first for this new-look group, as well as the organization's first since January 31.

Did front office leader Arturas Karnisovas expect to be much better over the remainder of the regular season? It's hard to say. Rarely does swapping out seven players at the deadline make your team better in the short term. However, you also do not end up with double-digit lottery picks on your roster without some calculated decision-making.

Karnisovas has talked countless times about preferring "young players with experience," which would surely be a way to classify most of the players he has acquired. In other words, it's hard not to imagine that there was and is some hope that the Bulls would strike gold by adding this many former prospects. As of now, I think it's safe to say they have come up dry.

To be sure, Jalen Smith has put together a strong year and Isaac Okoro has been servicable. There is also still some time for a player like Rob Dillingham (or even Jaden Ivey) to show some flashes. But a roster of double-digit lottery picks and one win in roughly a month says about all anyone needs to know. You can't expect to fix everyone else's problem when you have struggled repeatedly to fix your own.

With this in mind, it will be fascinating to see which of this group remains on the roster by the time 2026-27 tips off. Matas Buzelis, Noa Essengue, and Josh Giddey are obvious locks. Next on the list are Patrick Williams and Rob Dillingham, who each remain under contract for at least two more seasons. Isaac Okoro and Jalen Smith will also be entering the final year of their deals. But are any of those four genuinely safe in an offseason where more change is inevitable?

If one thing is for sure, Collin Sexton and Zach Collins will likely find new homes in free agency. Both may be able to strike a deal with a contending squad, specifically Sexton. The real question will center around what happens with Ivey, who will be a restricted free agent in a matter of months.

While many assumed the Bulls would look to keep him around after the Kevin Huerter deal, the waters have been very bumpy since. He is currently sidelined with a knee injury after struggling to look like the same athlete in his first few games with the team. While it could still make sense for the Bulls to keep him around on a cheap deal, they may not be trying as hard as we all originally thought.

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