Assessing the Chicago Bulls' Needs at the 2026 NBA Draft

After years of being stuck in the Play-In Tournament without a specific direction, the Chicago Bulls have finally moved into a rebuild with the departures of multiple front office executives and head coach Billy Donovan. They can finally build from the ground up.

The 2026 NBA Draft will be the first opportunity for the new era of the Bulls to make its mark. Amid a loaded class, particularly in the lottery, Chicago has the ninth-best odds at the No. 1 pick (4.5% chance) and a 20.3% chance at the top four.

The Bulls got much younger at the trade deadline, taking on a war chest of guards. Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey (for now) highlight the future, but what does Chicago need in this year's draft?

Three-Point Shooting

The Bulls finished the season 19th in three-point percentage. They went after a plethora of guards at the trade deadline, but none are known for being elite from beyond the arc. In fact, they moved off of Coby White, Kevin Huerter and Ayo Dosumnu, all known for efficient shooting.

Chicago's lottery pick will likely be used on a wing/guard. Projected at No. 9, the Bulls could end up with Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville), Nate Ament (Tennessee) or Brayden Burries (Arizona).

The ideal scenario would be to land one of the three generational prospects in AJ Dybantasa (BYU), Darryn Peterson (Kansas) and Cameron Boozer (Duke). But even if Chicago gets an ounce of lottery luck to move into the top seven, key scorers like Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), Kingston Flemings (Houston) and in-state phenom Keaton Wagler (Illinois) could be available.

Starting Center

Jalen Smith is a nice option at the five, but if the Bulls can land a legitimate big man to highlight the young core, they should take it. Zach Collins and Nick Richards are entering free agency, so the time is now to snag a young center.

At pick No. 15, key frontcourt prospects like Chris Cenac Jr. (Houston), Aday Mara (Michigan) and Motiejus Krivas (Arizona) could be available. Chicago doesn't need a scoring machine at the five, rather a pure rebounder and defender who can work the pick-and-roll with Giddey and other guards.

The lottery is full of elite guard talent, so it wouldn't make much sense to take a big man so early. In the second round (pick No. 37), the Bulls could also take a chance on Tarris Reed Jr. (UConn), Henri Veesaar (North Carolina) or Zuby Ejiofor (St. John's).

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