SAN FRANCISCO — Whenever March rolls around, it’s hard for any fan of a losing NBA team to stay focused on the matter at hand.
For teams in the bottom quadrant of the league, the most important basketball being played this month is happening elsewhere in a college tournament. Scouts and executives are scattering across the country this week to delve into conference tournaments before the NCAA Tournament begins in a week. The next month will help determine the fates of dozens of star college players — and the future of teams such as the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls are on track to have a lottery pick in this year’s NBA draft. They’re currently ninth in the lottery odds, although that positioning could shift one or two spots by the end of the season. From there, it’s up to chance. But regardless of the lottery outcome, the Bulls are putting plenty of stock into this year’s stacked draft class.
Flexibility is the name of the game for the Bulls, who aren’t heavily invested in the majority of their current players. Outside of Matas Buzelis, the entire roster is movable at any given moment. Although they re-signed Josh Giddey to a four-year deal, the Bulls aren’t particularly locked into a future revolving around the point guard as they approach a long-term rebuild.
Buzelis plays best at the three, which means the Bulls are likeliest to add a guard or a big man with their first-round pick. They drafted with defense in mind by selecting Noa Essengue at No. 12 last year. In 2026, dynamism should be a focus for the Bulls, who need to begin investing in creative playmaking to improve their long-term prospects.
This year’s draft class has a fairly clear stratification of talent between the top three players — Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa — and the rest. Each player would offer something uniquely enticing for the Bulls.
Big Ten Tournament: No. 4 seed Illinois has a triple bye, while No. 15 Northwestern opens Tuesday
In addition to bringing a family legacy to Chicago as the son of ex-Bull Carlos Boozer, Cameron Boozer is a powerful force in the paint and at the rim who likely will shine the brightest of this trio in the NCAA Tournament. Dybantsa is expected to develop into the best two-way talent of the group, a sleek shooter with great length for a wing at 6-foot-9. Peterson is breathtakingly talented as a scorer and on-ball initiator, but health concerns have marred an otherwise impressive freshman season.
While Bulls fans can dream about landing a top-three pick, it’s much more reasonable to expect them to draft between Nos. 8 and 11. With that framework in mind, here are eight potential draft picks for Bulls fans to keep an eye on during March.
Keaton Wagler, Illinois shooting guard
Plenty of fans in Chicago already will be watching Wagler and the Illini attempt to make a Final Four run — or better — this March. What’s not to like? The 6-6 Wagler can score on his own and create for teammates with the ball in his hands. He shot 41% from 3-point range in the regular season. He’s not the most impressive athlete in this bunch, but his length and IQ fit the profile of a player who can develop into high-impact NBA minutes.
Wagler is one of the standout stories of the college season. The Bulls love an Illini connection. The main issue standing in the way of this pairing is that Wagler is likely to be selected in the top eight. If the Bulls don’t move up, he’ll likely be out of reach.
Kingston Flemings, Houston point guard
Considered the best pure point guard in this year’s draft, the 6-4 Flemings is a true playmaker whose speed and vision have impressed scouts all season. Averaging 5.4 assists against only 1.9 turnovers per game, he boasts a strong understanding of the game that allows him to balance passing instincts with shot-making.
Houston should be one of the most exciting teams in the tournament, and that’s in large part because of Flemings. While he’ll need to improve his shooting profile as a pro, Flemings will be must-see TV with the Cougars during March.
Darius Acuff, Arkansas point guard
Although he’s not quite as splashy a playmaker as Flemings, the 6-3 Acuff is another efficient ball-handling guard who’s scorching teams at a 43.7% clip from 3-point range this season. He’s a little more focused on scoring than distributing than other point guards in this class, but that works for a player who shoots this well from long range.
On an interesting note, several draft experts have tagged current Bulls guard Collin Sexton as Acuff’s best NBA comparison. It’s hard to tell from recent weeks whether that would help or hurt his case to be selected by the Bulls.
Brayden Burries, Arizona combo guard
If the Bulls can’t move up to snag Peterson or Wagler but still want a shooting guard, their next stop is likely Burries. The most consistent 2-point shooter out of the shooting guards in this class, the 6-4 Burries is built solidly and plays with equal intensity on both ends of the court.
Burries is developing into a solid perimeter shooter (37% from 3-point range) and can play on the ball when needed. He’s not as impressive an athlete as some other options, but he shows versatile potential as a supporting facilitator in the NBA.
Braylon Mullins, Connecticut shooting guard
It probably makes the most sense for the Bulls to target the two spot — a shooting or combo guard — to flesh out the backcourt between Giddey and Buzelis. That means taking a long look at all of the top guards in this category, which includes UConn’s Mullins. A sharpshooter who could fill out into his longer frame, the 6-6 Mullins is projected to go in the mid-to-late teens, so he might not be a strong enough prospect for the Bulls to seriously consider.
Malachi Moreno, Kentucky center
If the Bulls are looking to go big, they might be smart to hold off until the second day of the draft, when they can cash in their fat stack of second-round picks to select a center. Moreno is a mobile 7-footer who can protect the rim and run the floor. He doesn’t offer anything flashy on offense, but he could make sense for a version of the Bulls that still leans into jumbo lineups with two bigs. Kansas’ Flory Bidunga and North Carolina’s Henri Veesaar fit a similar profile for second-round options.
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina power forward
Although the Bulls have been content with Jalen Smith playing the four this season, they need to find a long-term option for the position. Wilson could be a perfect fit. A 6-10 forward boasting explosiveness and solid finishing around the basket, Wilson is an exciting prospect as both a defender and close-range scorer. He needs to work on his 3-point shot and he’s a bit lanky, but he’s an otherwise well-rounded prospect.
But here’s the thing — fans can’t actually watch Wilson during March. He broke his right thumb in practice last week, a season-ending injury that could threaten to dislodge him from his projected spot as the first player to be drafted after the top three. Still, the portfolio he put together in the regular season should be more than enough to convince teams of his value in June.
Hannes Steinbach, Washington power forward
Similar to Wilson, there might not be much to watch from Steinbach in March — but for a different reason. The 6-11 German forward impressed in his freshman season with his ability to score at the rim and scoop rebounds almost effortlessly. He’s a solid decision maker and a massive presence in the post with a 7-foot-plus wingspan.
Steinbach’s problem is that the Huskies, who are the No. 12 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, are not expected to advance to the NCAA Tournament. That means the big man may have a short dance during which to make a strong impression on NBA scouts.