The Chicago Bulls had been trying to remain semi-competitive over the past few seasons, and that has brought them not much success. This past season, they decided to finally pull the plug. They traded Nikola Vucevic away, assembled a team full of guards who can’t play alongside each other, and the result was a 31-win season.
This then brought them some luck on NBA Draft lottery night; they had the ninth-best odds to win the draft and a measly 20.3 percent chance to move into the top four, only for them to jump up five spots and secure themselves a chance at a game-changing talent with the fourth overall selection of the 2026 NBA Draft.
The catch, of course, is that this draft class is stacked at the top, particularly in the top three. AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cam Boozer are all expected to go top three in any order, with the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, and Memphis Grizzlies, in that order, having the first dibs — leaving the Bulls to pick the best of the remaining bunch.
Many draft evaluators see Caleb Wilson as the undisputed fourth-best prospect in this draft class, and the Bulls should be more than happy to take an extremely versatile 6’10” forward who can be a major force on both ends of the floor.
However, if the Bulls were to begin their contending journey, they may have to shoot even higher for the moon. Here’s why Chicago must do everything in its power to trade for Boozer, who could very well be the best prospect in this year’s draft.
If the Bulls strike out on Boozer anyhow, they could at least try and move their way up from the 15th overall pick to grab Illinois hero Keaton Wagler.
Cam Boozer is flying under the radar
From a sheer college production standpoint, Boozer is the best player in this year’s draft. Only 18 years of age this past collegiate season, Boozer put up 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 56/39/79 shooting splits. He has a complete offensive game, being able to take on guys off the dribble as well as space the floor reasonably well, and at 6’9″, he’s never going to be a liability on the court.
The huge question mark surrounding Boozer, of course, is his athletic limitations. Boozer is not the quick-twitch athlete both Dybantsa and Peterson are, and his rim protection potential is questionable considering that he only blocked 0.6 shots per contest this past season at Duke.
The athletic question marks are very concerning. Some scouts are wondering whether or not his game can translate seamlessly to the next level against higher-level athletes. He already showed some struggles in finishing around the basket considering his limited lift off the ground, and those issues could very well be more pronounced at the NBA level.
But the skill he possesses is hard to find. There’s a line of thinking where scouts believe that athleticism cannot be taught, skill can. However, feel for the game and an understanding of how the game works comes naturally to Boozer, and this is not something that just anyone can learn.
Many superstars have come into the NBA facing similar question marks as Boozer does. Most memorably, Luka Doncic’s athletic limitations were also questioned incessantly before he entered the NBA. And while Doncic’s defense can be frustrating at times, he is the league’s most dominant scorer and he’s a superstar many teams would want to build their team around.
Make no mistake about it, Wilson is also an impressive prospect. But the difference in polished skill level between him and Boozer is remarkable. Wilson also cannot shoot threes reliably the way Boozer can, and as the New York Knicks have shown in this year’s playoffs, championship teams cannot afford to have non-centers be non-floor spacers.
There is a chance that the Bulls luck into Boozer anyway with the fourth overall pick. But it might be better to try and call up the Grizzlies to gauge how interested they are in additional assets to go along with the fourth overall selection to try and get their man. And should Boozer get snatched up by either the Wizards or Jazz, the Bulls should be more than happy to select the one who falls between Dybantsa and Peterson.
The Bulls have to try and get Keaton Wagler
Keaton Wagler is warranting consideration within the top 10 of this year’s draft, and at this point, he might be too far gone for the Bulls, unless they pull off the unthinkable and select him fourth overall (that may not be the smartest decision).
But the Illinois product is looking like he has a long career in the NBA in the making. He is a composed floor general who can shoot a good percentage from deep on high volume, and at 6’6″, he has the size to avoid being a defensive liability in the backcourt.
The fit between him and Josh Giddey should be incredible; Giddey is more of a bruising playmaking presence, while Wagler is more composed, controlled, and more proficient from beyond the arc. With Nic Claxton now on the roster, Giddey and Wagler will get so much out of running the pick-and-roll with an excellent lob threat.
It helps that Wagler should be an immediate fan favorite among Bulls fans considering where he played his lone season of college ball, and they need to give fans reason to invest in the team after overhauling the franchise this past offseason.
Even if the Bulls aren’t able to select Boozer, a five-man lineup of Wagler/Giddey/Matas Buzelis/Wilson/Claxton at least provides the team with a solid foundation to build the team around. Wagler should provide unselfish playmaking and consistent shot-making from deep, which is what the team would need if they were to play a lineup without an elite sharpshooter in it.
Of course, it will be difficult yet again for the Bulls to move up to a spot where they can take Wagler, as he’s drawing consideration well within the top 10. But this is the ideal scenario for Chicago, and fans, of course, can dream.
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