28 of the NBA’s 30 teams made at least one trade at the February 9 deadline, and the Chicago Bulls were not one of them. What that says for the front office’s competency is hard to say right now, but keeping a level head and accurately assessing this team’s future ahead of the offseason is now more vital than ever.
Even with the Bulls not making any moves, their future draft pick situation is quite difficult to keep track of. After all, the Bulls dealt away plenty of picks to acquire DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, and Lonzo Ball in the first place to assemble this core.
Arturas Karnisovas made a point to explain this is the team we’ll be seeing for the next 28 games, strongly hinting he has plans for future moves over the summer. While it’s disappointing not getting anything done at the deadline, these next 28 games will likely decide if the Bulls decide to expend their remaining draft capital to compete now, or blow it all up to restock the war chest.
The Chicago Bulls may have made no moves at the trade deadline, but their future draft picks will heavily impact the moves they can make in the summer.
Considering all the future draft capital the Chicago Bulls have already traded away, this can all be quite complicated and difficult to keep track of, so I’ll try to keep this as simple as possible. Over the course of the next six drafts, we can expect the Bulls to possess five first-round picks and three second-round picks.
Here’s the year-by-year breakdown of what to expect in each year’s draft through 2029 and beyond.
2023 NBA Draft
- 1st round pick (Portland, Protected)
- This pick is lottery protected, which means the Bulls will only get to use it if the Trail Blazers qualify for the playoffs. If the Trail Blazers miss the playoffs, the Bulls will receive this pick in the first year Portland does make the playoffs. If the Trail Blazers do not make the playoffs by 2028, this pick becomes a 2nd rounder in 2028.
- 2nd round pick (Denver, Protected)
- This pick will convey to the Bulls as long as it lands at No. 47 or higher. Since the Nuggets are doing so well this year, it appears as though it will convey. However, the Bulls will have their next available second-round pick revoked as punishment for tampering to sign Lonzo Ball. This would be a good pick to have revoked, as it will likely come near the very end of the draft.
- 1st round pick
- Bulls own pick
The Bulls will not have their second-round pick in 2024, as it was dealt to New Orleans in exchange for Lonzo Ball. If Portland’s first-round pick does not convey in 2023, they could potentially have two first-round picks in 2024.
2025 NBA Draft
The Bulls do not own the rights to either of their picks in this draft, as both were sent to San Antonio in exchange for DeRozan. However, the first-round pick is top-10 protected, which means the Bulls could still retain the rights to this pick if they decide to tank.
2026 NBA Draft
- 1st round pick
- Bulls own pick
- 2nd round pick
- Bulls own pick
- 1st round pick
- Bulls own pick
- 2nd round pick
- Bulls own pick
- 1st round pick
- Bulls own pick
- 2nd round pick
- Bulls own pick
- 1st round pick
- 2nd round pick
If the Bulls have still not conveyed their first-round pick to the Spurs by 2028, they will receive the rights to Chicago’s 2028 second-round pick instead. Similarly, if Portland has not still conveyed their lottery-protected first-round pick from all the way back in 2023, the Bulls will receive their second-round pick in 2028 instead.
2029 NBA Draft (and onwards)
From this point on, the Chicago Bulls own all of their future picks with no protections or stipulations attached to them. They also do not own any other team’s picks from this point on.
If the Bulls have still not conveyed their first-round pick to the Spurs in 2026, it will once again be top-8 protected in 2027.
2028 NBA Draft
If the Bulls did not convey their first-round pick to the Spurs in 2025, it will be top-8 protected in 2026.
2027 NBA Draft
The Bulls do not own either of their picks in this draft. If Chicago does not win the draft lottery and land in the top four, the Orlando Magic will have rights to Chicago’s pick due to the Vucevic trade. Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards own the Bulls’ second-round pick due to the Otto Porter Jr. trade.
2024 NBA Draft