All eyes are on the NBA Play-In Tournament in Chicago. The Bulls defeated the Miami Heat thanks in part to Josh Giddey's impressive performance to all but guarantee the ninth-seed. However, two games remain, thus allowing the Bulls to move up to eighth if the Atlanta Hawks drop two of their final three contests.
Nonetheless, advancing to the Play-In Tournament is far from a postseason guarantee. Since the entry tournament was implemented four years ago, three ninth seeds have advanced, while five missed the playoffs. The eighth seed's success is only slightly better—five eight seeds have advanced and three have been bounced before the start of the official postseason.
Although the Play-In is the hottest topic, the NBA Draft surely resides in the back of Bulls fan's minds. Chicago sits 12th in draft order, ahead of the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings. Thus, the Bulls are given an 86.1 percent chance to retain the 12th pick. Less than two months ago, Chicago sat at eighth in the pre-lottery draft order, which yields a 26.2 percent chance to land in the top four and a 6.0 percent chance of selecting first. Now, it's almost certain Chicago will select 12th, or even worse.
3 Prospects worth trading valuable NBA Draft picks for
Considering the Bulls' dwindling odds, we've come to the realization that the most impactful prospects will be off the board. There's a steep drop-off in quality from selections 10 to 11. Therefore, with a young roster on the brink of a playoff appearance in tow, it's possible the Bulls eye a trade to better their draft position.
3. Collin Murray-Boyles
South Carolina's Collin Murray-Boyles is a player likely to fall within the 8-to-12 range. The sophomore suited up for a subpar Gamecocks squad and led the team in minutes, points, rebounds, steals, and blocks per game. The latter two categories are most intriguing.
The Bulls have struggled to defend all season long, ranking 28th in opponent's points, 30th in points in the paint allowed per game, and 23rd in defensive rating. Furthermore, Chicago ranked 25th in steals and 18th in blocks per game. The Bulls' defense, or lack thereof, was troubling. While it must be noted that the Bulls' defense improved post-All-Star break, it still remained a below-average unit.
Enter Murray-Boyles, one of the most versatile forward defenders in the draft. At 6-foot-7, with a 245-pound frame, the sophomore is built to bang with bigs and defend wings in space. He'd slide perfectly into the Bulls' lineup alongside the lankier, 6-foot-10 Matas Buzelis at forward.
Although he doesn't provide much outside shooting (9-of-34 from beyond the arc), that shouldn't be a concern for the three-point-happy Bulls. Murray-Boyles is a strong finisher and nifty scorer on the interior. The South Carolina native shot 59.0 percent from the floor across two seasons with the Gamecocks. He doesn't post up or roll with the sole intention of scoring—Murray-Boyles is a connective passer who averaged 2.4 assists in his second season in Columbia. His fit in Chicago is picturesque. However, he's ranked third because he may still be available when the Bulls are on the clock.
2. Khaman Maluach
Next up is a player we've mentioned before, Duke's Khaman Maluach. The hulking, 7-foot-2 center is the next closest thing to a defensive anchor in the 2025 draft class. Maluach sports a 7-foot-5 wingspan and 9-foot-8 standing reach to deter opponents from getting easy looks around the rim. The 18-year-old center averaged 1.3 blocks in 21.3 minutes per game for the Blue Devils and upped his average to 1.8 in the NCAA Tournament.
Like Murray-Boyles, Maluach is an impactful defender—something the Bulls lack. However, Maluach isn't nearly as versatile, he's more of a specialist. The Duke big man offers a similar archetype to Minnesota Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert. Both are intimidating interior presences who are mobile enough in switch and pick-and-roll situations.
Although Maluach wouldn't shore up the Bulls' leaky defense on day one, he'd play an integral part in helping Chicago reach its ceiling. The Bulls are one of the NBA's better offensive teams. Therefore, there's no need to add an offensive-minded player to a squad featuring numerous offense-focused players.
Nonetheless, Maluach would fit quite well offensively in Chicago. With several playmakers on the roster, including Giddey and Coby White, the 7-footer would feast in the pick-and-roll and the dunker spot. The Duke big man threw down 77 dunks this season—15 more than Chicago's dunk leader, Matas Buzelis. Maluach is currently projected to go in the top 10, which would force the Bulls' hand at making a trade to acquire the interior anchor.
1. VJ Edgecombe
Lastly, we go in a different direction. Rather than a defensive-minded big, we have Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, arguably the best athlete in the draft class. At 6-foot-5 and 180 pounds, Edgecombe resembles a shooting guard in the NBA more than anything else. Yet, his incredible bounce and defensive playmaking allow him to play bigger than he is.
The freshman guard averaged 2.1 steals and 0.6 blocks per game for the Bears. His jaw-dropping athleticism is a sight to behold. He routinely recorded chase-down blocks and even profiles as a help-side shot-blocker—an abnormal attribute of a 6-foot-5 guard. While Zach LaVine and Russell Westbrook comparisons have been thrown out, think of a smaller version of Amen Thompson with a more refined offensive skill set.
The LaVine comparison is more apt offensively. Although Edgecombe isn't as silky-smooth of a jump-shooter as LaVine currently is, the UCLA LaVine comparison is fair. Edgecombe shot 34.0 percent on 4.6 three-pointers per game. He preferred getting to the basket as opposed to spotting up from the perimeter.
While the Bulls' guard rotation is plentiful, Edgecombe offers a unique archetype. The Bulls don't roster an elite defensive playmaker of the Baylor guard's caliber. The 19-year-old would immediately become Chicago's best perimeter defender and fit in Billy Donovan's uptempo offense. Of the three prospects mentioned, Edgecombe is projected to be selected the highest. ESPN had Edgecombe going fourth. Thus, the Bulls would have to part with several quality assets to acquire the high-flying guard.