The Chicago Bulls will soon receive a strong consolation for a season that signaled the end of the organization as we've known it over the past few seasons.
Essentially the entire front office (and head coach Billy Donovan) are gone. Outside of Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey, it's safe to assume that almost no one's spot on the roster is secure heading into 2026-27.
But Chicago will have two first-round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, and those resources will be a major boon towards their resetting efforts. The Bulls' own ninth overall pick comes with a 20.3% chance to jump into the top-four in the NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday, and they're also in possession of the Portland Trail Blazers' selection at 15th overall. Although this draft is relatively top-heavy, there's ample talent throughout the rest of the first round. No matter who they select, the Bulls should be able to find an immediate contributor.
Yet Bulls writer Sam Smith, speaking in his weekly mailbag piece about Mikel Brown Jr. (one of the prospects Chicago has been most linked to throughout the pre-draft process), shared a scouting report that should have fans and analysts thinking twice about taking the 6'5" guard in that draft range.
“Way overrated. Not even sure I would use a second round choice on him. Pretty good passer and an adequate shooter, not particularly athletic. Awful when trying to finish at the basket. Not strong enough for college ball and will get eaten alive in the NBA unless he really evolves. He also missed a lot of games, and there were a lot of rumors about that he could have played. I can’t fathom why some still view him as a top ten pick." Anonymous Scout on Mikel Brown Jr.
Smith does not specify who his source was, but he does specify that it was someone close to the Louisville program, where Brown spent his lone college season. It's not a good sign for a prospect the Bulls could be seriously weighing at ninth overall.
Mikel Brown Jr. is a prospect the Bulls must avoid at all costs
The good news is that the Bulls don't necessarily need to be seeking out a polished prospect. No matter what route Chicago decides to take this offseason in terms of their organizational reset, they can certainly afford to take a gamble on a piece that needs serious development as long as he fits the long-term vision.
On the surface, Brown could certainly be that piece. He averaged 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists while shooting 34.4% from beyond the arc at Louisville as a true freshman.
But if you look deeper, there are serious problems in his game that could inhibit him in the NBA. While his 4.7 assists are impressive, he averaged 3.1 turnovers and was often a questionable decision-maker as a lead ball-handler at Louisville. More importantly, however, he lacks the size and the strength to be anything more than a purely negative defender at the next level.
The Bulls need to add some talent to their backcourt, and Brown's best-case scenario likely makes him the ideal 3-and-D threat for what Chicago is trying to build around Giddey and Buzelis. But his worst-case scenario, as evidenced by the brutal scouting report Smith shared, is too disastrous to take a gamble on with a top-10 or even a top-15 pick.
Mock drafts have recently set their sights on Aday Mara, Michigan's towering center/forward, for Chicago. A prospect like that, or one with a similarly high floor, would almost certainly be the better bet.
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