It's no secret—it hasn't been for years, really—that the Chicago Bulls need a significant upgrade at the center spot. In their latest 2025 NBA Mock Draft, Jeremy Woo and Jonathan Givony of ESPN not only have Chicago grabbing a big man in Derik Queen, but report that they've heard the team is linked to two more centers with only eight days left until the first round kicks off on June 25.
Nikola Vucevic is 35 years old and on an expiring contract. Zach Collins, acquired from the San Antonio Spurs in last season's Zach LaVine trade, played well for the Bulls, but the career journeyman is also an unrestricted free agent after next year. Jalen Smith is the only "center" the franchise has locked up past 2025-26. He's a nice piece off the bench, but that's it.
Matas Buzelis led Chicago in blocks last year with 75. A rookie power forward slotting in as your best rim protector isn't going to cut it if you hope to compete for an NBA title, hence Givony and Woo's Queen selection for the Bulls. But he's not the answer, nor are the other two big men linked to Chicago; in fact, all three pose more problems than solutions.
Bulls linked to Derik Queen, Thomas Sorber, Joan Beringer ahead of 2025 NBA Draft
Addressing Queen's status as a potential long-term solution in Chicago is easy: He's not.
The Bulls allowed the most points in the paint of any team in the NBA last season, and it wasn't particularly close. Vucevic blocked 52 shots, which ranked 55th in the league. Obviously, that's not getting it done. But Queen won't be much better.
The Maryland product is the most skilled offensive center in this year's class. At nearly 250 pounds, he can take players off the dribble, is a pick-and-roll maestro and has the face-up shot-creation skills of a guard or wing. However, he plays lazy defense far too often and isn't exactly a gym rat when it comes to conditioning. Those are two major red flags for any team, but especially Chicago.
Beringer is an exceptionally raw, high-risk, high-reward prospect. He's 6-foot-11 barefoot and 235 pounds with a 7-foot-4 ½ wingspan and a 9-foot-3 standing reach. He's far more athletic and explosive than someone of his size has any business being. He can switch defensively, plays with a high motor and projects as an elite shot blocker. But he would be a reach at No. 12.
Sorber makes the most sense out of all three as a rim protector. Despite barely cracking the 6-foot-9 mark, the 19-year-old is a burly 263 pounds and possesses a massive 7-foot-6 wingspan. He averaged two blocks and 1.5 steals in 24 games as a freshman last year at Georgetown.
Sorber is smooth enough to hedge and recover in most pick-and-rolls and utilizes his high IQ to process the floor on both ends. He doesn't fit what the Bulls want to do on offense, though, as he's more of an old-school back-to-the-basket center who would have a hard time keeping up with Josh Giddey and Co. in transition.
The idea that Chicago is looking hard at upgrading the center spot in the draft makes plenty of sense. Unfortunately, this year's class isn't particularly deep in terms of what the Bulls need. The wiser move would be to take the best defensive player available, no matter the position. Head Coach Billy Donovan doesn't have a squad one piece away from being a title contender. Drafting for need—even a significant need—would be a mistake at this point in the franchise's retooling.