The latest round of 2026 NBA Mock Drafts doesn't paint a pretty picture for the Chicago Bulls and new head of basketball operations Bryson Graham.
Graham, hired on May 4 to replace Arturas Karnisovas, is well-respected for his scouting and talent evaluation, particularly in the draft. As one of the lead decision makers with the New Orleans Pelicans, Graham selected Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the last two winners of the NBA's Most Improved Player Award.
He also drafted Herb Jones, who was named First-Team All-Defense in 2023-24, and Trey Murphy III, one of the league's most in-demand two-way wings.
Only Daniels was a lottery selection.
Graham has two top-15 picks this June, and three in the top 38. (Jones was the 35th overall selection in 2021.) So where could the 39-year-old turn in the first draft of his long-term rebuild? Hopefully, he has some better luck than Chicago does in these mocks.
Chicago Bulls 2026 NBA Mock Draft roundup: Few options at No. 9 or 10
The Bulls enter the summer ninth in the lottery standings with a 4.5 percent chance of earning the No. 1 pick and a 20.3 percent chance of landing in the top four. They also have the No. 15 pick, courtesy of the Portland Trail Blazers.
NBADraft.net
One of the leading scouting sites, NBADraft.net has Chicago grabbing Tennessee forward Nate Ament at No. 9.
Ament is an intriguing prospect. As a perimeter scoring guard trapped in a 6-foot-10 wing's body, the 19-year-old can get to his spots and rise over defenders to get jumpers off with ease. He's a fluid mover who can score at all three levels.
But Ament is more of a hypothetical at this point. He's 205 pounds, shot 39.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three with a 1:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in his lone season in Knoxville. There's a high bust potential with Ament.
At 15 here, the Bulls grab center Chris Cenac Jr., a similar boom-or-bust prospect as a big with elite size and flashes of 3-point shooting, but he needs a lot of work to hit that profile in the NBA.
The 38th pick in these mocks is at least worth mentioning. The folks at NBADraft.net have the Bulls selecting Serbian center Pavle Blacko.
CBS Sports
Cameron Salerno at CBSSports.com has Chicago going with Michigan center Aday Mara at 9 and Ament at 15.
Mara may remind Bulls fans of Nikola Vucevic, if Vooch were 7-foot-3 and could protect the rim. If Ament fell to 15, betting on his talent would be a lot more appetizing.
FanSided
FanSided draft guru Christopher Kline plays his mock a little differently by simulating the lottery first; miraculously, the Bulls land at No. 4 and luck into North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson.
Graham would drool over a prospect like Wilson, a 6-foot-10, 215-pound explosive and dominant athlete with an intense and never-ending motor. Right now, the 19-year-old's best skills lie near the rim as an elite finisher and shot swatter. His skill set needs development, but it's hard not to see Wilson and think of Kevin Garnett.
At 15, Kline has the Bulls going for Baylor's Cameron Carr, a 21-year-old scorer who looks the part of an NBA wing with his size, length and movement skills. He's an accurate 3-point shooter with a sky-high release and bouncy athleticism.
Chicago grabs Braden Smith at 38 in this mock. Smith is one of the most decorated floor generals in NCAA history, but an undersized one with limited athleticism.
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