The Chicago Bulls received a blessing with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
In a class with a clearly-defined top four, it's difficult to exaggerate how massive the boon provided by a jump of that magnitude will be to their rebuild. But as a result of their positioning, Chicago is also at the mercy of the three teams in front of them in the draft order— the Washington Wizards, the Utah Jazz, and the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Bulls likely hope to avoid Darryn Peterson at fourth overall. But as of now, that decision isn't truly in their hands. If they were to trade up, they would have their pick of AJ Dybantsa, Caleb Wilson, or Cameron Boozer— and each would be completely defensible selections.
As it stands, talks between the Bulls and the Wizards and Jazz don't seem to have picked up any real steam. Although Chicago is in possession of the 15th overall pick in the draft as well, they would need to sacrifice major assets to jump up to the first or second-overall selection.
As the Draft continues to creep closer, certain subsections of the fanbase have therefore been ruminating over one question— is Matas Buzelis untouchable? Would the Bulls be willing to move him if it meant they could trade up to first overall?
As Chicago enters a rebuild, though, this isn't a thought worth truly entertaining. Buzelis is a budding star, and the Bulls need to hold onto him even if it costs them their first choice in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Matas Buzelis needs to be a cornerstone of the Bulls' rebuild no matter what
Chicago's roster, as it stands, is almost completely wide open. With a new front office and a new vision for the organization, it's difficult to say with any certainty that any player on the roster has a guaranteed future with the team.
Buzelis is about as close as we can come to that sort of claim.
Would it be nice to add a player of Dybantsa's caliber to a rebuilding team? Absolutely.
Dybantsa has the three-level scoring touch, the ball-handling ability, and the defensive upside to quickly develop into a star at the NBA level. He's the type of prospect that can be undeniably franchise-altering.
But let's inject some perspective here. If the Bulls simply stay put in the Draft, they will have a young core of Buzelis and two first-round picks to build around. Assuming those are Caleb Wilson and an additional guard just outside of the lottery, it's hard to deny that as an extremely compelling outcome.
While Dybantsa is exciting, and likely has a higher ceiling than Buzelis long-term, the Bulls' existing star forward is already a proven quantity. He took a major leap in his sophomore campaign, averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 34.9% from beyond the arc. He still has some development to undertake as a mid-range and a perimeter shooter, but his slashing and finishing abilities leave him ample room to develop into a primary offensive option in Chicago.
If you add in Wilson or another top prospect who can complement Buzelis in the frontcourt, there is a clear path to a formidable duo there.
At this juncture in the rebuild, Chicago frankly can't afford to sacrifice a player they've already identified as a potential star even if it comes at the cost of control in the NBA Draft. Those types of players come along all too rarely in the NBA, and the Bulls can't take Buzelis' development for granted as they attempt to begin a long march out of mediocrity..
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