Based on the usual lack of summer transactions that come from Chicago's front office, drafting French teenager Noa Essengue with the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft could be the most prominent roster move made this offseason. The Bulls also added Australian forward Lachlan OlbrichIt with the 55th overall pick.
It probably won't sit well with Bulls fans, but those selections mean the team's starting lineup and rotation could look eerily similar to last year's.
Essengue is a young specimen with crazy physical attributes—he's nearly 7 feet tall with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and a 9-foot-2 standing reach. He has the length, graceful athleticism and explosiveness needed to morph into a two-way combo forward. He also has decent handles and knows how to get to the free-throw line.
He's extremely raw, however (the second-youngest player in the draft behind Cooper Flagg), with a poor outside shot that will likely require years of development.
Bulls Head Coach Billy Donovan is notorious for bringing young players along slowly; last year's lottery pick, Matas Buzelis—eventually a member of the NBA's Second-Team All-Rookie squad— didn't hit the starting lineup until February. Essengue is far more raw than Buzelis was.
Barring more changes to the roster, here's the group Donovan could be rolling out on opening night.
Chicago Bulls projected starting lineup, rotation after 2025 NBA Draft
Bulls projected starters:
- PG: Josh Giddey
- SG: Coby White
- SF: Kevin Huerter
- PF: Matas Buzelis
- C: Nikola Vucevic
If that group looks familiar, it's because it is. These five became Donovan's preferred starting group to end the year as Huerter took on a more significant role, helping lead the Bulls to a 15-5 regular-season finish.
Bulls projected bench lineup:
- PG: Lonzo Ball
- SG: Ayo Dosunmu
- SF: Julian Phillips
- PF: Patrick Williams
- C: Zach Collins
This group is subject to major change. Ball was in and out of the lineup last season as he dealt with injuries and is not a lock to be on the roster when next season begins. Dosunmu only played 46 games last year after suffering a shoulder injury. Phillips and Dalen Terry split time coming off the end of Donovan's bench.
Williams and Collins are likely locks to play 20-plus minutes per game. After that comes Essengue, who will see the floor at some point; when, though, is a legitimate question. He gives the Bulls something they lack as an athletic rim protector who can provide Giddey with a long, explosive transition big man. But don't expect to see Essengue hit the ground running on opening night.
OlbrichIt is destined for a two-way contract and time in the G League.