The Chicago Bulls are projected to select North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson with the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. But trading back for Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. is an option that cannot be ignored.
Brown isn't the athlete Wilson is, but he brings his own elite skill set to the table — one that new executive VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham may prefer to his incumbent point guard, Josh Giddey.
The 20-year-old is one of the players Chicago is bringing in for an individual workout, so there's clearly interest.
Brown should be part of the conversation in Graham's front office. If trading back a few spots and adding more draft assets to the cupboard is part of the equation, even better.
Why Mikel Brown Jr. is worth trading back for
Passing on Wilson would be a gamble, no doubt. But Brown's elite ability as a three-level scorer and playmaker is perhaps second only to Darryn Peterson in this draft.
Brown played only 21 games during his lone season at Louisville as he dealt with a lingering back injury. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard averaged 18.2 points, but he shot just 41.0 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from 3-point range.
Teams will surely do their due diligence on said back issue, but when healthy, Brown was the best player on a Team USA squad (that featured AJ Dybantsa) at the U19 FIBA World Cup, where he averaged a team-high 14.9 points on 46.7 percent shooting from three.
In a Feb. 9 game against NC State last season, Brown poured in 45 points and hit 10 threes. At his peak, he can score in bunches. Big bunches.
But he's not just a scorer; he's also a standout playmaker, especially out of the pick-and-roll. He uses his threat as a shooter to drag defenders toward him and spread an array of passes to rollers and open teammates.
Brown will have to rein in his shot-chucking tendencies, but uber-confidence for a high-level perimeter scorer isn't an awful trait.
Think a taller, longer Anfernee Simons but with a much higher ceiling.
No one on the Bulls roster is untouchable
Graham said at his introductory press conference that he'll take time to examine every player, even budding star Matas Buzelis. Presumably, Buzelis will be in a Bulls uniform next season, but the same can't be said for Giddey.
The Aussie is on a reasonably team-friendly contract at $25 million per year for three more seasons. He's a jumbo, pass-first floor general who excels in transition. He's developed a reliable 3-point stroke, hitting 37.1 percent from deep over the last two seasons.
He's also one of the NBA's worst defenders at his position, so his ceiling only goes so high. Would Graham prefer someone like Brown, who can do some of the same things Giddey can but score at a much higher level, play more passable defense and bring with him All-Star upside?
And would the Bulls be better served resetting their backcourt while accumulating more draft capital?
Maybe the Brooklyn Nets would be willing to make a deal to move up from No. 6. The Oklahoma City Thunder are reportedly looking to consolidate draft assets and land a top-four selection (and have like a billion future picks).
Could Graham coerce the Kings to move up from No. 7? Fleecing Sacramento is one of the league's favorite pastimes.
Moving back and acquiring valuable future assets while still landing a potential franchise building block is a scenario that Graham can't afford to simply dismiss.
Add us as a preferred source on Google