The Chicago Bulls have the fourth and 15th overall picks in the 2026 NBA Draft thanks to two unexpected gifts. They leaped from ninth to fourth in the lottery, and only got the 15th pick because the Blazers surprisingly made the playoffs. If Portland lost in the Play-In Tournament, they would have kept their first-round pick. Nobody had the Blazers as a playoff team coming into this season, so Chicago unexpectedly benefited from their success.
The Bulls have finally begun rebuilding after repeated attempts to make the Play-In. Chicago has Matas Buzelis, but needs a superstar. They will have a shot to add one with the fourth pick and should get a talented role player at 15. The new front office, led by Bryson Graham, will have a chance to quickly retool and get into contention.
The Bulls should be focused on development. Noa Essengue needs time to improve his game. Buzelis is 21 years old. The two rookies will be years away from their primes. To maximize the gifts they were given, Chicago has to get the most out of these talents.
The Bulls were given 2 gifts in the 2026 NBA Draft
The Bulls could have slipped outside the top ten or even stayed at ninth overall in the lottery. It was a 79.8 percent chance that Chicago was nine or worse after Sunday afternoon. The Bulls had just a 5.7 percent chance of moving up to fourth. Luckily, the unlikely happened. Fans were certainly thanking the basketball gods.
ESPN predicted the Blazers to be 23rd in the NBA this season and gave them just a 4.4 percent chance to make the playoffs. Portland’s task was more unlikely than the Bulls moving up, but it happened.
Chicago can’t believe their luck. The Bulls now have two top 15 selections in the loaded 2026 NBA Draft. They will likely land Caleb Wilson with the fourth overall pick, and should be targeting their center of the present and future at 15. That would give the Bulls a young starting five loaded with potential. All they would need is time to develop.
Bulls fans hoped to land the number one overall pick, but things are looking up. They got lucky to jump up and benefited from the Blazers' success. With a new lead executive already in place, the franchise finally feels like it is headed in the right direction for the first time in years.
The Bulls are just starting a rebuild. Fans can’t expect them to be in contention in 2027, but their recent luck improved their odds of being competitive in short order. The Bulls will have cap space and are a destination. They could quickly be back in the mix, especially if the fourth overall pick turns into a superstar.
The Chicago Bulls benefited from two improbable outcomes to get the fourth and 15th picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. It is on the new lead executive, Bryson Graham, and his staff to put them to good use. Hopefully, the Bulls draft two difference-makers and get back into contention in short order. It is time for Chicago basketball to be back.
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