When the Chicago Bulls are officially on the clock, they can only hope that Carter Bryant will still be available. It's an ambitious dream, but early mock drafts seem to imply that the Arizona Wildcats standout will, in fact, be on the board at No. 12 overall.
If that proves to be the case, then Bulls will have a golden opportunity to land a player who can help it finally recover from the Patrick Williams pick.
Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times recently reported that Chicago has given Williams what effectively amounts to one last chance to prove himself. Cowley relayed that the Bulls are concerned by the progress he's made in comparison to the opportunities he's been given.
Thankfully, Bryant represents an opportunity to add a player who can not only live up to the potential Williams has been unable to, but play alongside him if he changes his ways.
That's the true appeal of Bryant as a player. He has all of the tools to develop into a high-level talent who far exceeds his current level of production and usage, but he's also perfectly equipped to thrive in a complementary role while reliably developing within it.
At No. 12 overall, that's the perfect pick to make—assuming Bryant slides that far given the upside that's certain to captivate the masses.
Carter Bryant is Bulls' perfect Patrick Williams replacement
Bryant is a project pick that will require Chicago to invest time and resources into his development. That clearly isn't the type of description some would hope to read given what transpired during Williams' first few seasons, but this is a different situation.
While Williams was a top-five pick carrying the expectation that he would become an All-Star, Bryant would be a late lottery selection with the luxury of patience.
Furthermore, Bryant has already refined his skill set more than Williams had at the same stage of their respective development. The latter shot just 32.0 percent from beyond the arc during his lone college season, while the former buried 37.1 percent of his shots from distance.
That's made even more impressive by the fact that Carter shot 41.0 percent from beyond the arc across his final 27 appearances in 2024-25.
Furthermore, Williams buried shots at a rate of just 1.0 three-point field goals made per 40 minutes, while Bryant checked in at 2.2. Overall, Bryant's production translated to 13.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.1 blocks, 2.0 steals, and 2.2 three-point field goals made per 40 minutes.
That's an accurate reflection of Bryant's ability to play both the 3 and the 4, as well as his already impressive pedigree as a defensive specialist.
Perhaps this would prove to be another optimistic reach, but the difference in draft position can't be overstated. Bryant maxing out as a high-level role player would still be a win, while Williams was slapped with unfair Kawhi Leonard comparisons as a project player with limitless potential.
It may not sound like the ambitious move that it truly is, as Bryant's upside is limitless, as well, but this is all about replacing a faltering experiment with a player who can thrive in the supporting role the Bulls need filled.
In an NBA defined by depth along the wings, Bryant has the potential to be a two-way player with defensive versatility, a strong outside shot, and the ability to play comfortably above the rim. He's also proven to be committed on defense, even when touches aren't coming his way.
For a young Bulls team in need of a defensive stopper who doesn't need the ball to be effective, Bryant would be a the perfect Williams replacement.