Offense hasn't been the issue for the Chicago Bulls this year. Head coach Billy Donovan's shiny new system has helped his team average the eighth-most points in the NBA—116.6, the same number as the defending champion Boston Celtics, as of March 16.
The Bulls are putting up the second-most threes per game (behind only the Celtics) and are hitting them at a 36.4 percent clip. Chicago is tied with the 56-11 Cleveland Cavaliers in rebounding and is second in the league in pace. The Bulls grab, go, shoot and repeat.
Defense has been a different story. Chicago is 29th in opponent points per game (120.1), which is barely better than the Washington Wizards (120.7). The Bulls are 24th in defensive rating (115.7) and allow the most points in the paint of any team in the league (54.7 ppg).
It's clear and obvious what the front office needs to emphasize this offseason. As the 2025 NCAA Tournament field is set, these four players should pique Chicago's interest as prospects who can help the Bulls get stops in 2025-26.
4 Prospects Bulls should be scouting in the 2025 NCAA Tournament
Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
Some fans may be unfamiliar with Carter Bryant, but his skill set would be useful to the Bulls as they progress in their rebuild.
The Arizona wing is 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds of three-and-D potential. Bryant is shooting 36.6 percent from three this season on 2.7 attempts—not a neon sign-flashing percentage—but he's also just 19 years old.
Bryant is listed as a guard on Sports Reference, which should point toward his versatility on both ends of the floor. He has some OG Anunoby to his game with his size, athleticism and defensive potential.
Alex Condon, F/C, Florida
It's easy to see why Alex Condon would appeal to the Bulls. The 6-foot-11, 230-pound Australian was named Second-Team All-SEC this season after averaging 11.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 30 games for a team with legitimate National Championship hopes.
Condon runs the floor as well as any big man in the country, can shuffle his feet like a wing and battles inside for rebounds. His 2.9 assists per contest this year show his playmaking chops, and his three-point percentage has increased from 28.9 as a freshman to 34.0 percent as a sophomore.
The 20-year-old constantly plays next to another center for Todd Golden's Florida team, making him an easy and logical fit next to someone like Matas Buzelis. That duo would give the Bulls two skilled bigs who can run the floor, defend and develop together as a potential frontcourt of the future.
Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
Khaman Maluach is a top-10 prospect based on measurables and physicality alone. The 19-year-old is 7-foot-2 with a massive 7-foot-6 wingspan and coupled with his fluidity, is a ready-made pick-and-roll threat and offensive rebounder.
He hasn't been as dominant defensively as someone with his size and agility should be, but he's only 18 years old and didn't start playing organized basketball until his mid-teens. Maluach is a project, but an enticing one and certainly one who fits what the Bulls need inside.
Asa Newell, F, Georgia
Even if it requires trading future draft capital, Chicago should target Georgia big man Asa Newell over anyone not named Cooper Flagg.
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman compares Newell to Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac, one of the best defenders in the NBA when he's healthy. And that's not a wild comp to make.
Newell is athletic, switchable, versatile and 6-11. With a defensively-deficient backcourt in Josh Giddey and Coby White, Chicago could use a player who can clean up mistakes anywhere on the floor, whether on the perimeter, on the wing or near the rim.
The 19-year-old shows promise as a shooter which makes him even more enticing, but his potential as an All-NBA-caliber defender is something the Bulls can build a franchise around.