The Portland Trail Blazers outlasted the Phoenix Suns after a 114-110 result on Tuesday night, securing the seventh seed in the West. As beneficial as this is for the Blazers, who are heading into the postseason for the first time since the 2020-21 season, this win has also helped the Chicago Bulls.
With a 31-51 record (12th in the East), the Bulls were among the less noteworthy teams in the NBA this year. While falling out of the playoff picture may have been disappointing for the franchise and the fan base, according to ESPN analyst Bobby Marks, Portland’s win on Tuesday night may give the fans something to look forward to.
“With Portland advancing to the playoffs, Chicago will now have their first-round pick. No. 9 and possibly No. 15,” Marks tweeted on X.
Apart from having possession of their own first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Bulls also enjoyed the luxury of having a top-14 protected pick from the Trail Blazers. Although this would typically imply that the Blazers would have some flexibility to retain the pick if it landed in the top-14, with Portland moving on to the playoffs, the pick will automatically move to Chicago.
As Marks mentioned, the Bulls are currently in line to have two first-round picks in a stacked draft class. Given their position, they have a 51% chance of having the ninth overall pick and are likely to have either the 15th or the 16th pick.
According to our mock draft, this would allow the Bulls to select Braylon Mullins, a gifted young shooting guard from UConn, with the ninth pick, and potentially go after Thomas Haugh, a power forward from Florida, with the 15th or 16th pick.
Braylon Mullins could be a tremendous addition to the Bulls. With all the drama surrounding Jaden Ivey following his departure, adding a reliable guard with scoring upside could be exactly what the team needs.
In the 2025-26 season, Mullins averaged 12.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 42.1% from the field and 33.5% from three-point range. Although UConn lost the NCAA championship game against Michigan, Mullins’ 11 points and seven rebounds, despite a poor shooting night (4-17 FG), were notable.
With the 15th pick, the Bulls may have some more flexibility. Having addressed their backcourt needs, pursuing a frontcourt player may seem more appealing. Hence, drafting Thomas Haugh could be sensible.
The former NCAA championship winner (2024-25) had a terrific season with Florida, leading the team to a 27-8 record. With averages of 17.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field and 32.6% from three-point range, Haugh positioned himself as a solid floor-spacing big man.
For all intents and purposes, Chicago seems to be embracing a rebuild. Given that the franchise has also let go of people in very senior front office roles, it already seems like several changes could follow.
The Bulls’ current core comprises Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, two gifted pieces to build a roster around. With the flexibility to start from scratch, Chicago would do well to capitalize on this year’s draft picks and embrace a long-term outlook to become a competitive team again.
