Bulls set – New Bulls coach Tiago Splitter says the team’s plan is to develop incoming young talent after the annual mock draft points to a possible target at No. 4 and a broader rebuild built around Chicago’s two first-round picks in next week’s NBA Draft.
Bulls coach Tiago Splitter says he wants fans to know what they’ll be watching next season—but there’s one problem he can’t solve yet: he doesn’t know who will be on the roster this fall.
The uncertainty is baked into the offseason in Chicago. The Bulls have more than a handful of free agents. the team isn’t necessarily locked into any of its players under contract because of a recent front-office change. and they control two first-round picks in next week’s NBA Draft. Splitter’s focus right now is on what happens after the picks are made. not who’s wearing the jersey today.
“This is going to be a group effort,” Splitter said. “We want to be excellent on everything we do. We’re going to create profiles, create goals. We’re going to create the path that we want to develop these players.”
He framed the draft as the key moment where that development plan can start to take shape.
“We’ve got a great chance with the draft now to bring in some young talent and make them the best player they can be. [The front office and I] have the same vision, have the same goal, and that’s a big part of it,” Splitter said.
The reason the upcoming decisions matter so much is simple: the draft picks are expected to become the foundation of Chicago’s rebuild.
In an annual mock draft, the spotlight is on the Bulls’ position at No. 4. The projection has them taking Caleb Wilson, F/C, North Carolina. Wilson is described as someone with ambitions to be more than a roster addition—wanting to be “the face of a culture change” and to help define what the Bulls become.
The mock draft’s No. 4 shortlist also spells out how wide open the top of the class could be. It lists a possible top-spot scenario for AJ Dybantsa. F. BYU—framed as the “safest pick” with “star power.” It pairs that with the idea that Darryn Peterson. G/F. Kansas could slide into the top if his medical evaluations. desire to compete. and a “weird season” at Kansas—where he sat out many games and played limited minutes because of injuries and cramping—don’t sink him.
Cameron Boozer, F, Duke is the next name in the mock’s top four, with the case built around “Mr. Fundamental” winning at every level and fitting with center Zach Edey, including a suggestion of a future double-double threat.
From there, the mock continues to map how the Bulls could be surrounded by different kinds of roster-building choices. At No. 15, another Bulls pick appears in the projection, with Cameron Carr, G, Baylor. Carr is described as a “strong SLAP guy” for his size. length. athleticism. and physicality. tied to the scouting philosophy of Bryson Graham — Chicago’s new executive vice president of basketball operations. The mock casts Carr as one of the few true wing players in the class with two-way potential. while noting that the Bulls could also go for size with either Jayden Quaintance. a Kentucky shot-blocker. or Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr.
The draft picture across the rest of the lottery rounds out an environment where teams are moving quickly toward different needs. It points to the Wizards selecting AJ Dybantsa at No. 1, the Jazz taking Darryn Peterson at No. 2, the Grizzlies taking Cameron Boozer at No. 3, and the Bulls taking Caleb Wilson at No. 4. It then has the Clippers at No. 5 with Keaton Wagler, the Nets at No. 6 with Darius Acuff, the Kings at No. 7 with Mikel Brown Jr., and the Hawks at No. 8 with Kingston Flemings.
The mock extends that theme through the next picks: the Mavericks take Brayden Burries at No. 9, the Bucks select Nate Ament at No. 10, and the Warriors tab Aday Mara at No. 11. The Thunder are projected to draft Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 12, the Heat to pick Morez Johnson Jr. at No. 13, and the Hornets to take Hannes Steinbach at No. 14.
Beyond Chicago, the projections cover other roster question marks that echo Splitter’s own uncertainty. It suggests the Grizzlies could draft Labaron Philon at No. 16 in light of uncertainty about troubled guard Ja Morant. It also puts the Bulls’ competition for talent in motion by listing a Bucks possibility involving a “blockbuster trade of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo” and noting that the Bucks could be trying to rebuild on the run.
The mock draft’s later Bulls-related slot at No. 15 is where the biggest Chicago message lands: the team’s next roster direction isn’t just about talent—it’s about shaping the path those players take.
All the way through the list, the theme is clear. Decisions made next week won’t just fill spaces on a roster; they’ll become the first real tests of Splitter’s plan to build “the path” for young players through profiles, goals, and development priorities.
And while the Bulls’ current situation leaves the roster unclear, the draft does not. For Splitter, the next week is where the uncertainty ends and the rebuild begins—one pick at a time.
MISRYOUM USA Bulls Tiago Splitter NBA Draft Chicago Bulls NBA mock draft Caleb Wilson Cameron Carr Zach Edey
Draft at No. 4… so basically we’re tanking again?
I don’t get how a coach can “rebuild” if he doesn’t even know the roster. Like are they trading everybody before summer? Also Caleb Wilson sounds familiar?? maybe from college but idk.
Wait Tiago Splitter is the coach now? Thought he was done with basketball lol. And “two first-round picks” doesn’t automatically mean good players, look at all the misses. Mock draft says Caleb Wilson at 4 and that’s like… 100% guaranteed right?
This just feels like the same Chicago shuffle every year. Front office change, free agents everywhere, “uncertainty baked in” blah blah. I’m tired of waiting to “develop” somebody while the bench rots. If they really want young talent, why not just sign someone already proven instead of hoping the draft works out.