With the NBA Draft days away, Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. is drawing mounting attention around the lottery range. The Oklahoma City Thunder, picking at No. 12, are described as interested, while the Chicago Bulls, slated for No. 15, may try to leapfrog
Draft week turns every rumor into a countdown clock, and right now the name getting attached to the clock is Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr.
Johnson is widely projected to come off the board in the top 15. and his stock has risen in the eyes of scouts for the same reasons he earned attention in Ann Arbor: tenacity. physique. and motor. He was instrumental in the Wolverines’ run to the national title. averaging 13.1 points on 62.3% shooting. 7.3 rebounds. and 1.1 blocks in his lone stint in Ann Arbor.
In the latest mock draft, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel has Johnson landing with the Charlotte Hornets at No. 14, describing it as “a match made in heaven.” Siegel also pointed to the Bulls—who hold the No. 15 pick—as a team that could trade up to get him.
That idea is picking up steam from another angle. NBA insider Jake Fischer said the Oklahoma City Thunder, picking at No. 12, are interested in the athletic forward. Fischer also echoed Siegel’s suggestion that the Bulls might make a move on draft day.
Fischer’s key claim came with a sense of timing: teams picking just outside the lottery are increasingly operating under the belief that Johnson. the Michigan big man. won’t be on the board past Chicago at No. 15—if he even makes it that far. He wrote on Substack that several teams told The Stein Line they think Johnson’s floor could actually be Charlotte one slot earlier at No. 14. That shift. Fischer wrote. is driving league talk that the Bulls would try to trade up a couple of slots to leapfrog the Hornets.
For the Thunder. Johnson represents exactly the kind of addition a roster full of wingmen would welcome: another frontcourt option with firepower and toughness. If Oklahoma City lands him. it would be a clear win in the “diamond in the rough” category—while also fitting a team that appears to be searching for depth beyond its established perimeter strength.
Chicago’s motivation looks more urgent. The Bulls’ frontcourt rotation is described as relatively bare, featuring Jalen Smith, Matas Buzelis, Patrick Williams, and Leonard Miller. Johnson’s profile is the sort of prospect teams gamble on when they want impact quickly—and Fischer’s framework helps explain why trading up could matter. Johnson was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. and with a new system under coach Tiago Splitter. the article notes he has a chance to start in Chicago.
Morez Johnson Jr. Oklahoma City Thunder Chicago Bulls Charlotte Hornets NBA Draft Tiago Splitter Jalen Smith Matas Buzelis Patrick Williams Leonard Miller Michigan Wolverines
So the Bulls are trying to steal him like 2K? Lol draft night is always chaos.
I don’t get why they’re obsessed with “motor” like that means wins. Also Morez Johnson sounds made up, but I guess scouts love him.
Wait the article says Charlotte at 14, then says floor could be Charlotte at 14, but also says Bulls at 15? That’s like… the same pick number? Either way I think OKC picks 12 and ends up with him because they always draft athletic guys.