Heading into the March 22 slate of games, the Chicago Bulls have, for all intents and purposes, clinched a postseason berth. With 12 contests left in the regular season, the Bulls hold the ninth-place spot in the Eastern Conference standings, one game ahead of the Miami Heat for 10th and six games up on the Toronto Raptors for 11th.

Chicago is the hottest of the four East Play-In teams (the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks being the other two), having gone 6-2 in its last 10 games. With Josh Giddey back in the lineup, Coby White finding his niche as the team’s top scoring option and the trio of Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter and Zach Collins making significant contributions after arriving in the Zach LaVine trade, the Bulls have a legitimate chance to finish with the seventh or eighth seed in the East.

That would mean a potential one-and-done Play-In run; if Chicago does end the season at No. 7 or 8, one victory would put the team into the playoffs.

Forgive Bulls fans for not holding their collective breath, though, considering Chicago’s last three seasons have ended in the postseason but short of the playoffs.

But repeating that performance wouldn’t come without its benefits; anything short of the No. 8 seed and a likely four-game sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers would mean the Bulls collect a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. At this point in the organization’s timeline, that’s arguably more valuable than getting dusted in the playoffs.

If there is a repeat performance of the last three seasons and Chicago does land a lottery choice, the Bulls could pray for an absolute miracle; hope for someone to unexpectedly fall into their laps (as Matas Buzelis did last year); or be well-prepared to work the board and select the prospect who fits best with their current core.

The Bulls can dream of a generational star but must prepare to find a hidden gem in the 2025 NBA Draft

Dream draft prospect: Cooper Flagg, F, Duke

Flagg is the dream prospect for all 30 NBA teams, whether they have a chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick or not. The 18-year-old has all the intangibles: effort, intensity, selflessness—anything basketball purists fantasize about.

And he has all the tangibles: Athleticism, length, versatility, speed, explosiveness, finishing and a rapidly improving jump shot.

Victor Wembanyama was the clear-cut No. 1 pick and franchise-altering draft prospect in 2023. Flagg is the same in 2025.

Reach draft prospect: Khaman Maluach, C, Duke

The Bulls can hope Flagg’s teammate falls to them somewhere in the middle of the first round, but massive, athletic centers with seemingly unlimited upside rarely drop outside the top five, let alone the top 10.

Maluach is a 7-foot-2, 260-pound behemoth who picked up a basketball for the first time as a teenager and is already entrenched as a starter on the best team in college basketball. His skill set has a long way to go to match his physical gifts, but he’s already a dominant rim-runner and offensive rebounder.

Realistic draft prospect: Asa Newell, F, Georgia

Asa Newell would give the Bulls some of the same traits as Maluach—minus the size—but in a more experienced and ready-to-play package.

The 6-foot-11 freshman helped lead Georgia to this year’s NCAA Tournament, averaging 15.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, a steal and a block as a 19-year-old freshman in the most dominant conference in the country.

He flashes some legitimate offensive potential as an inside-out big, but Newell’s calling card is his versatile defense, something Chicago could sorely use. Despite his size, Newell has the quickness to switch on the perimeter and protect the rim and he plays with relentless energy on that end of the floor.

With offense-first guards like Josh Giddey and Coby White at the point of attack, having a versatile defender like Newell available to clean up their messes would be a significant step in the right direction as the Bulls continue to rebuild while trying to remain competitive.