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The Chicago Bulls could draft Carter Bryant

On Monday, May 12, the Chicago Bulls finally found out their position in the upcoming draft lottery. Billy Donovan’s team will have the 12th selection of the night, putting them at the rear end of the lottery section, which is still high enough to snag a genuine talent.

In a May 13 mock draft from The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, the Bulls are projected to select Carter Bryant. The Arizona product would add size to Chicago’s wing department while also upgrading their floor spacing.

“Bryant didn’t start many games this year at Arizona, but he was a monster defensive player when he was on the court, showcasing serious playmaking chops as well as great on-ball play,” Vecenie wrote. “He also knocks down a solid percentage of his 3s…The Bulls desperately need to find answers on the defensive end, especially if they’re going to go all-in on the Josh Giddey and Coby White backcourt this summer…Bryant would give Giddey a potential transition running mate and would give them a real perimeter defender to attack opposing ballhandlers and wings with.”

Bryant, 19, is the type of high-upside two-way talent the Bulls should be taking a chance on. His size, athleticism and defensive versatility are all green flags. If he’s still on the board when the Bulls’ number is called, adding him to the rotation should be a no-brainer.

Bulls Could Opt Against Extending Dalen Terry

While one draft pick will be excited to team up with the Bulls, it would appear another could be preparing to leave. Dalen Terry will enter the final year of his rookie-scale contract next season. He’s eligible for a rookie-scale extension.

However, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, the most logical outcome is that Chicago opts not to re-sign Terry to that extension.

“Dalen Terry played in a career-high 73 games this past season (up from 59 in 2023-24), but he averaged only 4.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 13.5 minutes per game,” Pincus wrote. “He hasn’t done enough to make them reinvest in him at this time. The Bulls historically like their rookie-scale players at a discount. If Terry is willing to take a team-friendly extension, Chicago may take advantage. Otherwise, he could be salary filler in a trade, or he might just play out the final year of his rookie-scale deal.”

Terry earned a legitimate role in Donovan’s rotation this season. If he can improve his production during the 2025-26 campaign, Chicago could be forced to change its mind. Terry has the tools to be successful at the NBA level. However, he’s in a position where he must fight to prove himself.

Bulls Could Part With Veteran Big Man

When speaking to the media as part of his end-of-season availability, Nikola Vucevic floated the idea of playing for a contending roster. The veteran is in the final stage of his career. He can’t afford to anchor a Bulls’ team that’s in the early stages of a rebuild.

“There are some good, young pieces that can be built around,” Vucevic said. “There are a lot of questions when you’re a team not fighting for the top. I have trust in them and believe they want to do what’s best and build a good team that wants to win. So we’ll see. Obviously, I’m at the stage in my career where I’m trying to win now, play in the playoffs and hopefully have deep playoff runs. It’s a young team and it does take time. It all depends on what their timeline is and how they see this team.”

Vucevic is entering the final year of his contract. As such, he will hold legitimate value on the trade market. The Bulls could use that to move up in the upcoming draft. Or, they could try to generate some additional assets. As such, we shouldn’t expect Vucevic to end the 25-26 season as a member of the Bulls roster.