While a crucial trade deadline still stands between the Chicago Bulls and the 2026 NBA Draft, it’s never too early to start digging into the college tape.
The organization remains on a fast track toward another lottery pick. To be sure, their most recent three-game winning streak has served as a much-needed vibe shift, but the odds of this group sneaking into the playoffs remain remarkably low. Especially when we factor in their slew of expiring contracts and potential trade chips, it’s not hard to envision a scenario where this franchise is angling for lottery balls over the final month and a half of the regular season.
At the same time, when has this front office ever gone full tank mode? The much more likely scenario is that they attempt to remain competitive and thus end up with a first-round selection that sits in the 10-12 range. That’s where they have picked the last two years, and that’s also where they would be slated to pick if the season ended today.
As underwhelming as that may feel, Matas Buzelis has at least served as an example of the talent that could still be on the board in that range. It’s particularly a good spot to snatch one of those high-upside players who surprisingly fall down the ladder. The latest example appears to be Derik Queen, who went from a projected Top 5 pick to the New Orleans Pelicans at No. 13.
No one is necessarily saying this is a worthwhile strategy. The best way to ensure you get top-tier talent is to improve your odds at a top pick (at least for now). However, there are always a couple of well-known and highly-touted players that slip through the cracks, and one of the latest mock drafts has the Bulls reaping the benefits of that once again.
Chicago Bulls Land Nate Amnet in New Mock Draft
Dec 2, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) shoots against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
Jonathan Wasserman released his latest mock for Bleacher Report this week, and he had the Chicago Bulls securing one of the biggest names in the 2026 class despite sitting outside the Top 10.
The draft expert has Nate Ament of the Tennessee Volunteers heading to Chicago with the No. 13 overall pick. Coming out of high school as the No. 4 recruit in the class of 2025, per 247 Sports, Amnet was one of the most talked-about players in college basketball entering this season. In fact, Ament was viewed as a likely Top 5 pick by many mocks as recently as December 5.
So why does Wasserman have him going at No. 13? Well, there is no denying that the 18-year-old has struggled to live up to the hype thus far. While he is averaging a solid 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds a night, the forward has been one of the last efficient high-volume scorers in the league. He is shooting only 38.0 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from long range. Overall, the shotmaking upside has yet to show itself in the way that many scouts hoped.
Nevertheless, there is a reason Ament came into this year so highly regarded. He is a six-foot-ten forward with true guard-like skills. When thinking about today’s NBA, it’s not hard to see where Ament can fit in and why so many teams would have him on their radar. The potential is clearly there for him to be a true mismatch nightmare with his high-rising jump shot, fluid athleticism, and above-average ball-handling.
As ugly as the shooting numbers have been thus far, it’s worth noting that he is getting to the free throw line over 6.0 times per game. And he’s at least nailing those shots at nearly an 80.0 percent rate! We should also consider that Ament isn’t the first example of someone with obvious offensive upside who has struggled out of the gate. Buzelis’ inefficiency with the G League Ignite ended up being a big reason why he fell into the Bulls’ lap. Now, he’s putting up 10-11 shooting nights!
Speaking of which, would there be some concern about the Bulls drafting another forward who has a lot of developing to do? Sure. They have already committed to Buzelis and Noa Essengue, so at some point, you do have to consider a possible logjam at the wing position. But the Bulls also aren’t in a position to be super picky. This is an organization that needs as much young talent as it can get, and going with the best-player-available approach remains the right move.
In other words, there are a lot worse ways for the 2026 draft to go than Ament stumbling into the Bulls’ lap. Perhaps that viewpoint will change if Ament’s struggles become even more glaring in the coming months, but it’s certainly an enticing prediction for now.