The Chicago Bulls likely won’t do anything crazy with their first pick in the 1st round of the upcoming NBA draft. They will stay at #4 and take the best prospect who falls to them, be it Caleb Wilson or Cameron Boozer. Greater intrigue rests with their plans with the 15th overall pick. There should be no shortage of talented options at that spot as well. However, rumblings are growing that VP of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham might be planning a splash by moving up for Illinois guard Keaton Wagler.
NBA insider Brett Siegel revealed this in multiple columns over the past several days. The Bulls are said to be smitten with Wagler after a recent workout.
“As reported last week on ClutchPoints, the Chicago Bulls have been attempting to move up inside the top 10 of this year’s draft and add another high-level prospect in addition to what everyone expects to be Caleb Wilson with the fourth pick. If the Bulls were to move up from No. 15, the intent behind doing so would be to draft Wagler, who sources said Chicago has pinpointed as a top guard option in this class after a recent workout.”
Wagler was a central part of the Illini’s march to the Final Four last season, their best finish in decades. He was their best player in that final game against UConn, too, collecting 20 points, eight rebounds, and two assists. For the season, he finished with 18 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game, while shooting 39.7% from three-point range. It isn’t difficult to see why the Bulls like him.
Landing Keaton Wagler will require finding a taker to move down.
As things stand, the middle of the top ten is a fascinating area of uncertainty. Many think Wagler will probably just go to the Los Angeles Clippers at #5 overall. Siegel, though, thinks Mikel Brown is now a serious threat to change that. If it happens, the Bulls will have a brief window to move up. It’s believed the Atlanta Hawks are virtually guaranteed to draft Wagler if he reaches #8 overall. That means Graham must get either the Brooklyn Nets (#7) or Sacramento Kings (#8) to bite on a trade offer.
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Looking at the landscape, Brooklyn feels like the best chance. They already have two 1st round picks from last year slotted at both guard spots. It wouldn’t make sense to force Keaton Wagler into that mix. Moving back to the middle of the 1st round and focusing on their front court is perfectly logical. As to compensation? Any package Chicago builds must include a future 1st round pick and probably a young player as well.
- Noa Essengue
- #15 overall
- 1st round pick in 2027 or 2028 that is top 4 protected
The Bulls could offer to take one of Brooklyn’s bigger contracts off the books as well. Terance Mann carries $47 million remaining in guarantees over the next three years. The Nets might be eager to dump that. Chicago has the cap space to absorb it.
The vision is pretty clear.
Graham and the Bulls have a big opportunity to bolster this roster with two picks in the top 15. The best outcome, from their perspective, is grabbing help for both the front and back courts. For example, Wilson could pair nicely with Matas Buzelis at the forward positions, while Wagler offers them a legitimate option at shooting guard. He has the size, length, athleticism, and scoring potential. Such a pair would set the team up for big things over the next few years, especially if Tiago Splitter proves to be the capable coach he was in Portland.
Knowing all of this, it would be best if Bulls fans don’t get too enthusiastic about this. Wagler is way too good a prospect to assume he’ll so easily be plucked with a move up. Even if the Clippers do pass on him, there is a strong possibility another team that picks higher than the Bulls could look to move up. In such a case, there isn’t much they can do. This scenario requires a specific set of circumstances to be fulfilled, and that is rare in the NBA draft.
