2026 NBA Draft: Bulls Eye Caleb Wilson or Cam Boozer After Nic Claxton Trade Shakeup

CHICAGO (WLS) — The NBA Draft tips off Tuesday night in New York City.

For the Chicago Bulls, the night represents a major opportunity to accelerate their rebuild, with two first-round selections in this year’s draft.

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Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham and new Head Coach Tiago Splitter are still defining their vision in Chicago, making Tuesday a revealing early test of how they plan to reshape the roster.

What is clear is that the Bulls need players capable of contributing quickly, and with two picks inside the top 15 — beginning at No. 4 overall — they should be well-positioned to add meaningful talent.

As preparations continued at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, much of the league’s attention was still fixed on the Bucks’ late-Monday trade sending Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami.

That blockbuster shifted the balance of competition within the division, though it did little to quiet draft speculation. The Bulls are reportedly among several teams showing strong interest in Duke’s Cam Boozer, the son of former Chicago forward Carlos Boozer.

Still, Chicago has frequently been linked to North Carolina big man Caleb Wilson, who made his only pre-draft visit to the Bulls and met with Splitter last week. By all indications, Chicago would be his preferred destination.

Wilson is expected to remain on the board when the Bulls make their selection, following the Wizards at No. 1, then Utah and Memphis. The Clippers are set to pick immediately after Chicago at No. 5 overall.

The Bulls will then be on the clock again at pick 15, which, this year, is a good thing. This draft class has been called historically deep with plenty of talent to be had. That is a good thing for the Bulls, as they are a lottery team for a reason.

Graham made his first trade as vice president, acquiring center Nic Claxton from Brooklyn on Monday night as part of a three-team trade that brings a starter at a good price, which is a strong start.

Draft night tips off at 7 p.m.