The Chicago Bulls might have a few tricks up their sleeve for the 2025 NBA Draft. With the Round 1 No. 12 pick and Round 2 No. 45 pick from the Sacramento Kings, the Bulls have a good chance to stack up their roster for the 2025-26 NBA season.
However, as per a report from the Chicago Sun Times’ Joe Cowley, the Bulls have more offseason moves to make.
Bulls Actively Discussing a Major Trade Before the Draft
The Bulls could have some major moves to make as the team gears up to pick their rookie. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Cowley, a veteran Bulls beat reporter, revealed that the team is in active discussions about trading one of their two key guards.
“Bulls remain in active discussions to move Ball or White, per source. Drafting a guard No. 12 is still a real play or even trying to move up,” Cowley wrote on Twitter (now X).
Bulls remain in active discussions to move Ball or White, per source. Drafting a guard No. 12 is still a real play or even trying to move up.
— Joe Cowley (@JCowleyHoops) June 26, 2025
Cowley, in another tweet, clarified that the move would not be made before their No. 12 pick, but if the Bulls pick a guard at the draft, one can expect either White or Ball to be moved in the following few weeks.
While the timeline of the possible move remains unknown, the trade could depend on who they pick at No. 12. White is currently signed to a three-year, $36 million contract with the Bulls. Ball, on his end, signed a two-year, $20 million contract with Chicago on February 14, 2025, a deal that includes a club option for the 2026-27 season.
Who Could the Bulls Pick at No. 12 in the 2025 NBA Draft?
With a trade including White or Ball looking inevitable, the Bulls have a few interesting options at No. 12. However, as per PFSN’s Alex Kennedy in his recent mock draft, the Bulls might not select a guard but a center from Maryland.
“Nikola Vučević’s name has surfaced in trade rumors as of late, and even if he isn’t dealt this offseason, he only has one more year on his contract with the Chicago Bulls. Selecting Vučević’s replacement makes sense, and Derik Queen could be exactly what Chicago’s frontcourt needs going forward,” Kennedy wrote.
While they do want to bag a guard and hopefully trade Ball and White for another star, selecting someone like Queen is not completely ruled out. He is a 6’10” center who averaged 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in his freshman season.
He has an NBA-ready body along with advanced handles and a soft touch around the rim. There are concerns about his interior defense and three-point shooting, but he showed promise during his time in college and could continue to develop.
“After strong showings in March Madness and the pre-draft process, Queen has seemingly climbed into the lottery. At 6’10” and 246 pounds, he has an NBA-ready body along with advanced handles and a soft touch around the rim. There are concerns about Queen’s interior defense, but he averaged 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 56% on his 2-point field-goal attempts,” Kennedy added.
Of course, the pick will depend on who is left on the board by the time their pick arrives. With trade talks heating up and the 2025 NBA Draft underway, the Bulls are certainly gearing up for a turbulent offseason.
