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The 2025 NBA Draft is just two days away, and it is another crucial one for the Chicago Bulls. After another Play-In Tournament exit this season, the Bulls earned the 12th pick in the draft. There has been some chatter about Chicago potentially trading up for a higher pick, and in general, the team is looking at guys like Derik Queen, Collin Murray-Boyles and Khaman Maluach as potential fits. Former Bull and teammate of Michael Jordan Randy Brown sees a lot of positives in all three players,
Randy Brown played for the Bulls from 1995-2000, and he was also on the coaching staff as an assistant from 2015-2018. Brown has held front offices roles as well. He is very familiar with this organization, and he knows what the team needs. Derik Queen is the player that has come up the most in terms of who Chicago will draft, and Brown sees a lot of potential in the former Maryland star.
“I often think that I wish I was still working in the Bulls front office, but working as a team ambassador gives me a lot of leeway to do some more deep diving on these kids,” Brown said, according to an article from Vegas Insider. “Derik Queen to the Bulls would be absolutely dynamic. He's skilled, he's smart, and he plays in way that's similar to the Joker (Nikola Jokić), but I don't want to make that comparison at all. He rebounds, advances to the ball, and can get teams on offense.”
Brown likes Queen because he thinks that he can bring something to the Bulls that a lot of teams don't have. Queen's skillset can give Chicago a leg up on the competition.
“Watching the NBA, the majority of teams don't have big guys rebounding the ball anymore and finding point guards,” Brown continued. “Derik Queen has that ability. He's smart enough and can get the ball off the glass to initiate an NBA team's offense.” Going to the Bulls, adding to the mix of Coby White, Matas Buzelis, and Nikola Vučević. That would be great to see. He's a great kid, and he would be playing for a great coach at the Bulls.”
All in all, Brown thinks that this would be a great pick for the Bulls. Queen certainly has some areas to work on, like his shooting, but Brown thinks that Billy Donovan can develop him into a great NBA player.
“He's been coached by a great coach at college in Kevin Willard, who was my coach at the Boston Celtics,” he added. “I know he's been coached hard, he'll have been coached well, and I'm pretty sure the framework has been laid out for him for what is expected when he makes it to the NBA. For me, it's an ideal pick for the Bulls with what he brings. The size and his IQ. I think it would be a great decision to bring him to Chicago.”
Another option for the Bulls is Collin Murray-Boyles. Murray-Boyles just finished his sophomore year at South Carolina, and he is ready to go pro. He has a lot of potential as well.
“Collin Murray-Boyles is intriguing because he's built for the NBA,” Brown said. “He's already strong, and he's physical enough to cope in the league. He reminds a little bit of Julius Randle in the way he plays because he's a little rugged. He will make his mark in the NBA, being just that. He always finds a way to score, and he's always in the mix or in the paint. Physicality is always a great tool to use when you get to the NBA, and it would be a great tool for the Bulls.”
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Duke star Khaman Maluach is a potential target as well. The Bulls would likely have to trade up to get him, and that might be the smart play.
“As far as Khaman Maluach is concerned, he's very raw, but I like his size,” Brown said. “He reminds me of the situation with the Dallas Mavericks when Luka was in Dallas. What made Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II so effective was because the lob to the basket has become an offensive play. That's what Khaman can bring to the NBA. He's a good size, and when you're playing at Duke, then that's always intriguing to NBA teams. You can never look past bringing a seven-footer to any organization.”
Randy Brown has been through the NBA Draft process, and he knows what the Bulls are looking for. He also has some advice for the prospects.
“Even today, I try to get kids to read about NBA teams,” he said. “Look at the rosters, look at the coaches, and see who your teammates will be before you get there. That's called being a student of the game. You should find out how teams play before you even step through the door. When you start engaging in that side of things off the court, that's how you become a student of the game.”
Being in the best possible condition is important, but studying teams is huge as well.
“That would be my best advice to the players today away from the obvious of the physical makeup of an NBA game,” Brown added. “You always want to be coming into a franchise in shape, but I think it goes deeper than just that. These kids should be deep diving into the rosters, the coaches, the front office, and even the history of these teams. That's what gets you ahead of the game in my opinion.”
The 2025 NBA Draft will get underway on Wednesday from the Barclays Center in New York. Another massive draft for the Bulls is almost here.
