The Chicago Bulls were hoping for a hometown miracle at the NBA Draft Lottery that took place in the Windy City back in May, but it didn't happen. Coming into the night, the Bulls had just a 1.7% chance of landing the first overall pick. Expectations weren't high, but it was a little bit painful when the Dallas Mavericks, who had a 1.8% chance, did end up landing the first pick. To make matters worse, the Mavericks won a coin toss with the Bulls to move up. If that coin flipped the other way, the Bulls could have had the first overall pick.

Landing Cooper Flagg would completely change the outlook for the Bulls, but alas, the team got stuck with the 12th overall pick. Chicago will still be able to land a very talented player with that pick, but that player won't be Flagg.

The Bulls have lost in the NBA play-in tournament three years in a row now, and the fan base is desperate for change. The team has been hesistant to make any big moves or tank for a better draft pick, so Chicago has been stuck in an awkward middleground phase for a while now. Adding more young talent will certainly help speed up the process, so this 12th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is a big one.

We don't have to wait too much longer for the 2025 NBA Draft as it will get underway on June 25th from the Barclays Center in New York. The Bulls have had some time to scout their options, and they need to make sure that this year's draft is a success. Here is the nightmare scenario for Chicago in next week's NBA Draft:

Nightmare NBA Draft scenario for Bulls

There are a lot of things that can go wrong in the NBA Draft, especially for a team like the Bulls who have a lot on the line. Obviously, you never truly know how a draft pick will pan out, so picking the wrong player is always a possibility. The Bulls have spent a lot of time studying their options, and there are players that fit what they are trying to build better than others. Chicago needs to make sure that it gets a player that fits the mold, but even then, you never know how a player's talent will translate to the next level.

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Any pick can turn into a nightmare, but the nightmare doesn't happen until well after the NBA Draft in that scenario. In terms of the worst-case scenario on draft night, the Bulls could run into an ugly situation if they decide to trade up. There has been some speculation that Chicago might try to do that in hopes of getting a better draft pick, and it's something that the fan base would want to see as the team hasn't taken a lot of gambles in recent years. However, that's exactly what it is, a gamble.

“Multiple sources have also relayed intel about Chicago exploring the possibility of moving up in this year's draft should [Ace] Bailey be passed on by the 76ers, or another team that trades up, with the third pick,” ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel said earlier this week. “How the Bulls could possibly move up from the 12th pick to have a chance at selecting Bailey would be the ultimate question should the Rutgers star fall in the top five. None of the three rebuilding teams behind the 76ers' pick (Charlotte, Utah, and Washington) would hold much interest in anything Chicago has to offer except draft compensation in future years,” Siegel said. “It is tough to see a Bailey-Bulls scenario playing out in this year's draft.”

So, a trade up is a possibility, and it could end up being huge for the Bulls. However, it could end up being the latest disaster in the Windy City. The worst-case scenario for the Bulls is trading up in the NBA Draft but then getting stuck in a situation where they can't pick the player that they wanted. While this unlikely, it is possible, and anyone who has followed the Bulls for the last five years knows that truly anything can happen with this team.

If the Bulls get stuck in an ugly situation like that, it would be disastrous as it would essentially be a useless trade. For a team like the Bulls, every piece of trade ammunition is important this offseason, and it can't be wasted.

While this situation is unlikely, it is probably the worst-case scenario for the Bulls at the 2025 NBA Draft. We'll see if Chicago does end up making the decision to trade up for a better draft pick.