The Bulls need front court help next to Matas Buzelis.
As the Chicago Bulls transition from the Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan era into a new one that features young players like Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey, there are still remnants of the past from which they need to move on. The obvious candidate for relocation is current center Nikola Vucevic, whose 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds ranked second and first on the Bulls last season, respectively.
Despite how productive the 34-year-old was in 2024-25, he does not fit the organization’s current timeline of development, which at this point is hard to label as anything other than a rebuild. Not only this, but Chicago is set to pay Vucevic $21.5 million for the last season of his three-year deal in 2025-26, which could make for an attractive trade piece for a team looking for a productive frontcourt player.
Currently, the Bulls hold the 12th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, where they must address the team’s most glaring issue: interior defense. Chicago led the league in points allowed in the paint last season, for as good as Vucevic is offensively, a rim protector he was not. Their big man depth is a major problem as well, meaning they will almost certainly address this absence with their lottery selection.
Assuming Duke’s Khaman Maluach is off the board as a consensus top-10 pick, this leaves the Bulls with fewer options for a legitimate deterrent in the paint. The best choice for Chicago at the 12th pick is likely Georgetown center Thomas Sorber, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound post presence that can immediately raise the floor for Chicago’s defensive interior while providing play finishing and high-IQ passing out of the post on offense.
Sorber averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 boards, 2.4 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game this season in 23 appearances before a foot injury cut his season short. The strategy goes beyond simply adding a high-floor center, however; it complements a young piece in Matas Buzelis, who has already demonstrated a high level of defensive feel at the power forward position. ,
Having a young, defensive-minded duo in the frontcourt could mirror what the Cleveland Cavaliers have done with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, helping them to achieve the best regular-season record in the Eastern Conference this season before injuries took a toll on their playoff hopes.
If the Bulls want to create a team that can compete down the line, they must have another defensive anchor next to Buzelis, which is something that Sorber can provide, amongst many other things. With the guard positions likely locked in with the aforementioned lead initiator in Giddey plus off-guard Coby White, Chicago’s premier basketball operation can be competitive faster than expected, but it starts with nailing the 12th pick.