The analysis provides a sharp look at the high-stakes gamble of trading immediate draft equity for the speculative promise of future stars. It correctly identifies that the true test of a front office is not just accumulating assets, but knowing when to commit them to a franchise-altering talent.
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OKC Wants Cam Boozer?! Bulls Could CASH IN at #4Added:
Could the OKC Thunder make a big trade offer to the Chicago Bulls to get their number four overall pick? And should the Chicago Bulls even be taking phone calls on that? We'll talk a little bit about that, plus the players that withdrew from the the 2026 NBA draft and how that affected the Chicago Bulls second round pick. We're going to talk about all that, plus more right after this.
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Thank you for tuning in to Locked On Bulls, member of the Locked on Podcast Network, where it's your team every single day. I'm Hayes, host and creator of Chicago Bulls Central Chicago Bear Central YouTube pages and podcast. And uh we have no idea where Path of Designer is at. Uh, I heard that he may have gotten kidnapped by a group of Packer fans um after OTAAS yesterday at the Bears uh Halis Hall. So, we don't know where Pat the Designer is. For all we know, Packer fans could have him held hostage during the season. We'll see what's going to happen with that. But with that said, let's go ahead and get into it for today. Man, the first topic that we're going to discuss today is this this stuff that's going around with the OKC Thunder reportedly wanting to trade into the top four to get Camboozer. Now, yeah, it's an embarrassment of riches that the Thunder already have, right? The Thunder are a team that has over the next handful of years, they have 12 first round picks that are tradable. That's just tradable first round picks. They have more of their own picks. Of course, you can't trade your own picks in back-to-back years, but they have tra 12 tradable first round picks that they can move between now and I think over the next three or four years, something like that. So, it makes sense for the OKC Thunder to try to use their assets to try to move and get a player that they feel that they want to add to their core. They're already have won one title. They could be on pace to win their their second title this year.
We'll see what happens to win the series with the Spurs and they have to get past the Knicks. Um, but this is a team that just has so many assets between young players that are really good that they aren't going to be able to pay because of the contracts to chat uh Shay Gillis Alexander and Jaylen Williams. they have that. So, they're going to have to add a lot of players through the draft to really continue restocking their player.
Over on Chicago Bulls Central today actually talked about how the Bulls can benefit from the Thunder and try to take on some of the money that they have rather than opt out of contracts. We'll see what happens with that one. But as far as the number four overall pick, and maybe this is just me being stubborn, maybe this is me being as a Bulls fan, we haven't had much. To me, there is no way that I am trading out of the top four in this draft. I'm not doing it.
Like, unless they're offering you Jaylen Williams, like which I highly doubt they're doing. No, there's there's there's nothing that I want from you.
And that's not to say that stacking up a bunch of first round picks, and I know they're going to be 100% some Bulls fans that are like, well, that's how OKC did it. Let's get all those first round picks. It's like, yeah, but if all those first round picks end up being middle of the round first round picks and you traded a top four pick in a deep draft to get that done, that's not the same thing that the Thunder did. The Thunder had a player in Shay Gillis Alexander that turned into an MVP cal caliber player, right? An MVP. He's one MVP. So, it's a little bit different for me for where the Bulls are to get something done like that. I personally don't think that like I I get it like the okay there everything has a price right and I'm not going to say that there are that there isn't some crazy price that could ultimately in the long run be worth it but for me I just don't see it I don't see it I don't see this being something that really benefits the Bulls right now to get it done I don't think so we got a comment here from Gregory who says don't want Jay Will anyway he's injuryprone another fact Right. So, I get it like like first round picks you look at and it's all based off potential of course, right? Like it's based off potential.
You look at it and you say, "All right, potentially Camboozer can turn into ex player, right?" And you know, for some people, they want what they see right now. And Jaylen Williams, even though you know, he's he's played o what over 70 games every year of his career, but this year, last year, he played 69 games. So, I wouldn't necessarily call him injury-prone. He's had a lot of injuries this season, a bunch of hamstring injuries this season, which you don't want to play with. But, um, I just I I I don't think this is a move that that would make sense for the Bulls. Now, if the if the Thunder come call in and they say, "Hey, we want to be able to keep Kase Wallace. We need to we need to get off Lou Dort and Isaiah Harden's contract, which they both can opt out of those contracts, but you know, if the Bulls can swipe in and get one of those guys rather than having to fight the market on it, cool, great, do that. But trading the fourth overall pick with where the Bulls are right now, no. For me, it just does not feel like the right move to make right now. And I wish Pat was here because I'm sure Pat had, you know, Pat's all about the talent right now. Um, that's what what Pat is. I want to speak for Pat the designer, but Pat typically has the mindset where he's willing to to forego some things future- wise for a a player that's more proven right now. and maybe Pat would take that that stance, but I don't know. Pat's not here. So, uh I I can't have that conversation with Pat. But for me, no, I'm good on it.
Now, I'd say this though. If the Thunder if if a combination of deals, right?
Like, let's say that the Bulls play the third team in a trade and they take on Isaiah Hartenstein's contract or they take on a different contract. I wouldn't necessarily be against that. but giving up the number four pick. And keep in mind this this falls in line with what we heard Brett Seagull say about the Bulls know saying that the Bulls are only interested in trading up. They're not interested in trading back. They're not interested in that. So, I'm good on that. I saw someone say, "Look how well those mid-first rounds uh work out for the Nets." And that's 100% correct. Take four and draft best available. Exactly.
that exactly like it's it it'll be different if next year's draft was just as deep and it was a pick that was likely to be in the top four or something then. But even then, that's another thing that plays into all this with the lottery reform and the fact that the way that the lottery is going to work is going to change to where some of those bottom teams, you know, they don't have the best odds at a top three or four pick. You you may not want to do that either. So, I'm just at the point where I'm I'm and maybe it's just because I've locked in over the course of this off season. I am perfectly fine.
100% perfectly fine taking who's there at number four, keeping our pick at number 15 and keeping it pushing. That that's that's where I am with it. I think that makes the most sense for the Bulls. You have a chance to get a franchise altering talent. All the guys in the top four all have really high ceilings. Some have higher floors than other, but they all have really high ceilings. And no and no don't nobody come with that Darius Auff bull crap.
We're not listening to that. Um, but uh it it it all comes down to you you take the talent and you want to build organically. Bryson Graham said, "We are not trying to we're not trying to skip steps." You're not trying to do that.
You have a great opportunity to organically add a player that can change the direction of your franchise in this draft. You take that, you rock with it, and you figure it out. I know the bull the history of the Chicago Bulls at the number four overall pick isn't necessarily the greatest, but we had pretty stupid people making those picks before. AK made the pick the last time.
Uh, you know, uh, Tyrus Thomas was a trade back. We never should have traded back off that pick. So, at this point now, hold on to number four, draft who's there at number four, and build this thing organically and just take time. Is is it is it going to take three or four years? Yeah, probably. Could it take shorter than that if who we drafted number four and number 15 end up hitting the ground running? Great. I'm all for facilitating other deals for teams for us to get something back. I'm not up for giving up the fourth overall pick. Like I said, if the Memphis Grizzlies are stupid enough to trade with the uh with the Thunder for their what? A Thunder have 12 and 17 and move back and and we and some house can sneak in there and get Isaiah Harden in that deal. Great.
I'm all for it. But if we have to give up our number four overall pick to get it done, I'm good on that. I don't need it. I don't want it. And I'm cool. And uh you know, maybe maybe we look back on this in three or four years and people say, "Hayes, you were wrong. We should have took that. We should have took that trade." I'm fine being wrong if that's the case. I'm fine willing to bet on the talent that are in in the top four of this draft rather than trade out of it and and then we look may look back in five, six, seven years and say, "Dang, you know what'll be nice? It'll really be nice to have Caleb Wilson or Camboozer on this team." I'm I'm I'm perfectly fine doing that. But it really comes down to to Bryson Graham. And you know, Bryson Graham, I do think we're going to see some aggression from Bryson Graham, but I think if we do, it's going to be more so moving up from pick number 15, maybe back into the lottery or moving up from pick number 38 to maybe one of the first picks in the second round. Maybe something like that. But as far as moving out of the top four in this draft as well, no, I'm good on that. I'm I I I'd rather stay with what we have. I'd rather even if it's Camboozer, Caleb Wilson, whoever. Keep in mind, I'm somebody who came into this draft process and Cam Boozer was my least favorite player out that top four.
But I still see how he can, if especially if things work out, how he can turn into a legitimate franchise altering talent for this Bulls team. We just got to see, willing to bet on it.
We'll see what happens. Pat the Designer is joining us right as we're going into ad break. We're going to continue this conversation because now I want to get Pat's thoughts on it and we'll talk about the players that that withdrew from this draft, how it affects the second round. We'll talk about that right after this.
But before we get into that, I got to get into a message from one of our sponsors, and that is FanDuel. The NBA playoffs are here, and every possession matters. If you're looking to get even closer to the action, FanDuel has a great offer to get you started. Right now, new customers can bet $5 and get 150 in bonus bets if your first bet wins. That's right. Turn five bucks into 150 in bonus bets just for getting started. I like using FanDuel during the playoffs because everything I need is right there in one place. You can check stats, trends, and matchups before making your picks, which makes the whole experience feel a lot more informed.
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What's going on there, Patrick? Glad for you to join us there, brother.
And we can't hear you. No sound.
Can't hear you.
No sound there, brother. And look, I said Pat got kidnapped by Packers fans and he shows up on the channel wearing green. I'm telling y'all, he was kidnapped by Packers fans. That's he just got loose. Um well, why Pat the Designer is fixing that? Um, yesterday was the deadline date.
>> Can you hear me now?
>> There we go. There we go. Pat.
>> Never. Never. Don't worry about it.
That's like behind the scenes. You got You got to buy equipment to where you never have to take down your studio. You got to just buy the travel equipment, my boy.
>> No, I got the travel equipment. But the thing is, for the type of production we did yesterday, I was like, "No, I need the full studio."
>> I saw it. It was fire. It was a fire prod. It was a fire production. It was like I need everything to make sure that everything is going to work and so the people in the audience can hear us and everything. I ain't even want to chance it. But it is what it is.
>> So I want to get your thoughts on the first topic. Uh double back here. Uh yesterday a lot of stuff came out that the OKC Thunder are very very intentional about trying to move up.
They want Camboozer whether it's three, whether it's four. Is there any deal to you Pat that you think it would make sense for the Bulls to trade out of number four to allow the Okay. I I'm of the standpoint. Keep the keep number four overall. Uh roll the dice where they are. If you can be involved in the third team as as a third team to facilitate that move. If they move up with Memphis or any other team, I'm cool with that. But not giving up number four. How you feeling, Pat?
>> Yeah. I don't think as crazy as it is to say, right? Like there's not really anybody on OKC that you could send me that I'd be like, "Oh, that's the the ultimate answer to uh um you know, get the Bulls on the on the right track here." bigger than the fourth overall pick, right? Like there's a lot of really good players on OKC. Their star is Shay Gil Alexander. You're you're if you're moving up from where are they at?
They at 10. If you're moving up >> 12 and 17, I think >> 12 and 17. If you moving up from there to four, yeah, you going to have to send me somebody that's on your team. And realistically, I don't want Lou Dort without Shay Gil. I don't want uh Well, maybe Jay Dub a little bit. He's had the hamstring issues. That might be one. I was I said I didn't want to put uh speak for you, but I was like Pat may be more interested if they say they throw in Jay Dub, but go ahead, bro.
>> But but again, like you got to it's got to be a it's got to be a massive trade package.
You know what I mean? Like you're moving.
>> You want a massive package for No.
>> No, I said trade package. I did not say a massive package.
>> I said trade package. Uh but no, like I just I doubt they want to give up JDub.
I doubt they want to give up, you know, mo most of the players on the team because of how they've been able to go out there and win. So, no, I'm not in on this deal, right? Like you're you're they're getting ready to go to their probably second NBA finals in a row. If it goes back to OKC, which it's definitely going back to OKC, or if they it ends tonight, >> they can close it out tonight, not go back to OKC.
>> Yeah, they can close it out tonight. So, it's like I don't foresee a world where the Bulls would be interested in getting rid of the fourth overall pick for players that are we kind of are projecting to be on some of the players they might give used level.
>> Yeah. Yeah. I I kind of agree with that.
I I think I that's that's where I stand now. But I even if they even threw in Jay Will, I'm kind of cuz Jay Will accelerates the timeline so much with his 40 plus million dollar contract. But for you if they if they offer Jay Will 12 and 17 are you taking that for number four is at that point you have 12 17 12 15 17 and Jay Will are you taking that Pat >> I don't know if Jay Will is the guy by himself is it like in in that sense you would have to feel like Jay Will is what Jaylen Brown is >> right like you would have to be like he can kind of be the face of your team he can be the guy running I don't know if he is that I've seen him be a phenomenal Robin the Batman, but he is Robin and it's it doesn't feel like he's better.
>> He did turn into Nightwing, >> but but I think it very very good comic graphic. I appreciate that. I appreciate that. And I don't want this to be like, oh, he thinks Jayd's not like he's he's a really really good player, but I don't think this is a Jaylen Brown, Jason Tatum situation.
>> I think I think this is a there's the best guy and then there's the second best guy.
And you can't get four giving me the second best guy.
>> That's fair because you're trying to find a number one. You're trying to find the Batman, right? Like I definitely feel you on that one.
>> 25 years in Cody Williams is his sibling. Yeah. You didn't know they look alike.
>> Never mind. I was going to say something. No, he don't look like Cody Williams to me. Cody Cody Williams.
Never mind. Never mind. Never mind. his his his his younger brother that's a little bit slower. Um, with that said, Pat, >> man, I didn't say that. I didn't say >> you didn't say it. I did. I'm willing to say it. That's all I'm saying. Like, >> facts are facts. I think even I think even even Jaylen Williams would agree to that. Um, with that said though, Pat, uh, let's move on. Man, I wanted to talk about this cuz a lot of people have made a lot about over the last 24 hours, there have been a number of players that have pulled and withdrew from the draft. Last night was the deadline to do that. And so now there's this this thought process that's brewing that the second round may not be as good as what it was at one point in time. Um, some of the marquee names that that did pull out, Storyakovich pulled out, which I think everybody kind of expected. It was clear he needed another season, right? Uh Milan, I don't I can't pronounce his last name. uh he pulled out as well. But to me, Pat, I'm looking at this and a lot of the guys that I was interested in the second round are still there >> right now for the Bulls. Are there anybody that that you looked at that withdrew from this draft that you're now like, I'm no longer interested in what the Bulls can do at pick number 38?
>> Um, not really because like the the ones that surprised me really was uh the only one that has surprised me uh and this was a little bit earlier was Jeremy Fierce. everyone else kind of they kind of needed that polish. And I guess that you thought, you know, right? Like they need some polish, but if I get them in the second round, I feel good about, you know, what we can do with them here.
They don't have to live in that world anymore. I can go make $2 million in college, be one of the best players, and get development. You know what I mean?
like it's it's >> to me I I feel like you know a lot of the names that did pull out um probably wouldn't have been on the Bulls radar anyway um or not to say that the Bulls wouldn't be checking on him, right? But like Tyler Tanner out of Andy >> who who pulled >> you know what I mean? one of the bigger and it's like that's one that I'm interested in, but he's probably not falling to the second round. More than likely, he would have end up being a late first round pick out of range of the Bulls anyway. So, I don't think that this changes anything for the Bulls. I don't think this changes the plan at all uh for the Bulls. And I I don't I'm not going to say that it doesn't water down the talent because there is talent uh uh that is definitely going back to college here, but like >> it's the second round. Your job is to find the best talent that is there for that pick. It it's it is a that is where the draft literally goes from take the best player available to it's a crapshoot. I have no idea what any of these mothers are going to be. But we see these traits, we see these talents.
Hopefully, he develops into something.
>> And the thing too that I think like that that's happening with this draft, Pat, and and you know, you kind of just said it, but you said it in a reasonable I'm not saying that you, but almost there's like 15 players that if you mention their name, fans say, "Oh, they're not going to go that low." Guess what?
Somebody's going to go that low.
Everybody can't move up. Guess what, y'all? Only 15 players can go into the top 15. Some of y'all got 25 players in the top 15.
See, that's that male Kyper effect in the NFL, bro. Look at this guy.
Phenomenal player. Top 10 pick.
Everybody can't be a top 10 pick.
There's only 10 of them.
I think this guy first round talent. No, you want to be his friend after this.
You He's not a first round talent, >> bro. Like you can't like because you know I've been you know how deep and how heavy I go into the draft bag in the offseason. But like like literally there's like 10 to 12 names that people are like, "Oh, there's no way he's falling out the top 15."
>> How many players do you have going in the top? Are there is there is there a 15 A B C D pick that I wasn't aware of?
Like >> I'm not I'm not going to lie to you. I be wanting to bookmark some of these comments, bro. If YouTube love you bookmark cuz I swear there's one dude that comment on my videos that has said a different name >> is going to be a top 10 pick almost every Bulls video. And I'm just like >> bro, >> that's 40 names, bro. We we we in next year's draft at this point. Like I guess that's how we counting it.
It is funny because um like >> all of a sudden because of this and I saw some of the same rhetoric. It was like it's not a deep draft anymore. I was like bro if we get if we if it's not a deep draft for second round picks we're good.
>> We got two first rounders. We're we're Okay. Why are we even talking about this as Bulls fans?
>> Yeah. It's it's it's crazy. Like I'm like damn. How many people y'all think going in the top 15? But um we're we're going to continue the conversation on the other side of this where we're going to talk about I want to talk with Pat like should the Bulls look to trade out of the second round pick and Pat actually said something that alluded to that. We're talk about that right after this.
>> All right, Pat. So last topic of the day before we get up out of here. You mentioned how and because of the names that did withdrew from the draft and all that type of stuff, Pat, how how aggressive do you think Bryson Graham should be about using that 38th pick, all the plethora of second rounds, even the additional second round that we have in this draft to try to get back in to the end of the first round in this draft if you can with one of your second round picks.
>> Um, I would rather see that than you, you know, go out there and draft four players this year. I think that you have the capital to do it.
um you you have so many second round picks that it would almost be impossible for you to not be able to trade back into the first round if you really wanted to.
Uh and I'm not even sorry like I if if we are on draft day and it says how many sec what we got 14 second round picks and they say the Bulls have traded six of their second round picks for the 22nd pick in the draft or whatever it is, right? Like nobody's going to be like, "Oh god, six second round pick.
What? Like we going to be like, "Oh, they traded six second round." Cool. We back in the first round. We got three first round picks. Exactly.
Now, do you want to have that much de turn into that big of a developmental team in one year? I think that's a valid question because you want as much young talent as you can, but there's only 15 of these mugs. You still got to develop no ass and gay. You're adding two more players into this.
You're hoping Modis takes another step and the rest of the guys kind of are who they are. But with those names there, you got a lot of development you got to get done and you I don't I think you have to be careful about going we got so much young talent. We going to make this work. You don't want to short come one player to try and focus in heavily on another. And then now this guy didn't become what you want. You like all right well go figure it out. Now you wasted all that capital for a player that you didn't end up getting to the right spot.
Yeah. Yeah. No, I I definitely understand that. Like I'd say this, like I'm I'm looking at at at this draft board, a player like like Terrace Reed Jr., if you can move back into the first round to get him at the end of the first round. He was originally projected to go second round, but if you can do that, do it. Like I I don't know. I'm not mad at that at all. Right. Like that that's that's a player that I think is worth doing. And like you said, it's second round picks. The 99% of second round picks don't really amount to much. It's like so if you want to use those because you've identified a guy that you say, "Hey, >> we're willing to invest in this guy's development a little bit more than what we would at at this pick number 38. We can get somebody at pick number 30, 29, whatever it is, do that." It just comes down to like how Bryson G like the thing me and you keep saying, I know it doesn't make the most entertaining podcasting, but it's like just get it right. Like if no matter what you do, if it ends up being right, cool. Like nobody's going to look back on if you move into the first round and Terence Reed Jr. ends up being a a 10year Chicago Bull, whether it's a starter or just a high level role player and working out, nobody's going to look back at the end of that be like, man, but you know, we gave up five second round picks to get him.
>> Nobody's going to care.
>> Here's what I would say. If there is that player that you you know those players in the beginning where everybody's like, "Oh god, this is the guy that you got to go get." If there is that player like a uh a coat where you see him still on the board because I think he's still gonna be on that board pretty late. Remember he was the top 10 pick for like two weeks.
Remember that? Like co-ed. We got to do a podcast about this. U want us to take him at nine too. It was nasty. But >> like those are the names that you say, "Oh, he's still on that board. Maybe we find our way back into this second round because of that." Right? like the guys that you feel like they got some talent like but there's just a little bit rougher around the edges or somebody you got to figure out like that is the spot that you go out there and maybe look for your bench big uh of the future, right?
Like the for the most part I would say pretty realistically your lineup's going to be set at least for probably the next couple of seasons here with what you get out of this draft. If if you're keeping giddy, if you're holding on to modest, you're going to add two young players here. You got no ass and gay already. That's right.
>> Your hope is that that is your starting lineup at some point, >> but that don't mean that you can't address other positions of need here or maybe even find somebody who goes out there and pushes to compete and and pushes whoever your fourth overall pick is a little bit harder because he got a chip on his shoulder to be the 22nd overall pick or 27th overall pick and he want to work. Like there there is a logic to it where it forces your team to get better quicker because you're going we going to increase the competition here like all jobs are available boys.
>> Yeah. Everybody everything's open. So we shall see uh what happens with that.
Anything left Pat before we get up out of here?
>> No man follow us on everything at Lockdown Bulls. You can follow me on everything at Path the Designer.
Appreciate y'all for tuning in and showing love as always.
>> You guys can follow me at CEO Hayes.
Make sure you guys go to lockdown bulls.supcast.com supercast.com to sign up for the everyday club which you get exclusive access to the locked on discord where we're in there as well. Uh Locked on Bulls is free and available on every podcasting app and platform of your choice as well as YouTube, the Odyssey app, Amazon Fire TV, Roku TV, and Fubo TV. Meaning anywhere you want us, you can get it. We'll catch you guys bright and early tomorrow morning to close out the week, y'all. Peace. Peace.
Heat. Heat. N.
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