Bulls should be thinking big with No. 12 pick of NBA Draft

First prediction for Wednesday's NBA Draft: Outside of the top two picks, the final result will look very different from most mocks.

This just seems to be a year when teams shopping for potential could go in several directions, especially when the Bulls' turn arrives at No. 12.

The wish list here is obvious. The Bulls need a defensive-minded big man who can provide rim protection, run the floor and maybe develop a 3-point shot.

There are actually several candidates who might fit that bill, but there may not be an ideal scenario for the Bulls heading into draft night. Keep in mind, the three best players in the NBA Finals — Shai Gilgeous Alexander (No. 11 in 2018), Tyrese Haliburton (No. 12 in 2020) and Jalen Williams (No. 12 in 2022) — were all selected in this range.

This draft could turn out very well for the Bulls, but it's definitely a wait-and-see scenario. There's no reason to throw any parties Wednesday, no matter what happens.

Here's a closer look at players that could make sense at No. 12.

Khaman Maluach, 7-2, Duke

Hard to see the Bulls passing up the South Sudan native if he's available, but he probably won’t be. Again, though, is this the surefire answer for the Bulls’ future? Uh, maybe.

Maluach certainly has the length to be an elite shot blocker with a 7-7 wingspan. He moves well and has some promise with his shooting form. One issue with evaluating his Duke film is he was usually a complimentary player who spent considerable time finishing alley-oops on offense and waiting in the lane on defense.

Can't do that in the NBA, but there are enough positive signs to believe he can give the Bulls one thing they need — a center who will challenge shots near the rim.

Thomas Sorber, 6-10, Georgetown

Or maybe Sorber is the answer. The freshman was more of a go-to player for the Hoyas than Maluach was for Duke, and averaged 14.5 points, plus 2.0 blocks per game.

The downside is Sorber suffered a season-ending foot injury in February, which limited his sample size and kept him out of athletic tests at the draft combine. The consensus is he's not an especially explosive athlete, which could limit the upside. But he offers an intriguing mix of offensive skill and shot-blocking potential.

Derik Queen, 6-10, Maryland

Sky forward Angel Reese might have put it best when she mentioned Nikola Jokic as his comp. Remember, Reese's brother Julian played for the Terps. That doesn't mean we should expect multiple MVPs for Queen, but he does own a variety of offensive skills like Jokic.

What Queen doesn't do well is defense. He's a unique talent, but won't offer much in the way of rim protection and could be in trouble when forced to switch onto guards.

Joan Beringer, 7-0, France

Good athlete, but more of a project, having taken up basketball just four years ago. Didn't make any 3s in the Adriatic League last season. He is said to have great hands, which is a nice start for a big man. Who knows what he could become?

Noa Essengue, 6-11, France

He measured 6-10 without shoes at the draft combine, and posted an elite sprint speed for his size. On film, it looks like he has a chance to be a very good defender, but maybe a big who can guard on the perimeter more than a shot-blocking specialist. That's still nice to have. He might draw some Evan Mobley comparisons defensively, while offensive potential is an unknown.

Asa Newell, 6-11, Georgia

This freshman could be the most explosive of this year's big men, with a 36.5-inch max vertical at the combine. He averaged 15.4 points at Georgia, but his offensive game seems limited mostly to dunks and, despite the athleticism, averaged just 1.0 block per game.

Danny Wolf, 6-11, Michigan

Glencoe native would fit into the Bulls’ offense as a big man who can handle the ball, but his defensive upside might be limited.

If the Bulls don't take a big man with this pick, that might mean they expect to make some sort of trade this summer. They may not find a taker for veteran center Nikola Vucevic, but he won't be in the team's long-term plans either way.

Phoenix acquiring the No. 10 overall pick from Houston in the Kevin Durant trade could affect the Bulls' plans, since the Suns seem more likely to take a center than the Rockets were.

An argument could be made the Bulls might have just as much luck trading down for multiple picks to get, say, Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner, the national defensive player of the year, and St. Joseph's Rasheer Fleming, a potential 3-and-D guy with a huge wingspan.

The Bulls have just two open roster spots right now, assuming they plan to re-sign restricted free agent Josh Giddey. They do have a second-round pick, No. 45 overall.