With college conference tournament play and March Madness just around the corner, the 2026 NBA Draft is swiftly becoming a focal point for several of the league’s nakedly tanking teams — including our Chicago Bulls.
Thanks in part to season-ending surgeries for Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan’s Sacramento Kings have unlocked a level of losing that’s pretty special. The club has dropped 16 straight, and may not win again anytime soon.
Still, a whopping four teams are within striking distance (five games) of the Kings’ record: the 15-43 Indiana Pacers, the 15-41 Brooklyn Nets, the 16-42 New Orleans Pelicans (although Joe Dumars traded their unprotected pick for Derik Queen last year) and the 16-40 Washington Wizards.
Our beleaguered 24-34 Bulls — who just dropped their ninth consecutive contest on Sunday — won’t be able to catch any of those teams by record. Chicago could still get some lottery luck and level up, though. In the latest Tankathon rankings, the Bulls currently sit firmly in the No. 9 seed.
As of this writing, Chicago has a 20.3 percent chance of moving up for a top-four pick, and a 4.5 percent chance of grabbing the top selection overall. Sure, the Bulls may not get any of the three biggest names this year, but there’s still significant talent elsewhere.
Because we’re all sick of Chicago adding guards, we’re linking them to a new forward today: Tennessee freshman Nate Ament.
© Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA Today Network via Imagn ImagesNBA Mock Draft — February 23, 2026
The Lottery
Sacramento Kings: AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU Indiana Pacers: Cameron Boozer, PF, Duke Brooklyn Nets: Darryn Peterson, SG, Kansas Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans Pelicans): Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston Washington Wizards: Caleb Wilson, PF, North Carolina Utah Jazz: Mikel Brown, Jr., PG, Louisville Dallas Mavericks: Keaton Wagler, SG, Illinois Memphis Grizzlies: Darius Acuff, Jr., PG, Arkansas Chicago Bulls: Nate Ament, F, Tennessee Milwaukee Bucks: Braylon Mullins, SG, UConn Charlotte Hornets: Yaxel Lendeborg, PF, Michigan Oklahoma City Thunder (via Los Angeles Clippers): Hannes Steinbach, PF, Washington San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta Hawks): Labaron Philon, PG, Alabama Portland Trail Blazers: Brayden Burries, G, ArizonaLet’s unpack the Ament fit for a second. He’s an oversized small forward, meaning he and Matas Buzelis could in theory switch plenty based on matchups. He can score from anywhere off the dribble — it helps if he can curl off a pick though — and already has pretty advanced footwork.
While playing every game so far for the 20-7 Vols, the swingman has been averaging 18.0 points on .419/.324/.799 shooting splits, 6.5 boards, 2.5 dimes and 1.0 steals a night. Adding him would enable Chicago to bolster its size and potentially bring in a long-term frontcourt scoring partner for Buzelis.
6’10 Nate Ament was fryin up against Oklahoma with 29 PTS 52.9% FG 42.9% from 3 & 6 REBS ??? pic.twitter.com/4RJpVCcUIS
— Swish Cultures (@swishcultures_) February 19, 2026Mid-Round Picks
15. Golden State Warriors: Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa16. Miami Heat: Thomas Haugh, PF, Florida17. Memphis Grizzlies (via Orlando Magic): Koa Peat, PF, Arizona18. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Philadelphia 76ers): Patrick Ngongba II, C, Duke 19. Charlotte Hornets (via Phoenix Suns): Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech20. Toronto Raptors: Tounde Yessoufou, SG/SF, Baylor
Koa Peat falls a bit this week, thanks mostly to a lower leg muscle strain that could cloud his availability down this season’s home stretch.
Even before he departed Arizona’s 78-75 overtime loss to Texas Tech on Valentine’s Day, Peat had fallen down to earth a bit. He had been averaging a paltry 8.5 points on a combined 6-of-23 shooting from the field and 5-of-8 shooting from the free throw line across his last two complete games. Becoming more of a focal point for opposing defenses hasn’t served him well.
© Aryanna Frank-Imagn ImagesLate First-Rounders
21. Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota Timberwolves): Chris Cenac Jr., C, Houston22. Los Angeles Lakers: Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers 23. Philadelphia 76ers (via Houston Rockets): Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State Cyclones 24. Denver Nuggets: Malachi Moreno, C, Kentucky 25. Atlanta Hawks (via Cleveland Cavaliers): Cameron Carr, SF, Baylor 26. New York Knicks: Henri Veesaar, C, UNC Tar Heels27. Boston Celtics: Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky28. Cleveland Cavaliers (via San Antonio Spurs): Tyler Tanner, PG, Vanderbilt 29. Dallas Mavericks (via Oklahoma City Thunder): Flory Bidunga, C, Kansas30. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit Pistons): Dailyn Swain, SG/SF, Texas
There’s a real preponderance of big guys projected to be scooped up after the lottery. Contending clubs could shore up their front lines with young talent under long-term team control… should they choose wisely. Whoever takes a flier on former lottery prospect Jayden Quaintance better have a great medical staff, and perhaps some German doctors standing by.
© Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesAlso Read
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