Our 1-7 Chicago Bulls have the worst net rating in the entire NBA. And one of the worst in the league’s entire history. Beyond one win against the lowly Milwaukee Bucks, the team has absolutely faced some superior competition. But aside from Caleb Wilson’s relentless motor and Jalen Smith’s relative consistency, everyone has looked out of sorts and disengaged.
Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey have performed shockingly poorly, to the point that questions have arisen about whether or not it’s time for Tiago Splitter to bench them — or for the Bulls to move on from Tiago Splitter just eight games into his tenure. Bryson Graham’s decision to roster five other guys (Buzelis, Leonard Miller, Noa Essengue, Jalen Smith, and maybe even Patrick Williams) who perform best at his position has looked like a mistake.
Because this heinous year could help the Bulls land in the “relegation zone” and thus improve their chances of avoiding a top-5 pick in a supposedly weak draft (while keeping their hopes of a top-5 pick in the better 2028 draft alive), we can let this play out for now.
That said, Graham’s goal during this rebuild should be taking as many shots at success as possible. And that means taking the second round of the draft seriously. Instead, Chicago ditched both its second-round selections in June, with Graham claiming the Bulls didn’t like anyone beyond the top 30. Where have we heard that before?
“One of the things I had mentioned was obviously Caleb and Dailyn were targets for us,” Graham told reporters after the draft. “And look, as we’re going down it, and it’s nothing against the players that were remaining, they just weren’t particularly targets of ours. So we were looking and were like, ‘Okay, how can we get some future assets and push this pick forward?’”
Indiana Pacers guard Braden Smith passes the ball while Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker defends.Braden Smith Already Proving Bryson Graham Wrong?
The more egregious infraction was Graham’s decision to ditch Chicago’s better second-round selection. On draft night, the Bulls sent the Pacers their draft rights to the No. 38 pick. Indiana drafted point guard Braden Smith, a two-time consensus All-American First Teamer at Purdue and the best NCAA passer in 2025-26.
Smith, a standout while with the Boilermakers, wasn’t expected to play much heading into the 2026-27 season. Of course, the Pacers didn’t anticipate having to sit 11 of their 17 players in a game just two weeks into the year. Necessity compelled head coach Rick Carlisle to install his second-round pick as his starting point guard.
And in his first bout as a starter, Smith delivered in spades. He chipped in 19 points on 8-of-13 field goal shooting (2-of-3 from distance), 10 assists, four boards, three steals, and a block in a narrow loss to the far healthier Atlanta Hawks.
Great to see. I do wish the Bulls gave him a chance. Older prospect, but he has elite vision. t.co/9T9297lt6W
— See Red Fred (@cbefred) November 3, 2026“This guy played 42 minutes in an NBA game and he was prepared for this opportunity because of all the work he put in this summer,” Carlisle told reporters after his first start, per Alex Golden of Pacers On SI. “It just goes to show you that putting in that type of work will bear fruit. It was inspiring to watch him battle tonight.”
Not only was Smith an intriguing prospect on offense — he also earned a shoutout for his efforts on the other end of the floor.
“I thought defensively he did a great job,” Carlisle raved. “19 and 10, that’s a double-double in the NBA. That’s big time.”
Smith hasn’t quite repeated that breakout turn, but he’s been solid. For a 5-foot-11 23-year-old guard (probably the two reasons he fell to the second round), that’s nothing to sneeze at.
Smith returned to a bench role on Saturday in a loss to the Denver Nuggets, where he shot 0-for-4 from the field for zero points, but did pass for two assists and nab a steal in 12 minutes. In his two starts, though, Smith averaged 14.5 points on .636/.5000/.500 shooting splits, 7.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Meleek Thomas drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell.Multiple Missed Draft Opportunities for the Bulls?
As to Graham’s claim that the team was disinterested in second-round prospects, take a look at some of the neglected names here. Meleek Thomas, Trevor Brazile, and now maybe even Smith all look like legitimate rotation players — now under cheap, team-controlled deals in playoff situations.
there's like 5 guys here t.co/IZBl4bbOLp pic.twitter.com/wMv4kb72y2
— WinkyChrist (@winkychrist) November 7, 2026The fact that an explicitly rebuilding front office ignored cost-effective young assets, whose developmental timelines align well with Wilson’s, is deeply frustrating.
It’s early to hand out letter grades to Graham and Splitter, but the early results have been quite disappointing. Graham has constructed a roster that we expected to at least be watchable, if not particularly great.
What we wouldn’t give for a roster that was even at “watchable, if not particularly great” levels right now. Thank goodness Dailyn Swain, Jaylin Sellers, and Tobe Awaka have all had some promising moments in these first two G League games.
Hence then, the article about why the heck didn t the bulls just keep braden smith was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Why the Heck Didn’t the Bulls Just Keep Braden Smith? )
Also on site :
- Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid Live Stream Today – Spanish La Liga
- Kenny Atkinson takes jokes as lesson for ‘analytically’ comment in last season’s playoff loss to Knicks
- Villarreal CF vs. Getafe CF Prediction, Picks, Live Odds – Nov. 8