CHICAGO Bulls had an up and down season, storming home to make the play-in in the final stages of the season, before being eliminated by the Miami Heat in the do-or-die clash of the tournament in April, and can consider themselves among the unluckiest when it comes to the draft lottery.

They were the last team in the Eastern Conference to book their spot in the play-in, doing so with a win over the Toronto Raptors on April 1. It was always going to be a rocky season for the Bulls having traded centrepieces of their franchise for the past five years in DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.

Aussie Josh Giddey was among the biggest positives for the Bulls, flicking a switch after the All-Star break and playing like one in the back half of the season, and will have most certainly demanded a strong payrise over the off-season.

When the draft lottery came around, the Bulls finished with the same record as the Dallas Mavericks, so the 12th pick came down to a coin flip. In a heartbreaking result, Chicago was dealt pick 11, while the Mavericks went on to take out the number one pick.

Regardless, the Bulls will still have the chance to add a quality player for the future with their first round selection, although it will be a quiet draft for the team with just two picks across two night.

Chicago Bulls

Draft Selections

12, 45

Contracted players

Lonzo Ball, Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, Coby White, Jalen Smith, Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter (player option), Matas Buzelis, Dalen Terry (team option), Julian Phillips

The Bulls are in a tricky spot in terms of their roster, with young guns such as Giddey and White paired up with veterans like Vucevic, but they are a young team overall, and they will get younger when they add another exciting prospect next month.

With the 12th pick, there is no doubt the Bulls would be looking for the best available player, but if looking to choose a preferred position, adding stocks to the frontcourt would be beneficial for shaping the team’s roster for the future.

There are several candidates that could be available around this mark, with Khaman Maluach the most likely to be off the board by this stage, and there are several players that have had outstanding season’s in their draft year.

The most likely option here is Derik Queen, who was excellent for the Maryland Terrapins and would be a strong fit for Chicago. His interior scoring is up there with the best in the draft class, as is his rebounding ability, while the big man also possesses guard-like handles, which is impressive for his six-foot-10 frame.

With Vucevic in the twilight of his career, Queen would be an ideal long-term replacement, and although he still has a ways to go in the development of his long-range shooting and overall perimeter impact, having the veteran around would be massive in accelerating this.

Another option could be Asa Newell, who is a bouncy forward/center from Georgia, who possesses the ability to impact inside the paint on both ends of the floor. Like Queen, Newell’s shooting could do with some work, but he can still impact early in his career with excellent touch around the basket.

With their second pick midway through the second round, expect the Bulls to take the best available player, regardless of position.