This offseason, the Chicago Bulls decided they are going to tear things down and go into full-scale rebuild mode. This means that they are going to try to acquire as much young talent as possible to add to their core of Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Noa Essengue, and Nic Claxton (is he young enough to be a part of their "core?").
To bolster this group, the Bulls had two first round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft -- the fourth and 15th overall picks, to be exact. It's still way too early to call, but all signs point to them knocking the ball out of the park with the fourth overall pick, as Caleb Wilson looks like a bona fide future star.
However, Dailyn Swain, whom the Bulls took with the 15th overall pick, has not flashed the same level of upside. In four Vegas Summer League games, despite playing 28 minutes per game, Swain averaged just 4.2 points, 5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on 12.9 percent shooting from the floor.
Like I said, a poor Summer League showing is far from a death sentence. Swain may very well end up having a great NBA career and all of this will be a distant memory. But just in case its not and the Bulls are rueing their mid-round selection, here are a couple of guys they are probably wishing they got.
Bennett Stirtz
Immediately after Swain was taken by the Bulls, the Oklahoma City Thunder traded with the Memphis Grizzlies to get Bennett Stirtz with the 16th overall pick. I know that Stirtz is older (he'll be 23 at the start of next season), but as a general rule, any time Sam Presti goes out of his way to draft someone, that's probably a sign that their pretty good.
Stirtz also looked much better in Summer League, leading the team in scoring during his three games in Vegas.
Allen Graves
A few picks after the Thunder took Stirtz, the Toronto Raptors took Allen Graves with the 19th overall pick. Graves was a late riser in the draft process, thanks to his wonderful analytical profile. He's a full year younger than Swain, but he already plays like a seasoned-veteran.
Plus, his ability to provide additive skills (defensive playmaking, rebounding, shooting, etc.) could prove to be a better long-term fit alongside Giddey, Buzelis, and Wilson. His ceiling may not be as high as Swain's, but, even in a rebuild, it is good to go after players you can count on being solid impact players for a long time.
Labaron Philon Jr.
Labaron Philon Jr. was one of the biggest fallers of this past draft. Ben Pfeifer, one of the best draft analysts in the business, had him ranked eighth on his big board. However, Philon didn't hear his name called until it was time for the 22nd pick.
Philon wasn't very efficient during summer ball, but at least his counting stats (18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists) were more impressive than Swain's. Also, just from a process standpoint, if you are going to go with someone you think has a high ceiling since you are trying to accumulate young talent, why not take a player who is dropping below consensus rather than taking someone right around their perceived value (Pfeifer had Swain ranked 14th on his board).
Once again, it is far too early to determine what kind of career Swain will have. I'm rooting for Swainn, and you should be too. But if doesn't work out, something tells me that knowing that these three players were realistically available at the 15th spot will haunt the Bulls one day down the road.
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