No one seems to know what the Chicago Bulls will do in the draft

Bleacher Report insider Andy Bailey did a round-up of what outlets are projecting which prospects at various spots in the draft. At 12, there’s literally no consensus. Each name is mentioned just once:

• Bleacher Report: Asa Newell
• ESPN: Kasparas Jakučionis
• Yahoo: Jase Richardson
• CBS: Noa Essengue
• Athletic: Joan Beringer

Interestingly, no one predicted Derik Queen, a player many have, at times, linked to Chicago in the draft. Bailey did say, “The Chicago Bulls had an interesting close to the season, thanks in large part to younger players such as Josh Giddey, Coby White, Kevin Huerter, and Matas Buzelis. Now, it might be smart to angle for a center younger than 34-year-old Nikola Vučević to play with them.”

He noted that Derik Queen would be a good fit, since he has a good touch around the rim and his defensive instincts help to make up for his lack of aerial skills. Queen would fit nicely in the Bulls’ frontcourt, but it doesn’t seem like most analysts believe he’s going there.

This could be for a number of reasons. Queen has a high ceiling, so he could easily rise on draft night. He’s projected around the top 10 pick, with some mock drafts seeing him go as high as sixth overall. The Bulls can’t compete with that, and there’s a distinct possibility that he’s well off the board by the time Chicago gets up.

That would leave some of the above names, and while they’re all intriguing, they don’t fit quite as well or aren’t quite as needed as someone like Queen. Still, they’re far from bad prospects, which is good news for a team in desperate need of another core piece.