Bryson Graham CRUSHES first Bulls draft after iffy Nic Claxton trade

The Bulls drafted Caleb Wilson with the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, a choice that was telegraphed for quite some time. Then at No. 15, Bryson Graham went with Dailyn Swain, who had been on Ricky's radar for a while. 

With these two picks, Ricky declares that Graham "crushed" his first draft, bringing hope for the future in Chicago. Ricky breaks down Wilson's game, discusses his SB Nation feature story on the new Bulls star and dismisses comps on both ends of the spectrum to both Kevin Garnett and Tyrus Thomas. 

As for Swain, the Bulls are getting a slasher who can get into the paint at will and who will bring a lot of versatility to the floor. While the pick brings some questions about the roster's lack of shooting, Swain does have some upside there. Could he wind up being a poor man's Jimmy Butler? 

With the first round in the books, Ricky names 3 second-round targets and implores the Bulls to possibly even trade up for them. 

While these draft picks are bringing good vibes, the Nic Claxton trade that went down right before the draft (but can't become official until July) raises some concerns. Once a rising star at center for the Nets, Claxton has declined in recent years, with back issues apparently playing a role. 

Will a fresh start in Chicago help rejuvenate Claxton and turn him into a fringe DPOY candidate again? Or will he continue to be an average-ish center with no further upside? The good news is the trade cost pretty much nothing but cap space, and Claxton's declining contract is a plus as well. 

Finally, the guys look ahead to some possible ways to improve the shooting on the roster. Isaiah Joe, anybody? Coby White reunion? Free agency begins in a week after Round 2. 

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