The Chicago Bulls have a new front office in town. Bryson Graham has a chance to completely reshape the franchise. But as Graham gets set to lead the Bulls into the future, he needs to approach things much differently than the last regime. And one of the first big changes he needs to make will occur at this year’s trade deadline: He needs to be active.
When Arturas Karnisovas was in charge, the Bulls were one of the least active teams in the NBA on the trade market. They clung to their assets until it was way too late, and in the end, they were unable to get good value out of a lot of the guys they traded. It was a disaster, and as Graham gets started, he needs to be scouring the market for deals at the deadline this year.
This Bulls roster has a ton of pieces that could be valuable to other teams at the deadline, and Graham needs to stay vigilant when it comes to potentially trading them.
Bulls need to be active at the trade deadline
If you take a look at the top of the Bulls’ roster, it’s highlighted by Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis. Those are the two guys who could have a chance to lead the Bulls into the future.
Wilson was the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and Buzelis took a big-time leap in his sophomore season last year. Chicago needs to invest in those two guys more than anyone.
Past that, the Bulls have a bunch of players who could be traded. Graham doesn’t have to clean house – the Bulls have solid pieces – but he should at least explore the market.
The Bulls brought in Nicolas Claxton and Norman Powell this season. If either (or both) has a great season this year, then perhaps a team could come calling at the trade deadline. Graham needs to listen.
Chicago still has a bunch of other depth pieces like Tre Jones, Jalen Smith, Zach Collins, and even Isaac Okoro. If any of those guys garner any trade interest, Graham has to listen.
Unlike Karnisovas, Graham needs to be willing to make moves. If he can trade a player and add draft capital to the Bulls’ cabinet, he should be willing to do so.
The best way for the Bulls to improve moving forward will be through the draft, and Graham should want to have as many chances to draft talent as possible in the coming years.
That starts with trading depth pieces at the deadline, if a move becomes available.
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