The Chicago Bulls have already completed most of their offseason business, and they've done so excellently.
Their trade for Nic Claxton prior to the NBA Draft was about as savvy a move as they come, with new lead executive Bryson Graham gaining a veteran center simply in exchange for helping to facilitate the Julius Randle trade between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Brooklyn Nets.
After the Draft, the addition of Norman Powell on a two-year, 'baloon-style' deal with a team option granted the team both a starting shooting guard and an additional trade chip. Powell will simultaneously raise the ceiling of the team and allow them to gain draft assets if they feel they need to bottom out around the trade deadline. The extension of Zach Collins falls along those same lines.
Now, though, Chicago has used up all their cap space, and they have one roster spot left to fill. Using the room mid-level exception, it's time for them to try to gain one more trade chip before the end of the offseason.
The Bulls still have a shot to gain one more trade chip before the end of free agency
In the span of two short weeks, the Bulls have exponentially increased the depth and logical construction of their roster. With a pairing of Josh Giddey and Powell in the backcourt combined with the presence of Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis, and Claxton in the frontcourt, this is a team that's perfectly formulated to at least be semi-competitive in 2026-27.
There's no longer a glaring need at any position, and that gives Bryson Graham ample flexibility with the final roster spot. But what Chicago needs to add is not necessarily a depth piece. It needs to be a player who can realistically establish some trade value over the first few months of the season.
Options, at this point in free agency, are already limited. It doesn't help that Chicago is capped at the $9.3 million allotted for the room exception.
But perhaps a player like Gabe Vincent, who was traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard at last season's trade deadline, could flash enough as a perimeter shooter in the Bulls' backcourt to fetch a second-round pick at the deadline. Or a player like Matisse Thybulle, who shot 39.8% from beyond the arc last season and is an excellent point-of-attack defender, could be in line for a resurgence in Chicago. Even bringing back a bench center like Nick Richards would be a viable option, assuming the Bulls feel like they can move him at the deadline.
In short, the Powell and Collins deals set a precedent— Chicago's ultimate goal is to acquire draft capital and continue to build out their young core. These free-agent signings are merely a means to an end, and the final roster spot should be as well.
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