The Chicago Bulls already got some major help initiating their ground-up rebuild when they moved into the top-four in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery.
They'll now select at fourth and 15th overall in the upcoming Draft. If they choose wisely, those picks should yield them a pair of exciting young talents. When combined with Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey, there suddenly seems to be a promising young core emerging in Chicago.
But that's only the start of the roster decisions that will need to be made this offseason. Once all of this season's expiring contracts are cleared off the books, the Bulls will be among the NBA's most financially flexible teams. If they want to quickly add talent, they have leeway to accomplish that goal.
But they also don't necessarily have the treasure trove of draft capital that would make the process of a long-term rebuild smoother. Perhaps their best option this offseason is to target tradeable free agents on short-term deals in hopes of accumulating more draft capital at the deadline.
It could be the best way for them to quickly jumpstart their rebuild.
Bulls should be looking for trade fodder this offseason
Of course, it would be nice to see a little more cohesion on the roster than we saw post-trade deadline in 2025-26. But the fact of the matter is that the Bulls should not be aiming to compete this year. New lead executive Bryson Graham knows that, and whatever coach he brings in to lead the team will also be on board with that mission.
The goal should be to develop the team's young talent to whatever extent is possible.
At the same time, though, there is still a roster that needs to be filled out and money that needs to be spent. Around the trade deadline, teams are always looking for capable defenders and 3-point shooters. The Bulls have the money to bring those players in above face value in free agency. They certainly also have the space on the roster.
Someone like Andrew Wiggins, Luke Kennard, or Simone Fontecchio could be a solid trade candidate after several months with ample playing time in Chicago. Even Matisse Thybulle or Gabe Vincent could be high-upside swings.
The Bulls are in a solid position in terms of draft capital. They have all of their first-round picks over the next seven seasons, and they also have 12 future second-round picks at their disposal. But they don't currently have any other team's first-round pick at their disposal, a factor that separates them from many of the organizations that have completed successful rebuilds.
If they can gain one in exchange for one of their players at the deadline, that would be a major victory. It's worth approaching free agency, therefore, at least partially from this perspective.
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