The Chicago Bulls inked free agent guard Norman Powell to a two-year, $45 million deal, which may seem surprising at first glance but is actually a shrewd piece of business. Powell will allow rookies Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain to do what they do best right now — be explosive, cause havoc defensively and finish easy looks.
There are several winners of the Powell signing (and not many losers), but Wilson and Swain are the biggest ones.
Powell, 33, averaged 21.7 points and shot 38.0 percent from three last season for the Miami Heat, earning his first All-Star berth. His contract, which carries a team option for the second year, is a coup for Bulls executive VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham.
And for Wilson and Swain.
Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain are the biggest winners of Bulls' Norman Powell signing
Powell is a proven scorer and floor spacer — that 38.0 percent he shot from three last season is actually well below his career average of 39.6 percent. Across 136 games the previous two seasons, he knocked down 42.6 percent of his 6.0 triples per game.
That perimeter gravity will be huge for Wilson and Swain as they navigate their debut NBA campaigns.
Josh Giddey, a throwback floor general rather than a scoring point guard, will run the show. He's an ideal backcourt partner for a shooter and scorer like Powell.
Matas Buzelis made a massive leap as a shot creator and 3-point shooter in his second season. He will likely be the focal point of head coach Tiago Splitter's offense, along with Powell.
That gives Wilson and Swain, who are far from polished as scorers and creators, freedom to roam, find space, make smart off-ball cuts, crash the boards and finish at the rim.
On the other end of the floor, the rookie duo will be counted on to cover for Giddey and Powell — two below-average defenders who lack the athleticism to stick with guards on the perimeter.
That should be perfectly fine for Wilson and Swain, who project as elite defenders at some point in their careers.
Wilson is arguably the most explosive athlete from the stacked 2026 draft class, and at 6-foot-10 with long limbs, is at his best creating chaos at all three levels. Similarly, Swain is a long, strong athlete who can defend multiple positions. Both have the size, athleticism and desire to cover ground behind their veteran guards.
True to his word, Graham leaned into his SLAP profiles in his first draft in Chicago.
He just added a free agent who will allow his prized rookies to do what they do best.
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