When the Chicago Bulls decided to enter a full-on rebuild at this past trade deadline, moving off of virtually all of their real tradeable assets and tearing down the roster, it was quite a cathartic feeling.
The Bulls had been mired in mediocrity for years, making the playoffs only twice since 2015 and securing only three playoff victories during that time. Moving on from the old regime and the old way of doing things was necessary.
But don't blame Bulls fans if they were cautious stepping into a new era. Would ownership make the right decisions about who should take the helm? Would that person be willing to make the right moves to conduct a long-term rebuild?
Chicago chose Bryson Graham, and he's quickly proved that he's the right man for the job. With the additions of Nic Claxton and Norman Powell, this Bulls team has perfectly positioned itself to take advantage of the new NBA Draft Lottery rules.
While it might feel weird to say, Chicago might be one of the biggest winners of the offseason so far.
The Bulls are in a perfect place to continue their long-term rebuild under Bryson Graham
Granted, the Bulls' jump up to fourth overall in the 2026 NBA Draft was not Graham's doing. But by adding Caleb Wilson at fourth and Dailyn Swain at 15th overall, Chicago added a pair of exciting pieces to their budding young core. It's hard not to dream about a future frontcourt of Wilson and Buzelis, and Swain could become exactly the type of 3-and-D wing every contender needs.
But it's what Graham has done since the Draft that has put Chicago in this position.
Under the new '3-2-1' lottery system, the bottom three teams in the NBA are now penalized, losing one of their three lottery balls. The NBA also flattened the odds among the seven remaining non play-in teams. This means that, right now, the most valuable draft picks are those that fall in the latter range— the goal for any rebuilding team is to be competitive enough to stay out of the basement but not strong enough to advance to the Play-In Tournament.
The additions of Claxton and Powell, with Claxton's defensive abilities and fast-break playmaking and Powell's perimeter shooting and offensive engine, raise the floor of this Chicago team exponentially. Those additions also allow both Wilson and Swain to take on lesser roles as rookies, which will be beneficial to their long-term development.
Powell also has a team option on his deal next offseason, making him a prime trade asset if Chicago feels he can net them a strong return at the deadline.
Of course, there's room to argue that this Bulls roster could qualify for the Play-In Tournament. Perhaps they should push to be as competitive as possible this season.
But for the long-term health of the organization, Graham is clearly focused on the rebuild. As odd as it may seem, Claxton and Powell are the first steps toward achieving that goal under this new lottery system.
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