The Chicago Bulls will begin the 2025-26 season with seven players on expiring contracts, not including their two-way signees. Jevon Carter, Zach Collins, Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter, Dalen Terry, Nikola Vucevic, and Coby White will all enter unrestricted free agency next summer.
Of that group, Dosunmu and White figure to be the front office’s top priorities. Still, Chicago may not be inclined to keep both guards, with White clearly rising to the top of the agenda. The combo guard led the team in scoring last season and projects as their primary option moving forward.
Consequently, there’s a very real scenario in which Chicago opts to retain only White. In fact, the front office may prioritize him not just over Dosunmu, but over the entire group of pending free agents.
Chicago’s upcoming free agents go beyond Coby White
After appearing in just 36 games and averaging 8.9 minutes per night, Carter seems unlikely to stick in Chicago. He’s essentially slotted as the Bulls’ third-string point guard—only primed to enter games in mop-up duty or in case of an injury.
Collins and Huerter arrived in Chicago midseason as part of the trade that sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento. Each is set to earn roughly $18 million next season, a figure they’re unlikely to see again in free agency. Yet, both midseason acquisitions exceeded expectations in their limited time in the Windy City. Collins and Huerter recorded exceptional on/off splits, ranking in the 79th and 99th percentiles, respectively.
Unlike the aforementioned Collins and Huerter, Terry has been around the organization since being selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. However, Terry remains unproven, three years later. He's averaged 3.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game over 170 appearances.
Lastly, Vucevic is the oldest player not just among the impending free agents, but on the entire roster. At 34, he is five years senior to Carter. Chicago has long attempted to trade the 6-foot-10 center, but those efforts have so far come up short.
Bulls must assess their soon-to-be free agents' trade values
Entering the final year of the three-year, $60 million contract he signed in 2023, Vucevic may finally hold some trade value. However, the other impending free agents could also attract interest, albeit to varying degrees.
Thus, Chicago's forthcoming trade deadline priorities should be crystal clear. Unlike years past, where the Bulls have routinely sat on their hands, next season is the time to make moves. While Carter and perhaps Terry may not register much interest, Collins, Dosunmu, Huerter, and Vucevic surely will.
Parting with Dosunmu would be the most difficult decision, but if he registers interest similar to the interest Alex Caruso did two years ago, he'd be worth the trade. Two, or even one first-round pick in exchange for an expiring Dosunmu would absolutely be worth it. Although Collins and Huerter may fall short of $18 million in value, Dosunmu could absolutely reach it—a price the Bulls may be unwilling to meet with Josh Giddey, Tre Jones, and a probable White extension already on the books.
The Bulls have done well clearing salary-cap space ahead of a pivotal offseason, but they lack draft capital. It’s not that the team has traded away its own picks; they simply haven’t acquired enough from other teams, a shortcoming that could be addressed at the 2026 trade deadline.