The Chicago Bulls are winners of the 2026 offseason, adding Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain, Nic Claxton and Norman Powell to a roster that included Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis. Those moves are already being unappreciated, though, as Bleacher Report has the Bulls ranked No. 27 in a set of post-free agency power rankings.
B/R scribe Andy Bailey, on July 6, published a piece ranking all 30 teams "after [a] wild start to trade and free agency season."
Bailey isn't wrong on that front; it has been a wild few weeks in the NBA. Giannis Antetokounmpo's run with the Milwaukee Bucks came to a close. Jaylen Brown was traded from Boston to Philadelphia. The Los Angeles Lakers overpaid for Walker Kessler. Ja Morant and LaMelo Ball have new homes in Portland and Minnesota, respectively.
And the world is waiting on another Decision from LeBron James.
But Bailey is flat wrong about the Bulls.
NBA power rankings already undervaluing Bulls' offseason
Bailey takes a glass-half-empty approach (to put it nicely) in describing Chicago's summer moves.
He begins by mentioning the losses of Collin Sexton to the Lakers and Anfernee Simons to the 76ers. Truthfully, the Bulls shouldn't, and likely won't, give two thoughts to that pair this season. He acknowledges that the Powell addition should help, but going from Sexton and Simons to Powell, who was an All-Star last season, is an upgrade, not a downgrade.
"Hopefully," Bailey writes, "Josh Giddey can give them more than 54 games this season, because he has a pair of dynamic finishers joining him in Nicolas Claxton and rookie Caleb Wilson."
Again, that's underselling what should be a dynamic partnership between an elite passer like Giddey and two lob threats like Wilson and Claxton.
Wilson should be an elite finisher from day one with his length, explosion and desire to snap the rim in half at every opportunity. Giddey should have fun with this:
Making the playoffs could be a challenge for the Bulls this season, but earning a play-in tournament spot is certainly within reach. In fact, given the changes to the draft lottery system and teams' desperation to avoid finishing with one of the league's three worst records, it should be a goal.
The roster that executive VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham has put together in his debut offseason is capable of accomplishing that. A starting five of Giddey, Powell, Buzelis, Wilson and Claxton is already being underrated.
There are some obvious question marks. Chicago has a new head coach in Tiago Splitter, who will rely on some young, raw players to adapt quickly. But simply on talent alone, this team deserves to be higher than 27th on any set of power rankings.
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