The Chicago Bulls have cap space and a need for shooting, but they weren't expected to be very active in free agency this summer. A curious turn of events, though, sees them linked to free agent guard Norman Powell.
Powell, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, is a high-priority target for both Detroit and Miami; swooping in and stealing him from a pair of rivals would be a clever piece of business by the Bulls.
Having recently acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo in a league-shaking trade with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Heat are light on perimeter scoring, but also light on available cash.
Detroit, meanwhile, just acquired Isaiah Joe in a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, lessening their need for a shooter.
Enter the Bulls, who have the cap space to sign Powell and a perfect role awaiting the veteran scorer.
Chicago Bulls interested in free agent guard Norman Powell
The idea of bringing a 33-year-old like Powell into the youth movement going on in the Windy City seems counterintuitive. Why flash cash on an aging player when the development of Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain and Matas Buzelis should be the No. 1 priority?
But it's actually not the wildest idea.
Bulls executive VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham admitted after adding Wilson and Swain in the 2026 NBA Draft that his team was short on shooting. And he wasn't kidding — the top 3-point shooter left on Chicago's roster from last season is Jalen Smith, who shot 37.3 percent.
Powell, who shot 38.0 percent from three on 7.1 attempts per game last year — and made his first All-Star game, by the way — would immediately become the Bulls' best shooter.
Shoot, he would step in and be the team's best overall scorer.
Powell averaged 21.7 points with the Heat last season. Josh Giddey is Chicago's leading returning scorer at 17.0 ppg.
And Graham has the money to sign the former Clippers, Blazers and Raptors guard. Even after acquiring Nic Claxton, the Bulls project to have $31 million in cap space, and they need to spend at least $16.5 million just to hit the salary floor, as pointed out by ESPN's Bobby Marks.
Stealing Powell from Heat, Pistons would be smart business for Bulls
To be clear, Chicago won't be challenging for the top spot in the East anytime in the next few seasons. Miami, with Giannis now in South Beach, will be expecting to. And Detroit finished with the conference's best record last year.
But the Bulls have a need for Powell, and Powell presumably has a need for what could be his last big NBA contract. He won't be getting that with the Heat or Pistons, but he could get it in Chicago.
By the time Graham will have to think about extensions for Wilson and Swain in two or three years, Powell could be off the books. Nor would he be the reason the Bulls can't afford a new deal for Buzelis.
It would be a shrewd move for Graham, who's already nailing his first offseason at the helm in Chicago.
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