The Trae Young trade news was the headline that rocked the entire NBA this week. And as the dust has begun to settle, the Chicago Bulls can begin to realize that the way in which this star trade went down gives them a tremendous opportunity to pull off something big themselves.
Washington was able to pull off this deal for Young without having to give up any draft picks due to the expiring salary cap space they could deal. In doing so, they made it evident that right now, simply being able to lay claim to a huge amount of expiring cap space is just as much an asset as picks are when it comes to ensuring you can complete a trade.
Now, the Bulls find themselves as the NBA team with the most expiring space following the completed trade for Young. This of course gives Chicago a massive chance to try to use their contracts to either absorb a bad contract in exchange for assets, or act as a third team in a larger trade.
The Bulls have real, tangible leverage right now, and the league just watched a team turn that exact advantage into a star-level acquisition without sacrificing picks. That should be eye-opening for a franchise that has spent so long stuck between competing and resetting.
The Bulls are in prime position to make a move
Chicago’s position also comes with urgency. These expiring deals only matter for so long, and once they come off the books, the leverage disappears with them. Cap space unused doesn't roll over as an asset. If the Bulls let this window pass without exploring creative options, they risk watching another opportunity quietly slip away.
This of course doesn't mean Chicago suddenly needs to chase a splashy headline for the sake of it. The smarter path may be using that space to take on an undesirable contract to collect draft capital, or stepping in as a facilitator when two teams need a financial bridge. Those are the types of moves that can reshape a team’s future without forcing a full teardown.
It also places real pressure on the front office. For years, the Bulls have waited rather than taking the opportunity and running with it. Now, this situation requires urgency if Chicago is to benefit from it at all.
The Trae Young deal obviously didn't guarantee the Bulls anything. But what it did was remove the presupposition that expiring money lacks value. Washington just proved otherwise in the loudest way possible.
If Chicago wants to change its trajectory, this is the type of moment that demands action right away. Standing still may feel safe, but in today’s NBA, safety rarely leads anywhere meaningful. The time to strike is now for the Bulls.