The Bulls may not be positioned to make much noise next season, but that doesn’t mean they should sit still. If Chicago wants to get better down the road, the smarter play is obvious: chase discounted young talent and see which bets pay off.
That’s where Scoot Henderson comes in.
Chicago was encouraged by Tiago Splitter’s work as the Portland Trail Blazers’ interim coach, especially the way he helped the young players grow and sharpened their defense. That strong showing earned Splitter his first head-coaching job, and now the Bulls appear to be considering whether one of his former players could follow him.
According to Pippen’ Aint Easy’s Andrew Hanlon, Henderson could be the kind of buy-low swing Chicago should be targeting. As Hanlon put it, "Kicking the tires on a player like Henderson is the kind of buy-low move Chicago needs to be making right now," and he floated a possible framework that included Tre Jones, Isaac Okoro and a few second-round picks - with a heavily protected first also in the mix.
It’s a striking place to be for a player who once drew real No. 1 pick buzz in the same conversation as Victor Wembanyama. That debate is long gone, but the broader point remains: Henderson is not a lost cause.
His first stretch in the league has been complicated by injuries and by being stuck on a team that wasn’t trying to win. Splitter saw enough to keep faith in him, and when Henderson was running the second unit, he looked more efficient around the rim, less chaotic with the ball and even got closing-time minutes.
Portland’s roster situation also makes the fit murky. The Blazers traded for Ja Morant earlier in the offseason, Damian Lillard is expected back from injury, and Jrue Holiday is already there. With only one ball to go around and a contract extension on the horizon, Portland could decide it’s time to move on from Henderson.
He’s only 22, though, and that age matters. Some players simply need more time.
Chicago could give him that, letting him handle the second unit the way he did last season while it watches to see whether he can take another step. If that happens, the Bulls could even look at Josh Giddey as part of the bigger picture, with Giddey likely able to bring back a first-round pick.
Henderson’s appeal is easy to see. His athleticism and physical tools jump off the screen, and even if that alone doesn’t solve everything, he has the kind of work ethic and care teams covet. He just hasn’t gotten the clean runway yet.
That’s why Chicago should keep close watch on former lottery picks stuck in tough spots. Reclamation projects can turn into late bloomers, and sometimes something even bigger. Henderson still has plenty of runway left, and if the Bulls can clear Okoro’s contract and land him on a cheap extension, that only sweetens the idea.
In Other News...
Bulls Could Solve Their Center Problem Thanks To A Bucks Squeeze
With training camp nearing, Milwaukee is suddenly dealing with a roster squeeze that could send a useful frontcourt piece onto the market. The Bucks are carrying 17 players on standard NBA contracts and need to get down to 15, a situation made more complicated by the roster shakeup following the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to Miami. With Tyler Herro, Kyle Kuzma, Myles Turner and an increasingly important Ryan Rollins all in the mix, the Bucks have some trimming to do, and that is the kind of roster math that can create an opening for a team like Chicago.
For the Bulls, the interest is obvious because the center spot still needs reinforcement and Milwaukee may be looking for a cleaner way to balance its books. Chicago has a path to help make that happen by using its mid-level exception in a deal for a big man, and Jericho Sims is one name that fits the picture. Nothing is confirmed yet, but this is the sort of cap-driven opportunity that can turn a crowded roster elsewhere into a fix for a need the Bulls have been trying to address. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Still Have Familiar Free Agent Options To Fill Two Needs
Late in free agency, the market still has a few familiar names sitting in limbo, and that matters for a Bulls team that can still use some help in the frontcourt and on the wing. Nick Richards and Tony Bradley are both available as backup centers with recent NBA experience, while Doug McDermott remains on the board as a veteran forward who has spent years carving out a role as a floor-spacer and bench scorer.
For Chicago, those are the kinds of options that can linger into the quieter part of the offseason before a roster need finally meets a workable fit. Richards and Bradley offer different looks behind the main rotation bigs, while McDermott gives the Bulls a proven offensive skill set if they decide the wing/forward spot is where they want to add steadiness. The longer these players stay unsigned, the more the market turns into a waiting game for teams still looking for one more useful piece. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Fans Get A Full Weekend To Celebrate At The United Center
The Bulls are giving fans a full late-summer run of basketball on the United Center campus with the newly released Bulls Fest 2026 schedule and map. The free two-day festival is set for Aug. 22-23 and is built around a mix of on-court action and family-friendly extras, with a 3-on-3 tournament, youth clinics, player and alumni appearances, entertainment and a slate of competitions.
Bulls Fest is also expanding well beyond the main court, with a Wheelchair Basketball Division, a kids' zone packed with carnival games and charity challenges among the attractions listed on the team's official website. For Chicago, it is the kind of event that turns the arena district into a summer gathering place, giving fans a weekend-long reason to come together before the basketball calendar shifts back toward the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]