The Chicago Bulls’ summer was defined less by flash than by structure, and that may be the whole point. Bryson Graham’s first offseason as the lead decision-maker gave the front office a chance to reshape the roster around a young core while keeping the financial runway wide open.
The headline move was Caleb Wilson going No. 4 overall, and he wasted no time backing up the buzz at Summer League. Dailyn Swain also came in at No. 15, while Norman Powell arrived on a two-year deal and Nic Claxton joined through a surprising multi-team trade before Zach Collins was brought back as his backup. It was not the loudest summer in the league, but it was a revealing one.
What stands out most is how deliberately the Bulls protected their future flexibility. Graham has kept the books clean enough to give himself options as he evaluates Wilson and the rest of this group. That matters more than chasing short-term noise if the goal is to avoid getting trapped in the middle again.
On paper, the salary sheet reflects that approach. Josh Giddey’s $25.0 million salary is the largest number on the roster, and in this case that is a positive sign because the deal is manageable and does not balloon over time. The Bulls have avoided the kind of long-term money that can clog a team’s path.
Claxton’s contract is the one that may draw the most side-eye, especially since Chicago took him on in that trade with Brooklyn without getting anything back for the cap space. His play has slipped from the elite rim-protecting level he showed before, but the Bulls can at least live with the deal because most of the other players with two years left have team options attached.
Powell looks like the cleanest win of the bunch. His two-year, $45.0 million deal gives Chicago a veteran scorer and floor spacer who should help the younger players around him.
There is also a real chance the Bulls could move him later if he starts strong, since the $21.5 million first-year salary is reasonable and the second season comes with a team option. Flexibility remains the theme.
The same logic applied to keeping Collins, who signed a two-year, $17.0 million deal. Health has always been the concern there, but the contract is still relatively easy to move, which fits the way this roster has been built.
The roughest parts of the cap sheet are farther down. Patrick Williams is on the books at $18.0 million per year through 2028-29, and Isaac Okoro is owed nearly $12.0 million this season. There is a real possibility that both players are out of the rotation in a few months, and if that happens, those contracts could become a headache Graham tries to move.
Chicago also has one roster spot open. The Bulls could fill it before the regular season begins, but they do not have to, and leaving it open would be another sign that Graham is prioritizing flexibility over filling every chair.
For now, the numbers put the Bulls at $161.9 million in payroll. Add in the dead money attached to Kam Jones, and the total climbs to roughly $163.0 million. That still leaves Chicago about $1.9 million under the salary cap line and well clear of the $200.4 million luxury tax threshold.
That financial breathing room matters. It gives the Bulls room to take on bigger contracts if the price is future assets, something Graham has said he would be willing to do.
It also leaves the organization positioned to matter again in 2027 free agency, when names like Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, the Thompson brothers, and Anthony Black could be available as restricted free agents. If even one of those situations breaks the right way, Chicago could be in a strong spot.
In Other News...
Bulls Offseason Pivot Around Patrick Williams Just Got More Serious
The Bulls offseason has already turned into a search for ways to reshape the roster around a younger core, and Patrick Williams has emerged as one of the more notable names in the conversation. Chicago has been weighing different trade scenarios with teams such as the Clippers and Kings, using Williams contract and uneven production as part of a broader effort to improve the roster without waiting for internal growth alone.
What makes the discussion more interesting is the direction of the Bulls interest. The front office is not just looking to move money around or add another stopgap piece, but is trying to land a player who better fits the timeline and, in the process, collect added draft help. Until a deal actually gets done, the Williams chatter remains part of the larger offseason pivot, but it is a strong signal that Chicago is prepared to be more aggressive than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Suddenly Have A Dailyn Swain Problem They Can't Ignore
Dailyn Swains first run with the Bulls did not do much to quiet the questions around his long-term fit. Over four Summer League games, the rookie struggled to finish plays cleanly and never found any real rhythm, with erratic ball handling and shaky decisions making it hard to see an immediate path to steady NBA minutes. For a team looking to sort out the back end of its roster, that kind of showing matters, even in a setting where growth usually counts more than results.
The Bulls still have preseason chances to get a clearer read on how far Swain has to go and whether there is a role for him sooner rather than later. For now, the bigger issue is development, and there is already a sense among observers that a stint in the G League may be the best next step before he can be trusted with meaningful playing time in Chicago. [Read more 🡒]