The Chicago Bulls may not be done shopping.
That became a little easier to believe after Bryson Graham was suddenly linked to Bennedict Mathurin this week. The restricted free agent guard has also begun drawing interest from the New Orleans Pelicans, while the Los Angeles Clippers appear unsure about keeping the 24-year-old in the mix. The Bulls connection may not be as firm as it first looked, but the chatter does say something important: Chicago’s new front office leader is still open for business.
So with that in mind, it makes sense to look at a few other young guards who could land on the Bulls’ radar if the right opportunity comes along.
Scoot Henderson is the first name that jumps out.
If Graham is interested in Mathurin, it’s fair to wonder whether he’d also have eyes on Henderson, even if the Portland guard has not produced the same level of success so far. Henderson came into the league with a huge reputation for a reason. He’s an explosive athlete with a violent downhill game, and he would bring another burst of speed and pressure to Chicago’s rotation.
The issues are obvious, too. He has had more trouble than expected adjusting to NBA size and finishing at the rim.
Still, his shot has trended in the right direction over the last two seasons, and he has converted 35.3 percent from deep. That doesn’t make him a perfect fit, and there’s plenty he still has to clean up before he gets close to the ceiling people once projected for him.
But that uncertainty could also work in the Bulls’ favor. Any trade conversation with Portland would have to account for that development curve, and the price may not be especially steep in the near future.
With Damian Lillard back next season and guards like Jrue Holiday and Shaedon Sharp in the mix, Henderson may not be the easiest player for Portland to keep evaluating. He is also headed toward restricted free agency in 2027, which only adds another layer to the situation.
Another name worth keeping in the conversation is Reed Sheppard.
Houston is trying to build toward a better 2026-27 season around Kevin Durant, and the Rockets probably believe Sheppard can help them get there. He played in all 82 games last season and settled in more as the year went on. Even so, this is a team with Finals ambitions, and it’s likely to be careful about how much it asks of him, especially after he still struggled to solve Houston’s playmaking issues.
For the Bulls, that makes Sheppard at least worth a phone call. Maybe the Rockets would shut it down immediately.
Maybe not. Either way, he fits what Chicago could use.
He’s a high-end floor-spacer who shot 39.4 percent from three on 7.0 attempts per game in Year 2, and that kind of shooting gravity would matter next to athletic wings like Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson.
If the Bulls are looking for offense that stretches the floor and opens space, Sheppard checks a lot of boxes.
Bub Carrington belongs on the list for the same reason.
The No. 14 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft has played all 82 games in each of his first two seasons, which already says something about his durability and role. He hasn’t been especially efficient overall, shooting 41.2 percent from the field, but his perimeter shot has been encouraging. Carrington has hit 37.4 percent from long range on strong volume, while also averaging at least 4.4 assists in both seasons and giving solid effort on the boards.
He hasn’t been a difference-maker yet, and it’s still hard to say exactly what he’ll become on a good team. But he’s also been stuck on a rebuilding Wizards roster, and his shooting is real enough to matter. If Washington decides it has bigger priorities, Chicago should be ready to see whether Carrington can be had at a reasonable price.
That possibility may not be far-fetched. The Wizards are expected to try to move forward, and they have other young players to sort through, including Tre Johnson, Will Riley, and Alex Sarr. Carrington may not stay at the center of the plan for long, and he certainly won’t be ahead of AJ Dybantsa.
For now, that leaves the Bulls with a simple task: keep tabs on the market. If Chicago’s front office is still looking for young guard help, there are a few names that could become interesting before long.
In Other News...
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The Bulls are again being nudged toward a wing move that looks cleaner on paper than it does in the larger roster picture. Denver has reportedly softened its ask for Peyton Watson in sign-and-trade talks, now looking for a high-level player and a first-round pick, which is enough to put Chicago on alert as it weighs whether the 22-year-old forward is worth the price.
But the fit question is still doing a lot of work here. Watson is expected to command a significant contract, and the Bulls would have to decide whether to commit more draft capital to a player with limited proven production while their own young core remains unsettled. Patrick Williams is part of the equation too, and the broader warning for Chicago is simple enough: in a roster that still needs clarity, another expensive wing gamble could close off more paths than it opens. [Read more 🡒]
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For a franchise trying to rebuild without getting buried, that is not nothing. A finish in the play-in range or somewhere in the middle of the pack would probably read as a step forward in this environment, especially if the Bulls can show signs that the new pieces fit and that Caleb Wilson can be the kind of talent fans are already hoping will help drive the turnaround. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Fans Finally Have A Reason To Ignore The GOAT Noise
The Bulls have given their fans something more immediate to talk about than the usual all-time arguments, and it starts with Caleb Wilson. His Las Vegas Summer League showing drew plenty of praise, enough to fuel early chatter about a real trajectory, and the fact that he has already been working alongside Matas Buzelis only adds to the sense that Chicago may be building a young frontcourt worth watching closely when the season opens.
Not every part of the early read has been as encouraging, though. Questions are already circling around Noa Essengue after his summer showing, and Dailyn Swain has also become a talking point in the wake of his recent performances and the reaction around him. For a Bulls team trying to sort out which young pieces can actually stick, those mixed signals matter a lot more than any distant GOAT debate. [Read more 🡒]