The Bulls already have their starting center lined up after landing Nic Claxton from the Brooklyn Nets in the four-team deal that also sent Naz Reid to the Hornets, LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves and Julius Randle to the Nets. That part of Chicago’s offseason picture is settled.
What isn’t settled is whether Rudy Gobert could eventually become available - and if he does, the Bulls look like a team worth watching.
The reason is tied to Minnesota’s cap math. The Timberwolves have shown a clear willingness to move prominent front-court pieces to avoid second apron penalties, and Gobert fits right into that conversation.
The Wolves originally got Randle by sending Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks after Towns’ four-year $220.4 million designated veteran extension kicked in during the 2024 NBA offseason. Then, in the 2026 NBA offseason, Randle’s return to New York helped Minnesota extend former Bulls guard Ayo Donsunmu, add a point guard upgrade in Ball, and stay out of the second apron.
That same financial squeeze makes Gobert’s future murky. He is extension eligible heading into the 2026-27 NBA season, but Minnesota is also just $4 million away from the second apron threshold. On top of that, the French center will be in the final year of his contract during the 2027-28 NBA season.
So a new deal in Minnesota is far from a sure thing from either side’s perspective. If Gobert ends up on the move, the Bulls should be ready to revisit the idea, whether that’s at the 2027 February trade deadline or during the 2027 NBA offseason.
And there’s a real basketball case for it.
Gobert would enter his next contract at age 36, but he still checks a lot of boxes for a Bulls team that would presumably be building around Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis. His availability has been a steady part of his value; in 13 NBA seasons, he has played fewer than 65 regular-season games in only three of them. He also remains exactly the kind of defensive anchor Chicago would need if it wants to climb back toward winning basketball.
There’s offensive value there too. Gobert has a career average of 2.0 blocks per game, and he doesn’t need the ball to be effective. He closed the 2025-26 NBA regular season with a league-leading 68.2 field goal percentage.
A lot can change over the next two seasons, but if Minnesota’s cap pressure eventually pushes Gobert out, he would make a lot of sense for the Bulls. He’s the kind of reliable big man whose game should age well.
In Other News...
Nicolas Claxton Just Became A Huge Test For The Bulls Front Office
Nicolas Claxton arrived in Chicago as part of the Bulls trade involving the Nets and Timberwolves, and the front office is already treating him as more than just a roster addition. For now, he is being viewed as a potential starting center for the upcoming season, a player who can stabilize the middle while the Bulls sort out what the rest of the rotation looks like.
At the same time, Claxton also fits the kind of movable piece Chicago has been trying to stockpile, especially if his play puts him back on the radar for teams looking for frontcourt help. His contract gives the Bulls something useful to work with, and if he performs well enough, the real question may become whether Chicago keeps him as part of the long-term picture or uses him to chase more draft capital later on. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls May Finally Have A Cheap Frontcourt Opening To Watch
A frontcourt opening could eventually surface for Chicago if Washingtons roster math gets tight around Anthony Davis next contract milestone. Davis becomes extension-eligible in August 2026, and any new deal there could force the Wizards to make harder choices on payroll and apron flexibility, the kind of pressure that often sends teams looking for cheaper ways to keep the depth chart intact.
One name worth keeping on the radar is a young Washington big whose fit has been evaluated with Chicago in mind as the Bulls continue to scan for value up front. The Wizards also have a non-guaranteed team option on him for the 2027-28 season, with a decision due by June 29, 2027, so this is the sort of situation that could linger for a while before it turns into an actual market opportunity. [Read more 🡒]