The Chicago Bulls have set their sights on building a championship contender, and the 2026 NBA Draft was a promising start. By landing Caleb Wilson and Daily Swain, they've added two dynamic players who bring a lot to the table. But to truly round out their roster, the Bulls are eyeing Peyton Watson as the next piece of the puzzle.
Wilson, the No. 4 pick, is a 6-foot-10 powerhouse with the potential to dominate on both ends of the court. His explosive athleticism and defensive prowess make him a thrilling addition.
Swain, standing at 6-foot-8, is a versatile wing who can attack the basket and create plays offensively while guarding multiple positions on defense. However, neither Wilson nor Swain is known for their three-point shooting-at least not yet.
And with Nic Claxton joining the squad, who isn’t exactly a sharpshooter either, the Bulls are in need of some perimeter firepower.
Enter Peyton Watson. Bulls executive VP of basketball operations, Bryson Graham, has openly acknowledged the team’s need for shooters, and Watson fits the bill. But Watson’s potential impact goes beyond just spacing the floor.
Graham’s SLAP philosophy-focusing on size, length, athleticism, and physicality-is well-known, and Watson is a perfect match. At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Watson brings not only size and length but also a fluidity and explosiveness that make him a standout on the court. His elite defensive capabilities have always been tantalizing, but it’s his offensive evolution that now makes him a prime target.
Initially, Watson struggled with his offensive game, a concern when he entered the 2022 draft. However, last season marked a turning point.
He boosted his scoring average from 8.1 points in 2024-25 to 14.6 points, and his three-point shooting jumped to an impressive 41.1 percent. His development into a high-level point-of-attack defender has only added to his value.
At just 23 years old, Watson has emerged as one of the NBA's top 3-and-D wings, making him a highly coveted asset in free agency. Despite a season-ending hamstring injury, his market value remains strong.
The Denver Nuggets are keen to retain him but are facing cap space challenges. Meanwhile, the Bulls are in a position to offer Watson a lucrative deal.
As a restricted free agent, Watson’s situation is a bit complex. The Bulls can extend an attractive offer, but the Nuggets have the right to match it.
If Denver can't free up the necessary funds, Chicago could swoop in. A sign-and-trade deal might be the best path forward, and the Bulls should be prepared to part with a few minor assets to make it happen.
Securing Watson would be a strategic move for Graham and the Bulls, bringing them one step closer to assembling a championship-caliber team in Chicago.
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Bulls Just Made Their First Truly Unsettling Rebuild Decision
Bryson Grahams first draft with the Bulls had a clear front-end plan. Chicago used its first-round picks on Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain, giving the new lead executive two young pieces to shape into part of the next core while the franchise continues sorting out what the rebuild is supposed to become.
The part that lingers is how the Bulls handled the rest of the board, especially with shooting still sitting near the top of the rosters needs. Around the league, teams were able to turn useful rotation players like Isaiah Joe and Isaiah Stewart into draft capital, the kind of moves that at least hint at value extraction during a reset. Chicago, though, is still facing the bigger question of whether it is collecting enough assets to accelerate this process or simply leaving opportunities on the table while the roster waits for help through free agency or trade. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Fans Are Split Over One Patrick Williams Trade Idea
With the Bucks sliding into a rebuild phase, trade chatter is already circling around the kind of movable contracts that can help a reshaped roster take form. One of the speculative ideas floating around links Chicago to a larger Milwaukee-centered shuffle, with the Bulls framed as a team trying to find a cleaner fit and a more flexible path forward while other teams sort through salary, draft capital and future roster plans.
For Bulls fans, the debate comes down to whether moving on from Patrick Williams in that kind of scenario would be worth the cost. The logic is straightforward enough: Chicago would be trying to clear a contract it has struggled to slot into place while adding a player who might be easier to move later and better suited to what the team wants to look like. Still, the proposal is only one piece of a wider set of hypothetical deals, and the real question is whether the Bulls would actually be willing to take that swing. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls May Be Closing In On A Move Fans Will Debate
Chicagos offseason flexibility has put the Bulls in position to poke around on a move that would make immediate sense on paper, especially with a roster that still needs more shooting. League chatter has pointed to a veteran guard who can help fill that gap, and the fit is easy enough to see for a team with cap room and a clear need for reliable scoring on the perimeter.
The wrinkle is that Chicago is not alone in the pursuit, with Miami and Detroit also in the mix as the Bulls weigh how aggressively to use what remains of their spending power. If the front office does decide to make a push, it would be the kind of signing that says plenty about how the Bulls want to use the rest of their cap space, and why this one could split the fan base before any paperwork is even signed. [Read more 🡒]