The Chicago Bulls’ offseason reset has put Isaac Okoro squarely in the trade conversation.
With the franchise leaning into a new era and collecting young talent, the roster picture is starting to get crowded fast. Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson sit at the center of that push, and everyone else is fighting for position behind them. That leaves veterans and underwhelming holdovers in a shaky spot, and Okoro looks like the clearest name on the board.
Okoro arrived in Chicago with the reputation of a former lottery pick who could carve out a career as a defensive stopper. Coming out of Auburn, he drew comparisons to Kawhi Leonard because of his feel for the game and his ability to guard on the wing.
But six years later, that offensive promise still hasn’t shown up. He can defend, no question.
The problem is that this is still a league that runs on buckets, and he hasn’t consistently provided them.
Last season, Okoro hit 33.0 percent of his three-point attempts, which is part of why the “3-and-D” label never really stuck. The defense is there. The shooting, the part that makes the role so valuable, hasn’t followed.
There’s also the money. Okoro is due just $11.8 million next season, according to Spotrac, which gives him enough value to matter for a contender looking for wing help without breaking the bank.
For Chicago, the fit looks even tighter after the offseason additions. The Bulls brought in Daylin Swain and signed Norman Powell, while also already having Josh Giddey, Tre Jones, Rob Dillingham, and Mac McClung in the mix. Not every one of those guards will stick on the roster, but the numbers tell the story: there’s a logjam.
And with Buzelis and Wilson expected to soak up as many minutes and touches as they can handle, Okoro’s path to meaningful playing time looks thin. On a team that isn’t contending and with a skill set that overlaps with other pieces, Chicago may be better off moving him for a return of a couple second-round picks - maybe even just one.
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