The Chicago Bulls have barely gotten out of the starting blocks, and the early mess is already pointing the front office toward one obvious lane: the trade market.
Two blowout losses and a 1-3 record have set the tone. Caleb Wilson has offered the clearest reason for optimism, but the bigger picture is tough to ignore. The Bulls’ shortage of developable talent, paired with the lack of immediate success, is making change feel less like a possibility and more like the assignment.
That’s why the trade deadline should be marked down now. Chicago should be ready to explore moving Nicolas Claxton and Norman Powell in exchange for long-term assets.
The team looks like it is being shaped around 22-year-old wing Matas Buzelis, 24-year-old playmaker Josh Giddey, and 20-year-old franchise player Caleb Wilson. Against that backdrop, Powell, at 33, and Claxton, at 27, don’t line up cleanly with the club’s timeline.
That mismatch makes both veterans natural trade candidates. If Chicago is serious about improving its long-range outlook, and the short-term ceiling doesn’t look especially exciting, then dealing those two makes sense.
There’s still a version of this roster that could work in the near term. Claxton, Powell, Wilson, Buzelis and Giddey could give the Bulls a starting group capable of pushing for a Play-In Tournament spot. Chicago could also use the market to hunt for depth that would strengthen a second unit that remains largely unproven.
But with only three established long-term building blocks and real uncertainty around both Buzelis and Giddey, the rough start reads like a signal. The trade market may be where this team finds its cleanest path forward.
Claxton brings plenty to the table. He’s a proven NBA big with defensive versatility, solid playmaking, and the kind of two-way flexibility teams value. His contract is also manageable, with $23,320,738 due in 2026-27 and $21,099,720 in 2027-28 before he reaches unrestricted free agency in 2028.
For a team looking for a defense-first big without tying itself to a long-term commitment, that profile could bring back first-round draft compensation.
Powell has his own appeal. He is coming off an All-Star season in 2025-26 and ranks among the league’s best three-point shooters. He’s also a high-volume scorer who can fit both on-ball and off-ball roles in almost any offensive setup.
That kind of player can also fetch a first-round pick, and in Powell’s case, the return could include a younger player whose current team would be more willing to move for immediate help.
Either deal would give the Bulls more pieces to grow alongside Wilson and deepen the roster around him. Chicago would be giving up two of its more established players, but it would also be reinforcing its place as a team on the rise by adding talent that can mature with the core.
The Bulls can still turn things around before the deadline. But as the offense searches for direction and the roster’s limitations keep showing up, moving veterans for future assets looks like the front office’s best move.
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