The Bulls Are Running Out of Time - And Options. The Trade Deadline Is Their Best Shot at Rebuilding.
The clock is ticking in Chicago. With the 2026 trade deadline creeping closer, the Bulls find themselves at a crossroads - and this time, standing still isn’t an option. The front office has seven players on expiring contracts, and while that might sound like an opportunity for a clean slate, the reality is more complicated.
Yes, all those expiring deals give the Bulls some serious salary-cap flexibility heading into the offseason. But flexibility only matters if there’s something worth reaching for - and right now, the 2026 free-agent class isn’t exactly stacked with realistic game-changers.
The Free-Agent Market Isn’t the Lifeline It Used to Be
Let’s start with the headliners: LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Two all-time greats, sure, but neither is walking through the United Center doors to lead a Bulls revival.
Beyond them, the class is heavy on restricted free agents - think Dyson Daniels, Jalen Duren, Tari Eason, and Walker Kessler. Talented, yes.
Attainable? Not really.
Poaching restricted free agents is a long shot in today’s NBA, especially when teams are more aggressive than ever about matching offers to keep their young cores intact.
That leaves a pretty thin pool of unrestricted names. Rui Hachimura and Quentin Grimes are intriguing, and maybe Austin Reaves or Trae Young hit the market if they decline their player options - but that’s a lot of “if.” And even if they do, the Bulls would have to outbid other teams while selling a vision that’s still very much under construction.
Cap space just doesn’t carry the same weight it used to. Last summer, only one player signed with a new team for more than $16 million per year.
Just eight players total inked deals north of $10 million annually - and three of those came via sign-and-trade. The league is shifting.
Teams are locking up their talent early, and the open market is drying up.
The Smarter Play? Trade Expiring Deals for Real Assets
So, if the Bulls can’t count on free agency to reshape the roster, what’s the alternative? Simple: don’t wait. Move those expiring contracts now and bring in players who can help both today and tomorrow.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks laid out this very idea in his trade deadline preview, asking whether it’s more logical for Chicago to target players already under contract for next season rather than banking on a weak free-agent class. The answer? Absolutely.
This is where the new NBA financial landscape actually works in the Bulls’ favor. With the second apron looming large over luxury-tax teams, front offices are looking to shed salary - and that opens the door for opportunistic teams like Chicago to swoop in.
Take the Cleveland Cavaliers, for example. They’re already projected to owe around $170 million next season to their core four players, plus sizable deals for De’Andre Hunter and Max Strus.
That’s a cap crunch waiting to happen, and Hunter could become the odd man out. If Cleveland wants to cut costs, a swap involving someone like Kevin Huerter could make sense.
But Chicago shouldn’t stop at players like Hunter. This is the time to think younger, with an eye on building a sustainable core.
Look at how Philadelphia landed Quentin Grimes at last year’s deadline, or how Milwaukee snagged Kevin Porter Jr. in a low-risk move. Both teams took advantage of sellers who didn’t want to pay up to keep their guys.
The Bulls could - and should - follow that blueprint. There are intriguing young players around the league who might be gettable under the right circumstances.
Denver’s Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson come to mind. So does Philadelphia’s Justin Edwards.
But the biggest swing? Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga.
He’s still developing, but the upside is there, and if the Warriors decide they can’t afford to wait on his growth - or to pay him - the Bulls should be ready to pounce.
Watson, in particular, is a name to watch. He’s shown flashes of two-way potential, and if Denver is hesitant to match a sizable offer when he hits restricted free agency, Chicago could offer a path forward - and a bigger role.
Time to Cash In
The Bulls have trade chips that contenders would love to add for the stretch run. Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, Ayo Dosunmu, and Nikola Vucevic are all on expiring deals. That’s real value, especially for teams trying to bolster their rotations without taking on long-term money.
Letting those contracts expire without getting anything in return would be a missed opportunity - plain and simple. The Bulls don’t need to blow it all up, but they do need to act.
This isn’t about chasing stars in free agency anymore. It’s about finding the right pieces, at the right time, and building something that can actually last.
The trade deadline is fast approaching. For Chicago, it’s not just a checkpoint - it’s a chance to reshape the future.