With opening night here, the Bulls are still sitting on a rare bit of flexibility. Bryson Graham has chosen to keep 14 players on the books for his first full season running basketball operations in Chicago, leaving one roster spot open and the door cracked for one more move.
That matters now because the latest wave of NBA cuts included some recognizable names, and a few of them would at least make sense on a rebuilding roster. The Bulls are clearly keeping their options open.
A salary-dump deal could eventually bring back draft capital, or another team could suddenly decide it wants to move a young player. As the source put it, you never know when a Jared McCain is out there!
The Memphis Grizzlies were among the teams forced to trim their roster, and two 2025 draft picks ended up waived on Monday: Walter Clayton Jr. and Micah Peavy.
Clayton Jr. arrived in Memphis after being taken No. 18 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. The Florida guard, who won an NCAA title with the Gators, was then sent to Memphis in the package for Jaren Jackson Jr. during his rookie year.
Peavy’s path was even busier. He went No. 40 to the Washington Wizards, was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, and then landed in Memphis as part of the Jordan Hawkins trade.
Both players come with different selling points, and both could theoretically work in Chicago. Clayton Jr. didn’t fully cash in on the shotmaking buzz in his first season, but he still flashed enough to matter.
He shot over 90.0 percent from the foul line and averaged 4.0 assists per game. For a Bulls team light on established backcourt building blocks, he offers a high-energy guard with real three-point volume from his college days.
The fit is obvious if the goal is to keep adding floor spacing around Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson.
Peavy brings a different kind of value. He’s a sturdy, physical swingman whose reputation at Georgetown came from defensive versatility. His offense still needs work, but Chicago appears committed to a more aggressive and physical defensive identity, and Peavy could help on that side of the floor.
There is already reason to think Clayton Jr. might be the tougher name to land. Marc Stein reported Tuesday that he is drawing strong interest from the Dallas Mavericks.
If Dallas can clear the necessary room, the expectation is that he joins Dusty May’s young group. The Kings were also mentioned as a team with interest after Ben Simmons’ torn Achilles, but Stein said Clayton Jr. is more interested in the Mavericks.
No similar buzz has surfaced around Peavy, which could make him the more realistic option for Chicago. The concern is that he doesn’t bring much of a jumper, and that could be a problem for a Bulls team whose recent additions already covered the shooting side with Buddy Hield and Jordan Hawkins.
Dalton Knecht is another name in the mix. The former No. 17 overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers was also waived this week after a rough first two seasons in Los Angeles. He averaged 7.1 points, 2.2 assists and 1.8 rebounds across 132 games, though he did shoot 36.8 percent from three overall, including 37.6 percent on 4.4 attempts per game as a rookie.
Knecht is already 25, which could give Chicago pause. Defense is also not his calling card, and that matters if the Bulls are serious about changing their identity.
Even so, none of these options would be an outrageous use of the final spot. Each was viewed as a legitimate prospect not long ago, and a fresh start can still change the equation.
For a Bulls team that should have room for development, this is the kind of player pool that fits the moment. The cost would likely be modest too, with Graham possibly able to keep things flexible on a minimum or non-guaranteed one-year deal.
Will Chicago actually make the move? Probably not.
Graham has made it clear that he values the open roster spot. But if this season is about development, the Bulls could always decide that one more young player is worth bringing into the mix.
In Other News...
Bulls Could Have Another Norman Powell Style Opportunity
An opening has emerged for Chicago to keep one eye on the present and another on the trade market. Kevin Porter Jr. was released by the Bucks ahead of the roster cut-down deadline, putting a productive guard into the kind of free-agent lane that can appeal to a team trying to stay flexible while still adding talent.
For the Bulls, the fit is obvious enough to at least merit a look. They have an open roster spot and cap space, and Porter could address two needs at once as a shot-creator and perimeter defender. It is the same basic kind of play Chicago made with Norman Powell, signing him on an expiring deal with the idea of moving him later, and Porter could give them another chance to work that angle if they choose to chase it. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Have An Obvious Wing Option Worth Watching Closely
Dalton Knechts name is one the Bulls have every reason to keep close tabs on as they look for help on the wing. The Lakers moved on from the 2024 first-round pick on Oct. 19, 2026, opening the door for a player who arrived in Los Angeles with clear scoring upside and, at least early on, looked like he could become a useful perimeter threat.
His path stalled after the Lakers reshaped their roster around Luka Doncic, leaving Knecht without a steady role to build on. For Chicago, that kind of situation makes him a logical flyer: a young wing with shot-making ability and a chance to address a depth chart that still needs more reliable scoring on the edges. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Opener Plans Just Changed With One Roster Absence Looming
The Bulls trip north to open the season got a little thinner before the team even reached Toronto. Dailyn Swain and Jordan Hawkins will not travel with Chicago for the opener because of illness, a late change that leaves the Bulls adjusting their available bodies for a road game that already carries the usual first-night uncertainty.
In their place, two-way players Tobe Awaka and Jaylin Sellers are expected to make the trip and give Chicago some extra depth. The roster picture is also getting a longer-term boost, with the club exercising team options on Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue for the 2027-28 season, another sign the Bulls are keeping part of their young core in place even as the immediate opener plan shifts. [Read more 🡒]