The Chicago Bulls still have one roster spot sitting there, and that empty chair may be more than just a formality.
After a free agency stretch that landed somewhere between active and underwhelming, new front office leader Bryson Graham has made his approach pretty clear. He used the team’s cap space on veteran help, kept the deals short, and signaled that this season is going to lean heavily toward development. It’s not the loudest plan, but it is a deliberate one.
That leaves the Bulls with 14 players on the books and one opening left for next season. They do not have to fill it right away, and they could even enter the year as is. Still, the possibility is there, and there are a few different directions they could go.
One path would be to keep betting on Jaylin Sellers.
Among the undrafted names who stood out in Summer League, the Providence guard made a strong case for himself in Las Vegas. Chicago signed him shortly after the 2026 draft, likely drawn to the three-point shooting he showed in the Big East, where he hit 42.9 percent of his 5.6 attempts per game over five college seasons.
What he showed in Summer League went beyond that reputation. Sellers actually struggled from deep in his five games, but he still looked like one of the Bulls’ best players behind Caleb Wilson. He played with urgency, pushed the ball in transition, and brought real pressure on defense.
He finished Summer League at 15.6 points, 2.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. At six-foot-five, he has the kind of frame and edge that can make sense in an NBA backcourt.
Chicago would probably prefer to see him continue developing in the G League, and his efficiency still needs work. But there’s enough there to think about a non-guaranteed, multi-year deal as a way to keep the door open.
Another route would be to use the final spot on a more established shooter.
That need is easy to see. Chicago’s Summer League team shot just 29.4 percent from three, which ranked seventh-worst in Las Vegas.
Summer League numbers do not always translate, but the Bulls do have several roster pieces who are not known for long-range shooting. Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain, and Noa Essengue all fit that description, even if Wilson showed some encouraging signs.
Swain and Essengue still have a lot of work to do there.
Norman Powell should help. He was one of the best pure shooters available, and he gives the Bulls a real weapon from deep. But one reliable marksman is not enough by itself.
That is why names like Seth Curry, Doug McDermott, and Gabe Vincent remain worth watching. All three are available, all three could be signed for the minimum, and all three would bring veteran presence along with some shooting.
Bruce Brown is another possibility, especially because his game fits the way this roster wants to play. He is not a high-volume shooter, but he has been efficient and brings real versatility.
None of those options are flashy. But they are proven role players, and that matters.
There is also a third lane here: Graham could leave the spot open for flexibility. He has been consistent about valuing roster maneuverability, and that showed in the short-term contracts for Norman Powell and Zach Collins, both of which include team options. It also showed in the decision not to use either second-round pick, which preserved a place on the roster for this free agency period.
Graham has also been open about the idea of serving as a salary dump destination for another team. That kind of move can bring future assets with it, and it fits the rebuilding identity he has embraced. He could use that 15th spot to absorb a contract, or even take back two players in a deal while moving out Isaac Okoro or Jalen Smith.
That may be the real reason the Bulls have waited this long. They have not made a ton of moves, but they are clearly still open for business. Whether the final spot goes to a young bet, a veteran shooter, or stays empty for now, the flexibility itself is part of the plan.
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