The Bulls landed Nic Claxton this offseason, and the fit goes beyond what he can give them right now. His contract is shaping the next few drafts, and it makes one thing obvious: Chicago needs to keep an eye on the center spot.
Claxton arrived as part of the move that sent Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets, with Chicago stepping in as a third party and absorbing him into its salary cap. It was a sharp pickup for a team that suddenly had a real opening after Nick Richards reached free agency.
Claxton averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 57.1% from the field last season, and he should slide into that role nicely. There’s still a lot for him to prove outside of a pure tanking environment, but his speed and offensive feel look like a natural match for Tiago Splitter’s fast-break offense.
The contract only adds to the intrigue. Claxton’s salary drops over the next two seasons, from $23 million this season to $21 million in 2027-28.
That gives Chicago options. If the Bulls can find a capable replacement, Claxton could become a trade chip as early as next offseason, though the 2027-28 trade deadline feels like the more realistic target.
For now, the Bulls are not staring at an immediate breakup with Claxton. They need him. They also need a real plan behind him.
Chicago doesn’t have a long-term center lined up, and that’s where the next draft starts to matter. Claxton and Zach Collins can hold things down in the short term, but if the Bulls want flexibility later, they need to find a big man through the draft or a trade. That would give them a path to collect draft capital when the time comes to move Claxton, if that’s the route they choose.
The Bulls also have to weigh what Claxton becomes in their own system. He’s only 27, and if he rebounds this season in Chicago, there’s a chance the team would want to extend him beyond his current deal. If the Bulls are picking near the top of the 2027 draft, they may decide their bigger need is on the wing or at point guard, where they could strengthen the backcourt depth around Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis.
Still, if Claxton doesn’t reclaim his best form, the center position has to move to the front of the line.
Two names already stand out for next year’s draft. Motiejus Krivas of Arizona and Patrick Ngongba II of Duke are both projected as lottery picks.
Krivas brings size and defensive impact, and he posted 10.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while helping anchor one of the nation’s best defenses in 2025-26. Ngongba doesn’t have the same immediate upside, but if he takes another big step during his junior season, he could be in the same conversation as Krivas by the time the 2027 NBA Draft arrives.
It’s not a loaded center class, so Chicago shouldn’t reach just to fill a need. But the Bulls should be working to gather draft capital wherever they can over the next couple of seasons, and Claxton could be part of that equation if he rediscovers his scoring touch and rim protection.
That’s the real point here: before Chicago can think about moving on from Claxton, it has to sort out what comes next at center. And because of the way his contract is structured, the Bulls have a clear window to do exactly that.
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