The Bulls have a move here that reaches well beyond the usual deadline prize of draft picks.
When Chicago signed Norman Powell to a two-year, $45 million deal in the 2026 offseason, the obvious read was simple: flip the 33-year-old later for future assets. That still makes sense. The contract is built to move, and Powell could be available as soon as this year’s trade deadline.
But the more interesting path is bigger than that. The Bulls could use Powell as the kind of matching salary that opens the door to a much more meaningful swing - one that brings back a franchise piece to pair with Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks points to a familiar road map, and it comes from an Eastern Conference team not that far away. In January 2024, Indiana sent Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three first-round picks to Toronto for Pascal Siakam.
The Raptors weren’t planning to hand Siakam a rich new deal, and the Pacers were willing to pay for a proven veteran star. Brown, at the time, was in the second year of a two-year, $45 million contract, which makes the comparison hard to miss.
That trade helped set Indiana up for a run that left them one Haliburton injury away from winning an NBA championship the next season.
Chicago is in a different spot, but the logic is similar. Powell’s deal is useful because it gives the Bulls flexibility.
He’s on an even $22.5 million per year, and the second season is a team option, so he can effectively function like an expiring contract after the 2026-27 campaign. That makes him the kind of veteran scorer other teams can actually picture fitting into a deal.
And Powell has earned that kind of attention. Last season with the Heat, he was an All-Star after averaging 21.7 points while shooting 38.0 percent from 3-point range on 7.1 attempts per game.
Over the last two seasons, he has averaged 21.8 points and hit 40.0 percent from deep. Chicago can feature him heavily, let him pile up shots, and then decide whether the best use of that contract is a deadline flip for picks or something far more aggressive.
That’s where the Bulls’ real opportunity lies. If they can combine Powell with their own draft capital, they may be able to chase their own version of what Indiana did with Siakam.
Karl-Anthony Towns is one name that fits the conversation. He wants a new contract in New York, and the Knicks don’t appear eager to extend the 30-year-old six-time All-Star and newly crowned NBA champion. Chicago has the kind of contract New York could value in Powell, plus draft assets and cap space to make the rest of the structure work.
The Bulls don’t have to settle for a clean exit and a pile of picks. They can aim higher.
In Other News...
Bulls Face A Franchise-Shaping Karl-Anthony Towns Gamble
Karl-Anthony Towns is suddenly sitting at the center of a situation the Bulls have to watch closely, because the shape of the Knicks next move could ripple well beyond New York. Chicago has the cap space and a clear need at center, which is why it has surfaced as a logical trade destination if the Knicks decide to explore Towns market. For a Bulls team still trying to build something sturdier, a player of his caliber would be hard to ignore.
The catch is that any pursuit would come with real financial consequences, since a deal would likely need to account for a long-term commitment on top of the trade price. That is where the gamble gets franchise-shaping for Chicago: Towns would fit a need, but the cost structure could lock the Bulls into a choice they would have to live with for years. For now, the opening is there, but the path to actually pulling it off remains complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Already Face An Early Frontcourt Problem They Didn't Want
Nic Claxtons Bulls debut is still on hold after the center was expected to miss about two more weeks with a hamstring injury, a setback that keeps Chicago from having its frontcourt look the way it hoped as the season opens. The timing is especially frustrating because Zach Collins has practiced without restrictions and is hoping to be available for the opener, giving the Bulls at least one healthy option while the other side of the rotation remains unsettled.
Joel Embiids health has allowed the Sixers to spend training camp working through both offensive and defensive schemes with the same centerpiece in place, a luxury Chicago has not had at this point. For a Bulls team trying to get traction early, the frontcourt picture is already complicated, and the delay for Claxton only adds another layer to a stretch that could test how quickly the group can settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Face A Roster Squeeze If This Big Man Hits The Market
Moussa Cisses status in Dallas has put a few teams on alert as the league heads toward the October 19 roster deadline. The Mavericks are reportedly at risk of waiving the big man, and if that happens, NBA insider Marc Stein has said there will be a market for him almost immediately.
The Bulls are among the clubs said to be monitoring the situation, along with the Hawks, Lakers and 76ers, all looking at the possibility of adding a frontcourt piece without giving up anything in a trade. Nothing is settled yet, but Cisses next move could quickly turn into a race of timing, roster space and whether a team decides he is worth the claim. [Read more 🡒]