This is the Bulls’ most important offseason in a long time.
VP of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas went all in during the 2021 offseason, adding Alex Caruso, Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan to the team. He also traded for Nikola Vučević a few months earlier at the 2021 deadline. Those moves worked — briefly. Chicago held the best record in the Eastern Conference until Ball tore his meniscus. Since then, the Bulls have been stuck in the play-in tournament.
Last offseason, they moved on from Caruso and DeRozan and traded Zach LaVine at the deadline. Those moves signaled a shift. The front office finally looked toward the future. Still, the result was the same: another play-in exit.
This offseason, though, there’s a real foundation. Josh Giddey had a breakout year. Rookie Matas Buzelis impressed as the No. 11 pick. Breaking up LaVine’s contract into three expiring deals gave the Bulls financial flexibility. But none of that will matter if the front office can’t capitalize this summer.
This offseason, the Bulls will need to improve their roster through four avenues: the draft, trades, free agency, and player development
THE DRAFT
The Bulls were a coin toss away from being able to draft Cooper Flagg, who would’ve been the simplest way for them to get better this offseason. Instead, the Bulls hold the No. 12 pick in a deep class.
Obviously, there is a huge drop-off from picking in the top half of the lottery compared to the bottom, but there are lottery-esque players projected to go in the middle of the first round.
A pre-draft or draft night trade that includes Coby White, Ball or Vučević could land Chicago a late first-rounder — another shot at a rookie who can contribute early.
If their top target is gone at No. 12, they may trade back. The Thunder (No. 15 and 24) and the Nets (No. 8, 19, 26, 27) are possible partners who could package multiple firsts for No. 12. That would let Chicago add a pick while still drafting a player with similar value.
Although the Bulls desperately need rim protection, they are not tied to any player long-term and should remain flexible on draft night by focusing on the best player available.
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TRADES
The Bulls are expected to be active in a trade-heavy offseason. White, Ball and Vučević are the top names in rumors. They’re also the only core players left from the 2021 roster.
White holds the most value. He’s on a great deal and would be a strong one-year rental for a contender. He becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer and could double his salary. If the Bulls don’t think he will re-sign, they should trade him to at least get something back instead of letting him walk for nothing.
Ball’s situation is trickier. He was expected to be moved at the deadline, but the Bulls extended him instead. He’s now a fallback option for teams, like the Mavericks, pursuing Jrue Holiday. Dallas might be willing to trade a future late-first to secure their point guard while Kyrie recovers. A pick in the late 20s is not very valuable to a team with a short window.
Vučević is the most obvious player to trade. He’s the oldest on the team and doesn’t fit with the Bulls’ fast-paced playstyle. Chicago seems to be stubborn with their price for Vučević, a first-round pick, which is the reason he wasn’t traded during the season. He’s linked to the Warriors, but they do not have a first-round pick this year. The Bulls could package their second-round pick with Vučević or Ball to acquire another first-round pick.
FREE AGENCY
Priority No. 1 should be Josh Giddey’s contract. He’s a restricted free agent, which gives Chicago control of his situation. The front office doesn’t need to negotiate — just match the best offer on the market. Only the Brooklyn Nets have the cap space to offer Giddey $30 million in the first year of his deal. While $30 million seems like a lot, that is under the average cost for a starting point guard next season.
Giddey’s deal will also impact White’s future. White is set to hit unrestricted free agency next year and will earn $30+ million per season. The most Chicago can offer right now is a four-year, $89 million extension. That’s a bargain — and it boosts his trade value. But White is unlikely to accept, knowing he can make more on the open market. The Bulls will have the cap space to offer him a huge deal next offseason.
Tre Jones and Talen Horton-Tucker also will hit free agency this summer.
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Everyone looks forward to what new players their team will get in the offseason, but developing the players currently on the roster is important. Buzelis is the building block of the future who needs to gain size and consistency. Giddey has a chance to be the highest-paid player on the team and is only 22 years old. Billy Donovan has to work with the front office to figure out how to develop the newcomers to Chicago.
The good news is that Buzelis and Giddey grew last season. Buzelis became a starter and showed flashes of his potential, while Giddey progressed on defense and shooting, his two biggest weaknesses. The bad news is that the Bulls fired Peter Patton, their former director of player development. Bulls fans should value development as much as any other phase of the offseason after Patrick Williams has failed to improve since his rookie season.
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The Bulls have been stuck in mediocrity since Tom Thibodeau left. This offseason could be the start of a new era of Bulls basketball.
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