$102 million in expiring contracts

[League Circles]

The Bulls currently have an enormous amount of contracts that expire at the end of next season - about $102 million for these guys:

Vuc
Ball (team option for 26-27)
Phillips (team option for 26-27)
Terry (RFA in summer 2026)
Carter (assuming he picks up his player option which I think is assured)
Coby
Ayo
Huerter
Collins

Most of these guys are not considered likely part of our future, so it seems that if we want, we could absorb a ton of long term salary in trades. I think this is an underrated bright spot for us. Doesn't mean anything will happen, but we have the options.

Now nobody is trading us a really good player even on an overpaid deal without getting something back in return, which might be future draft picks, the Portland pick, or maybe guys like Coby if they play well up to the deadline next season.

Obviously actual cap space in 2026 has been discussed, and we know the pros and cons of that, but the amount of expiring salary to potentially uae in trades is simply enormous. Virtually unprecedented in my memory at least.

Obviously we don't want to move too quick and do what we did with Vuc when AK came on board, but perhaps there is a way to bring in one or more impact players mostly due to our salary flexibility. Thoughts?

[Tetlak]

Cap space is irrelevant. It's not like you can sign a star, and AK inspires no faith that he's going to make shrewd moves. We're set to be bad for a long time and we"re just at the beginning.

[League Circles]

Cap space is irrelevant. It's not like you can sign a star, and AK inspires no faith that he's going to make shrewd moves. We're set to be bad for a long time and we"re just at the beginning.

Actually the CBA still does allow for signing free agents with cap space. But this is about the expiring contracts specifically in terms of exploring trades.

[patryk7754]

Cap space is irrelevant. It's not like you can sign a star, and AK inspires no faith that he's going to make shrewd moves. We're set to be bad for a long time and we"re just at the beginning.

I agree that banking on signing a star FA in the wrong plan. For the most part, the major difference makers don't hit the market. They sign their massive contract and demand a trade a year later. Unless your FO has proven to be able to build through the draft, you kind of have to pursue a star via trade. AK has not proven to be able to build through the draft.

While on the topic of AK, I would like to see him replaced with Troy Weaver. But I get the feeling, Reisndorff wouldn't hire someone like him.

[patryk7754]

I disagree that no one would trade us a good player. A lot of those players are really good role players. So even if the team that would be sending us a star player doesn't want them, we can add a third team to help facilitate the trade. White would be a very good to great 6th man on a contender and Vuc averaging 19 and 10 on very high efficiency would be attractive to a contender. I can't imagine a contender wouldn't be willing to part ways with a bottom 10 pick if they think they can be significant contributors to competing for a title. We could've gotten a 1st for lonzo.

At minimum, I would want to clear enough cap to sign Naz reid and Walker-Alexander. Those two paired, with a minimum, of Matas and our 2025 pick would set us up great for the future. On top of that I would like to keep Lonzo, Ayo, and Collins. I think we're probably resigning Giddey as well. Lonzo/Giddey/2025 pick/Matas/NAW/Reid/Collins. I think that team will be entertaining and at least competing for a play in. If we can package the rest of the players (along with any pick other than the 2025 pick), I think we have a legit shot at adding an all-star to all NBA player.

If we need to add a third team or do a separate trade altogether to take on some of those guys, I think that's very doable. They have good value to playoff teams. White and Vuc have a very good chance of getting us a low 1st. Huerter is tradable, probably get second-round picks for him. Pistons, Magic, Grizzlies, Rockets, Warriors, Clippers, Kings, Mavs, and Pacers are some teams that come to mind that will probably looking to add talent in the trade market.

Even if we don't have a legit shot at a star (which I strongly disagree with that idea), at minimum, we NEED to have enough cap to sign Reid. Even if we need to over pay for him. I think he can be a 25 and 10 guy, while playing elite defense. It's a bit of a risk since he's a career backup and maybe he can't translate what he does into being a full-time starter, but I would be shocked. If the timberwolves were smart, they'd package Gobert and picks for another star and just resign Reid to be the starter. Hopefully, they are not smart.

[MrSparkle]

2026 FA pool sucks.

2027 is amazing, unless every single guy resigns with their team (unlikely).

They need to extend/position or keep the 27 cap clean. Locking Giddey/Coby/Ayo into some combined $70M of deals, with Pat and Jalen on the books ($27M)… would be bad. Should open 2 max slots.

[patryk7754]

With how much I would like to make big moves, it's very unlikely. If the plan is to enter 2026 with a lot of cap space, there isn't really anyone worth spending it on in free agency. So maybe, the best plan would be looking at players that expire in 2027 and target them in trades next off-season. There are a lot of great players either expiring or on player options but they're either 30 plus or not tradable. The only notable players that are expiring in 2027 and under 30 are Trea Young, Luka, SGA, MPJ, and Jalen Green (player option). Luka isn't going to get traded. I guess there has been some concern about him signing an extension, but I can't imagine he doesn't and if he doesn't, I don't think the lakers trade him. Can't imagine SGA doesn't sign the super-max with the thunder. If for some reason he demands out, the Thunder will fleece whoever they trade with. Young is probably gone (if not this off-season). MPJ would only make sense in certain cases. I don't think Green would be worth what it takes to trade for him (if the rockets would even be open to trading him).

[sco]

The opportunity that I see is to be the team that takes on a few bad contracts in order to pick-up a few first round picks. That opportunity starts this offseason.

I think we have a great combo of guys who are not just expiring, but also are very good rotation players for teams with specific needs...I think that all of Coby, Ayo, Huerter, Ball, Vuc, Carter and Collins fall into that category.

I am looking hard for a move on draft night to pick up a 2nd FRP.

[Red8911]

Cap space is irrelevant. It's not like you can sign a star, and AK inspires no faith that he's going to make shrewd moves. We're set to be bad for a long time and we"re just at the beginning.

Can use cap space through trades. It’s always good to have space, a lot more flexibility.

[Red8911]

The opportunity that I see is to be the team that takes on a few bad contracts in order to pick-up a few first round picks. That opportunity starts this offseason.

I think we have a great combo of guys who are not just expiring, but also are very good rotation players for teams with specific needs...I think that all of Coby, Ayo, Huerter, Ball, Vuc, Carter and Collins fall into that category.

I am looking hard for a move on draft night to pick up a 2nd FRP.

Why do you want a second first round pick ? If you don’t know who the bulls would actually pick with that pick then makes no sense to want another one.

[sco]

The opportunity that I see is to be the team that takes on a few bad contracts in order to pick-up a few first round picks. That opportunity starts this offseason.

I think we have a great combo of guys who are not just expiring, but also are very good rotation players for teams with specific needs...I think that all of Coby, Ayo, Huerter, Ball, Vuc, Carter and Collins fall into that category.

I am looking hard for a move on draft night to pick up a 2nd FRP.

Why do you want a second first round pick ? If you don’t know who the bulls would actually pick with that pick then makes no sense to want another one.

There are often very interesting prospects that fall in the draft. Or, if you like, we could use it to move up or package with PWill to get rid of him.

Generally, I'm not a fan of having 2 rooks to develop in a year, but next season will likely be a tank year and it may end up being a win-win.

[ChettheJet]

I don't want to go through a rough season only to be staring at that $102M of cap space with only second line FAs to spend it on. I don't want to just toss every player with those expiring contracts and then sign different guys for the same money that the expiring guys could have cost and have to get 12 new guys to mesh. There's the option of trading for a big money player into cap space but who knows if that's a good offer. Here's where GarPax knew what they were doing, they staggered when the biggest contracts would expire so they had options every year and not one giant pile of cap space at the wrong time

Right now
By the start of next season

I'm opting in on Lonzo and NOT trading him.
I am trading Vucevic and Carter, trying to trade, Coby, Ayo.

What comes back in a Vuc trade, can they get anything for Carter? How much do other teams think White and Dosunmu are worth?


I want to see what kind of offer it takes to resign Collins and Huerter, at less than they make now they are some stable veterans to have around for a team rebuilding on the fly. I resign Tre Jones for the same reason
If he continues to play like he is I'm probably willing to pay Giddey #25M

I'm slamming the door on all these posters who think they can steal Jalen Smith
Obviously Matas starts
Patrick and Phillips join Huerter and Jones maybe Collins/Smith coming off the bench, some of them could start depending on the trade returns

The #1 pick doesn't get forced into the rotation

[League Circles]

I don't want to go through a rough season only to be staring at that $102M of cap space with only second line FAs to spend it on. I don't want to just toss every player with those expiring contracts and then sign different guys for the same money that the expiring guys could have cost and have to get 12 new guys to mesh. There's the option of trading for a big money player into cap space but who knows if that's a good offer. Here's where GarPax knew what they were doing, they staggered when the biggest contracts would expire so they had options every year and not one giant pile of cap space at the wrong time

Right now
By the start of next season

I'm opting in on Lonzo and NOT trading him.
I am trading Vucevic and Carter, trying to trade, Coby, Ayo.

What comes back in a Vuc trade, can they get anything for Carter? How much do other teams think White and Dosunmu are worth?


I want to see what kind of offer it takes to resign Collins and Huerter, at less than they make now they are some stable veterans to have around for a team rebuilding on the fly. I resign Tre Jones for the same reason
If he continues to play like he is I'm probably willing to pay Giddey #25M

I'm slamming the door on all these posters who think they can steal Jalen Smith
Obviously Matas starts
Patrick and Phillips join Huerter and Jones maybe Collins/Smith coming off the bench, some of them could start depending on the trade returns

The #1 pick doesn't get forced into the rotation

It's not going to be 102 million of cap space, that's just the amount of expiring contracts.

Pretty sure we don't have to decide on Lonzo's 2026-27 team option until summer 2026.

How do you know that you'll trade Vuc and Carter without knowing what the Bulls will be offered? Good chance they get zero offers of anything worthwhile IMO. Not sure Carter will even be eligible to be traded after he picks up his player option for next season.

Unless we magically trade somebody into cap space, which is almost certainly not going to happen, then we literally already have all of our roster spots spoken for already next season, unless we make a consolidation trade (which we should def look into but it's unlikely IMO). We already have 12 guys under contract assuming Carter opts in, then re-signing Giddey brings us to 13, then our FRP and SRP are the 14th and 15th guys.

So unless we clear a roster spot or waive our second round pick, Tre Jones is for sure not coming back next year, cause there is no roster spot. Yes we might make some trades, but most likely they'd be bringing back the same number of players they send out or more.

[sco]

I don't want to go through a rough season only to be staring at that $102M of cap space with only second line FAs to spend it on. I don't want to just toss every player with those expiring contracts and then sign different guys for the same money that the expiring guys could have cost and have to get 12 new guys to mesh. There's the option of trading for a big money player into cap space but who knows if that's a good offer. Here's where GarPax knew what they were doing, they staggered when the biggest contracts would expire so they had options every year and not one giant pile of cap space at the wrong time

Right now
By the start of next season

I'm opting in on Lonzo and NOT trading him.
I am trading Vucevic and Carter, trying to trade, Coby, Ayo.

What comes back in a Vuc trade, can they get anything for Carter? How much do other teams think White and Dosunmu are worth?


I want to see what kind of offer it takes to resign Collins and Huerter, at less than they make now they are some stable veterans to have around for a team rebuilding on the fly. I resign Tre Jones for the same reason
If he continues to play like he is I'm probably willing to pay Giddey #25M

I'm slamming the door on all these posters who think they can steal Jalen Smith
Obviously Matas starts
Patrick and Phillips join Huerter and Jones maybe Collins/Smith coming off the bench, some of them could start depending on the trade returns

The #1 pick doesn't get forced into the rotation

It's not going to be 102 million of cap space, that's just the amount of expiring contracts.

Pretty sure we don't have to decide on Lonzo's 2026-27 team option until summer 2026.

How do you know that you'll trade Vuc and Carter without knowing what the Bulls will be offered? Good chance they get zero offers of anything worthwhile IMO. Not sure Carter will even be eligible to be traded after he picks up his player option for next season.

Unless we magically trade somebody into cap space, which is almost certainly not going to happen, then we literally already have all of our roster spots spoken for already next season, unless we make a consolidation trade (which we should def look into but it's unlikely IMO). We already have 12 guys under contract assuming Carter opts in, then re-signing Giddey brings us to 13, then our FRP and SRP are the 14th and 15th guys.

So unless we clear a roster spot or waive our second round pick, Tre Jones is for sure not coming back next year, cause there is no roster spot. Yes we might make some trades, but most likely they'd be bringing back the same number of players they send out or more.

Tre Jones is too limited without a 3-ball and non-elite defense to waste a spot on next season.

[PJSteven22]

That’s great but Free Agency is dead

[Tetlak]

Cap space is irrelevant. It's not like you can sign a star, and AK inspires no faith that he's going to make shrewd moves. We're set to be bad for a long time and we"re just at the beginning.

Actually the CBA still does allow for signing free agents with cap space. But this is about the expiring contracts specifically in terms of exploring trades.

You know damn well this franchise will never sign a star player.

[Dan Z]

The opportunity that I see is to be the team that takes on a few bad contracts in order to pick-up a few first round picks. That opportunity starts this offseason.

I think we have a great combo of guys who are not just expiring, but also are very good rotation players for teams with specific needs...I think that all of Coby, Ayo, Huerter, Ball, Vuc, Carter and Collins fall into that category.

I am looking hard for a move on draft night to pick up a 2nd FRP.

When has AKs plan ever involved taking on longer contracts so he can acquire picks? I'd be surprised if he ever does that.

[Tetlak]

The opportunity that I see is to be the team that takes on a few bad contracts in order to pick-up a few first round picks. That opportunity starts this offseason.

I think we have a great combo of guys who are not just expiring, but also are very good rotation players for teams with specific needs...I think that all of Coby, Ayo, Huerter, Ball, Vuc, Carter and Collins fall into that category.

I am looking hard for a move on draft night to pick up a 2nd FRP.

This is a front office who couldn't even get 1st round picks for our best players, while taking on useless, high priced players.

You really think they're gonna pull off a rebuild?

[League Circles]

Cap space is irrelevant. It's not like you can sign a star, and AK inspires no faith that he's going to make shrewd moves. We're set to be bad for a long time and we"re just at the beginning.

Actually the CBA still does allow for signing free agents with cap space. But this is about the expiring contracts specifically in terms of exploring trades.

You know damn well this franchise will never sign a star player.

We sign a star player every few years in free agency:

2006: Wallace
2010: Boozer
2014: Gasol
2016: Wade
2021: Derozan

You can argue this all you want, say they were bad moves which may very well be true, but these guys were all stars at the time we signed them. But again, this isn't about free agency. It's about expiring contracts and the trade options they may give us.

[League Circles]

That’s great but Free Agency is dead

This isn't about free agency, and Paul George says hello.