Building the Bulls 2026-2027 Season

[Dan Z]

I would not build the team around tanking for next year's draft. Next year's draft is supposed to be a huge step down. There's also likely going to be changes to draft odds or tanking too. Perennial tankers like Utah and Washington looking to compete next year should be a big warning sign that we shouldn't do that.

Next year the Bulls might be bad by default. The East looks like it'll be improved.

[Dan Z]

Realistically, there's a good chance that the person we draft will be a guard. That probably should impact how we value Ivey and other potential signings. We need to shore up our front-court. I think Smith can be a long-term piece. I think Richards could be a cheap, multi-year option, but aside from just finding young, long-term pieces, we probably need to focus on defense and our front-court.

When I look at mock drafts it seems like the best guards available in our range are point guards. Do we draft one even though there are three on the current roster?

[HomoSapien]

Realistically, there's a good chance that the person we draft will be a guard. That probably should impact how we value Ivey and other potential signings. We need to shore up our front-court. I think Smith can be a long-term piece. I think Richards could be a cheap, multi-year option, but aside from just finding young, long-term pieces, we probably need to focus on defense and our front-court.

When I look at mock drafts it seems like the best guards available in our range are point guards. Do we draft one even though there are three on the current roster?

I think we have to draft whoever has the best star potential even if that person is a PG. We'll know more about Dillingham over the course of this season, but as of now I'm hopeful we can use him as a sweetener to move up. Giddey and one other PG should be okay. Giddey's big enough where you can play him at different positions depending on the defensive matchup, but trying to balance Giddey, Dillingham, and a third point guard would be too much IMO.

[drosestruts]

Typical Bulls leadership with zero direction in sight for their fan base.

It would actually be against CBA rules and result in a fine or loss of draft picks if our front office just straight up said "we're gonn try to poach Peyton Watson via RFA"

Pretty sure you're not supposed to directly name players under contract with other teams.

It's a contributor to the bland front office word salads so many personell deliver.

You can't say much really

But in an actions speak louder than words world - I'm not sure they've shown much of a plan. Check out former lottery picks and hope they blossom in a new environment. I suppose is a strategy.

[drosestruts]

I think our biggest needs are:

1. Actual high-level talent
2. Big man depth
3. Putting ourselves in position to have the contracts, players, and picks necessary to pull off a significant trade (another way to say this is - be young, don't add bad contracts).

so if the draft played out based exactly on current records we'd have picks 10, 33, and 56

With those picks I would take:

Hannes Steinbach - 10
Ebuka Okorie - 33 (pure upside play, reminds me of Colin Sexton and Jeremiah Fears. Not sure why he's mocked so low)
Alex Condon - 56 (signed to a 2-way)

This already has us at 12 players, in free agency I'd:

Play hardball, but eventually re-sign Ivery to hopefully a team-friendly deal

Re-sign Zach Collins

Re-sign Nick Richards

I'd love to get cure and bring back Ayo, but far more likely we just re-sign someone like Sexton

Ideally Collins, Richards, and Sexton are all on very team-friendly contracts. That's part of the appeal here

Giddey/Jones/Dillingham
Ivey/Sexton/Okorie/
Buzelis/Okoro/Miller
Smith/Essengue/Williams
Z. Collins/Steinbach/Richards/Condon

I don't think we'd be all that good, but we'd be young and hopefully entertaining to watch.

Most importantly, we'd remain flexible as we move forward.

I sometimes have dreams of signing someone like Hartenstein and him making us a good defensive team with his paint protection and Buzelis and Smith's shot blocking, but I'm just not sure it's time to spend big.

[sco]

I think our biggest needs are:

1. Actual high-level talent
2. Big man depth
3. Putting ourselves in position to have the contracts, players, and picks necessary to pull off a significant trade (another way to say this is - be young, don't add bad contracts).

so if the draft played out based exactly on current records we'd have picks 10, 33, and 56

With those picks I would take:

Hannes Steinbach - 10
Ebuka Okorie - 33 (pure upside play, reminds me of Colin Sexton and Jeremiah Fears. Not sure why he's mocked so low)
Alex Condon - 56 (signed to a 2-way)

This already has us at 12 players, in free agency I'd:

Play hardball, but eventually re-sign Ivery to hopefully a team-friendly deal

Re-sign Zach Collins

Re-sign Nick Richards

I'd love to get cure and bring back Ayo, but far more likely we just re-sign someone like Sexton

Ideally Collins, Richards, and Sexton are all on very team-friendly contracts. That's part of the appeal here

Giddey/Jones/Dillingham
Ivey/Sexton/Okorie/
Buzelis/Okoro/Miller
Smith/Essengue/Williams
Z. Collins/Steinbach/Richards/Condon

I don't think we'd be all that good, but we'd be young and hopefully entertaining to watch.

Most importantly, we'd remain flexible as we move forward.

I sometimes have dreams of signing someone like Hartenstein and him making us a good defensive team with his paint protection and Buzelis and Smith's shot blocking, but I'm just not sure it's time to spend big.

Picking up on your first point, I think there is no moving forward without adding a true #1 option.

We have the assets to trade for one, should the right one come available at a cost that doesn't bankrupt the team talent-wise. I think we have a better shot by going all-in on Watson...he's a long-shot, but IMO our best shot. There's a better than 50/50 that either Denver matches or that Watson is fools gold, but it's all about making a low probability guess pan out.

[MikeDC]

I think our biggest needs are:

1. Actual high-level talent
2. Big man depth
3. Putting ourselves in position to have the contracts, players, and picks necessary to pull off a significant trade (another way to say this is - be young, don't add bad contracts).

so if the draft played out based exactly on current records we'd have picks 10, 33, and 56

With those picks I would take:

Hannes Steinbach - 10
Ebuka Okorie - 33 (pure upside play, reminds me of Colin Sexton and Jeremiah Fears. Not sure why he's mocked so low)
Alex Condon - 56 (signed to a 2-way)

This already has us at 12 players, in free agency I'd:

Play hardball, but eventually re-sign Ivery to hopefully a team-friendly deal

Re-sign Zach Collins

Re-sign Nick Richards

I'd love to get cure and bring back Ayo, but far more likely we just re-sign someone like Sexton

Ideally Collins, Richards, and Sexton are all on very team-friendly contracts. That's part of the appeal here

Giddey/Jones/Dillingham
Ivey/Sexton/Okorie/
Buzelis/Okoro/Miller
Smith/Essengue/Williams
Z. Collins/Steinbach/Richards/Condon

I don't think we'd be all that good, but we'd be young and hopefully entertaining to watch.

Most importantly, we'd remain flexible as we move forward.

I sometimes have dreams of signing someone like Hartenstein and him making us a good defensive team with his paint protection and Buzelis and Smith's shot blocking, but I'm just not sure it's time to spend big.

Picking up on your first point, I think there is no moving forward without adding a true #1 option.

We have the assets to trade for one, should the right one come available at a cost that doesn't bankrupt the team talent-wise. I think we have a better shot by going all-in on Watson...he's a long-shot, but IMO our best shot. There's a better than 50/50 that either Denver matches or that Watson is fools gold, but it's all about making a low probability guess pan out.

What do you all think about Eason? It seems like most metrics think he's better. If we're going to swing on a guy, seems like it should be him.

[meekrab]

Ayo would have to really really hate Minneapolis' winter to want to come back to this dumpster fire. He's in the perfect role for him with a good team, he's not coming back to the team that shipped him out for some scratch off lotto tickets.

[boozapalooza]

I honestly make no attempt to compete next year. Its all about positioning the team to complete the roster by next draft.

Personally I'd move on from Giddey but I dont see that as anything the team will do so I'll avoid that.

This season I try to fill the holes at SG and C. I'm saving cash for big moves. If I can get Kessler or Duren I would go all in. Thats probably unlikely because their teams will match. So that probably leaves the draft for center.

At shooting guard Watson is the guy you want. Offer him what it takes. If that falls thru I go back to the Portland pick and hope for a SG.

What i wouldn't do is add a bunch of mid impact free agents that propel the team to play in again.

If I have to hold onto cap space and go again next year, thats what I do.

Agreed, but does Silver enacting anti-tank rules prior to next season factor into it? Any chances of tanking might get screwed by the timing of this.

[Bulliever2020]

Don't know where else to put this so just going to put it here. Spoiler Alert: Bulls rank 28th

Read on Twitter

[drosestruts]

Ayo would have to really really hate Minneapolis' winter to want to come back to this dumpster fire. He's in the perfect role for him with a good team, he's not coming back to the team that shipped him out for some scratch off lotto tickets.

Nah we'd just have to pay him more. If Minnesota is weary of the tax, it'll be possible to financially pry Ayo away.

They'll be at like ~$170m for just 8 players. Tax starts at $190, 1st Apron is $210.

They paid the tax this year but while remaining below the 1st apron.

Actually typing it all out, might be more difficult than I anticipated. None of their other free agents will likely command any serious money to keep

[drosestruts]

I think our biggest needs are:

1. Actual high-level talent
2. Big man depth
3. Putting ourselves in position to have the contracts, players, and picks necessary to pull off a significant trade (another way to say this is - be young, don't add bad contracts).

so if the draft played out based exactly on current records we'd have picks 10, 33, and 56

With those picks I would take:

Hannes Steinbach - 10
Ebuka Okorie - 33 (pure upside play, reminds me of Colin Sexton and Jeremiah Fears. Not sure why he's mocked so low)
Alex Condon - 56 (signed to a 2-way)

This already has us at 12 players, in free agency I'd:

Play hardball, but eventually re-sign Ivery to hopefully a team-friendly deal

Re-sign Zach Collins

Re-sign Nick Richards

I'd love to get cure and bring back Ayo, but far more likely we just re-sign someone like Sexton

Ideally Collins, Richards, and Sexton are all on very team-friendly contracts. That's part of the appeal here

Giddey/Jones/Dillingham
Ivey/Sexton/Okorie/
Buzelis/Okoro/Miller
Smith/Essengue/Williams
Z. Collins/Steinbach/Richards/Condon

I don't think we'd be all that good, but we'd be young and hopefully entertaining to watch.

Most importantly, we'd remain flexible as we move forward.

I sometimes have dreams of signing someone like Hartenstein and him making us a good defensive team with his paint protection and Buzelis and Smith's shot blocking, but I'm just not sure it's time to spend big.

Picking up on your first point, I think there is no moving forward without adding a true #1 option.

We have the assets to trade for one, should the right one come available at a cost that doesn't bankrupt the team talent-wise. I think we have a better shot by going all-in on Watson...he's a long-shot, but IMO our best shot. There's a better than 50/50 that either Denver matches or that Watson is fools gold, but it's all about making a low probability guess pan out.

Watson might be good, I'm always cautious of guys that looks good while playing next to all-time greats, which Jokic is.

[Primo Movement]

I think our biggest needs are:

1. Actual high-level talent
2. Big man depth
3. Putting ourselves in position to have the contracts, players, and picks necessary to pull off a significant trade (another way to say this is - be young, don't add bad contracts).

so if the draft played out based exactly on current records we'd have picks 10, 33, and 56

With those picks I would take:

Hannes Steinbach - 10
Ebuka Okorie - 33 (pure upside play, reminds me of Colin Sexton and Jeremiah Fears. Not sure why he's mocked so low)
Alex Condon - 56 (signed to a 2-way)

This already has us at 12 players, in free agency I'd:

Play hardball, but eventually re-sign Ivery to hopefully a team-friendly deal

Re-sign Zach Collins

Re-sign Nick Richards

I'd love to get cure and bring back Ayo, but far more likely we just re-sign someone like Sexton

Ideally Collins, Richards, and Sexton are all on very team-friendly contracts. That's part of the appeal here

Giddey/Jones/Dillingham
Ivey/Sexton/Okorie/
Buzelis/Okoro/Miller
Smith/Essengue/Williams
Z. Collins/Steinbach/Richards/Condon

I don't think we'd be all that good, but we'd be young and hopefully entertaining to watch.

Most importantly, we'd remain flexible as we move forward.

I sometimes have dreams of signing someone like Hartenstein and him making us a good defensive team with his paint protection and Buzelis and Smith's shot blocking, but I'm just not sure it's time to spend big.

We have huge cap space and you came up with this team? Jerry is that you?

[drosestruts]

I think our biggest needs are:

1. Actual high-level talent
2. Big man depth
3. Putting ourselves in position to have the contracts, players, and picks necessary to pull off a significant trade (another way to say this is - be young, don't add bad contracts).

so if the draft played out based exactly on current records we'd have picks 10, 33, and 56

With those picks I would take:

Hannes Steinbach - 10
Ebuka Okorie - 33 (pure upside play, reminds me of Colin Sexton and Jeremiah Fears. Not sure why he's mocked so low)
Alex Condon - 56 (signed to a 2-way)

This already has us at 12 players, in free agency I'd:

Play hardball, but eventually re-sign Ivery to hopefully a team-friendly deal

Re-sign Zach Collins

Re-sign Nick Richards

I'd love to get cure and bring back Ayo, but far more likely we just re-sign someone like Sexton

Ideally Collins, Richards, and Sexton are all on very team-friendly contracts. That's part of the appeal here

Giddey/Jones/Dillingham
Ivey/Sexton/Okorie/
Buzelis/Okoro/Miller
Smith/Essengue/Williams
Z. Collins/Steinbach/Richards/Condon

I don't think we'd be all that good, but we'd be young and hopefully entertaining to watch.

Most importantly, we'd remain flexible as we move forward.

I sometimes have dreams of signing someone like Hartenstein and him making us a good defensive team with his paint protection and Buzelis and Smith's shot blocking, but I'm just not sure it's time to spend big.

We have huge cap space and you came up with this team? Jerry is that you?

We do have huge cap space, this just kicks the can down the road to hopefully use it another offseason

At times I've liked the idea of attempting to spend big on someone like Hartenstein

Other times, I'm smply unsure if now is the moment to spend big (both due to where our team is at, and the players available).

[Primo Movement]

Current roster for next season :
PG : Giddey, Jones, Dillingham
SG : ////
SF : Buzelis, Okoro
PF : Smith, Essengue, Williams
C : ////
Roster cost is around 90-91M! If we rescind all RFA rights (Ivey, Miller..)

Salary cap expected for next season is around 170M, which gives us 80M in cap space, very nice money to play around.

Current draft picks we have at #10,#33,#56 :
#10 Yaxel Lendeborg 6'9 PF with 7'4 wingspan, older rookie, instant plug and play
#33 Henri Veesaar 7'0 C, 22yrs old Estonian
#56 dont really care.. we wont play 3 rookies next year, even 4 because Essengue will be basically a rookie as well.

Of course lottery draft luck could change things a lot,as well if we get POR pick on top of it!!!

Free agency :
Get Ayo back 20M per, 4yrs deal - not that expensive!
Try to sign Q.Grimes 3yrs deal - 15M per
Sign M.Williams 3yrs, 19M per
Sign Richards 2yrs, 5.5M per
So two rookies , Yaxel 5.3M approx, Veesaar 1.2M
We spent still only approx. 66-67M and build quite solid team with younger team and some vets.

Still some money left to sign one good veteran guard/wing shooter.. approx.13M per season

Giddey, Ayo, Buzelis, Smith/Yaxel, M.Williams

Jones, Okoro, Grimes, Yaxel/Smith, Richards/Veesaar

x - Dillingham, P.Williams, Essengue

[ghostinthepost1]

Current roster for next season :
PG : Giddey, Jones, Dillingham
SG : ////
SF : Buzelis, Okoro
PF : Smith, Essengue, Williams
C : ////
Roster cost is around 90-91M! If we rescind all RFA rights (Ivey, Miller..)

Salary cap expected for next season is around 170M, which gives us 80M in cap space, very nice money to play around.

Current draft picks we have at #10,#33,#56 :
#10 Yaxel Lendeborg 6'9 PF with 7'4 wingspan, older rookie, instant plug and play
#33 Henri Veesaar 7'0 C, 22yrs old Estonian
#56 dont really care.. we wont play 3 rookies next year, even 4 because Essengue will be basically a rookie as well.

Of course lottery draft luck could change things a lot,as well if we get POR pick on top of it!!!

Free agency :
Get Ayo back 20M per, 4yrs deal - not that expensive!
Try to sign Q.Grimes 3yrs deal - 15M per
Sign M.Williams 3yrs, 19M per
Sign Richards 2yrs, 5.5M per
So two rookies , Yaxel 5.3M approx, Veesaar 1.2M
We spent still only approx. 66-67M and build quite solid team with younger team and some vets.

Still some money left to sign one good veteran guard/wing shooter.. approx.13M per season

Giddey, Ayo, Buzelis, Smith/Yaxel, M.Williams

Jones, Okoro, Grimes, Yaxel/Smith, Richards/Veesaar

x - Dillingham, P.Williams, Essengue

Isn't this just locking us into another low ceiling, high floor ~41 win team for the next three years?

I think Essengue is probably a bust but we've invested too much in him to not give him minutes and see if he develops. Similar thoughts on Dillingham.

[Primo Movement]

Current roster for next season :
PG : Giddey, Jones, Dillingham
SG : ////
SF : Buzelis, Okoro
PF : Smith, Essengue, Williams
C : ////
Roster cost is around 90-91M! If we rescind all RFA rights (Ivey, Miller..)

Salary cap expected for next season is around 170M, which gives us 80M in cap space, very nice money to play around.

Current draft picks we have at #10,#33,#56 :
#10 Yaxel Lendeborg 6'9 PF with 7'4 wingspan, older rookie, instant plug and play
#33 Henri Veesaar 7'0 C, 22yrs old Estonian
#56 dont really care.. we wont play 3 rookies next year, even 4 because Essengue will be basically a rookie as well.

Of course lottery draft luck could change things a lot,as well if we get POR pick on top of it!!!

Free agency :
Get Ayo back 20M per, 4yrs deal - not that expensive!
Try to sign Q.Grimes 3yrs deal - 15M per
Sign M.Williams 3yrs, 19M per
Sign Richards 2yrs, 5.5M per
So two rookies , Yaxel 5.3M approx, Veesaar 1.2M
We spent still only approx. 66-67M and build quite solid team with younger team and some vets.

Still some money left to sign one good veteran guard/wing shooter.. approx.13M per season

Giddey, Ayo, Buzelis, Smith/Yaxel, M.Williams

Jones, Okoro, Grimes, Yaxel/Smith, Richards/Veesaar

x - Dillingham, P.Williams, Essengue

Isn't this just locking us into another low ceiling, high floor ~41 win team for the next three years?

I think Essengue is probably a bust but we've invested too much in him to not give him minutes and see if he develops. Similar thoughts on Dillingham.

I posted semi realistic roster..

Best case scenario : we luck into draft lottery and get top 4 pick and we get one big RFA target things change big time

[Guru]

This is a good article about Watson and how the Bulls might get him.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/peyton-watson-breakout-nuggets-financial-payroll/r

[MikeDC]

This is a good article about Watson and how the Bulls might get him.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/peyton-watson-breakout-nuggets-financial-payroll/r

Why Watson and not Eason?

[eierluke]

I don't really see a thread about overall thoughts on how to build the team in 2026-2027 so I thought I would start one. I've been posting my ideas in different threads here and there. This isn't meant to be me putting out a plan and you discussing it, it's meant to be a home for any thoughts on long-term building.

Signed contracts for 2026-2027
1 Giddey (25M FA 30)
2 Tre (8M FA 29, Team option 28)
3 Dillingham (6.5M RFA 29, Team option 28)
4 Buzelis (5.4M RFA 29, Team option 28)
5 Okoro (11M FA 27)
6 Smith (9M FA 27)
7 Essengue (5.4M RFA 30, Team option 29)
8 Williams (18M FA 2029, Player option 28)

Free Agents
G-Simons (27.6M)
G-Sexton (18.9M)
C-Collins (18M)
F-Yabusele (5.5M)
C-Richards (5M)
G-Ivey (10M RFA)
F-Miller (2.2M, Team option 27)

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/chicago-bulls/yearly

2-way contracts
C Lachlan Olbrich
G Yuki Kawamura
G Mac McClung

Cap Space
If the Bulls renounce all cap holds they'll be $72 million under the cap.
If the Bulls renounce all cap holds except Ivey, they'll be $42 million under the cap.

However much Ivey signs for under $30 million, and hopefully he's getting paid way less than that, is added back to that $42 million number. So if Ivey signs for $10 million, the Bulls will have $62 million in cap space.-ghost

Draft picks for 2026
Chicago 1st
Portland Lottery Protected
New Orleans Rd 2

the numbers i've found differ slightly:
cap expected at 166 mio
8 player for 90.5 mio under contract
add about 6 mio for our 1st rd pick + 4 x 1.5 mio for 4 other roster spots (every team has to calculate with 13 spots)
Now we're at about 102 mio = 64 cap space.

The most interesting are 149.4 mio
(this is 90 % of the predicted salary cap, which every team has to spend at minimum)
My plan as a GM would be to save the maximum of money to tank on full year and to restart full throttle 2027/8