The Chicago Bulls’ 2026-27 roster will likely look very different from the club’s 2025-26 lineup. Big men Nick Richards, Guerschon Yabusele and Zach Collins, plus guards Collin Sexton and Anfernee Simons, will all be unrestricted free agents unless they agree to contract extensions.
Beyond intriguing young pieces Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and, maybe, Leonard Miller, it feels like everyone else is pretty expendable. Will Rob Dillingham play another game for the Bulls? Time will tell.
Thanks to all those contracts coming off their books (props to former president Arturas Karnisovas and ex-GM Marc Eversley on this one), the Bulls will have the requisite real estate needed to make a major splash in free agency.
Given the club’s rebuilding timeline, it seems likely that Chicago could prioritize young restricted free agents if anything.
The Bulls have thus, understandably, been connected to four restricted free agents in recent days — despite having their AKME replacements installed just yet.
Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn ImagesPeyton Watson to the Bulls?
As we noted recently, the Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets are all expected to be possible signing fits for Denver Nuggets small forward Watson. Stein notes that the Lakers and Bulls considered adding Watson via trade at this year’s deadline.
The anticipated interest of these three teams is not a surprise — they’re the three teams who should have the most cap space this summer. Keith Smith of Spotrac calculates that Chicago will have the most cap space out of any team this summer, with $58.4 million in projected room.
The Lakers, who currently lead the Houston Rockets 3-2 in the playoffs sans Doncic, have $48.1 million available. What L.A. elects to do with 41-year-old LeBron James and Rui Hachimura coming off its books this summer remains to be seen, but re-signing either forward could affect the club’s room for additional Luka Doncic help.
Brooklyn, which finished the season with a brutal 20-62 record after drafting a whopping five rookies last summer, will have a projected $44.6 million in cap room.
Watson, after a breakout season, was sorely missed for Denver during its surprise first-round playoff series upset loss against the lower-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. So Denver will certainly be angling to keep him, if at all possible.
Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn ImagesCould the Bulls Make a Play for a Trio of RFA Centers?
Beyond Watson, Chicago has already also been linked to three restricted free agent centers.
Detroit Pistons All-Star Jalen Duren, rim-protecting Utah Jazz big Walker Kessler, and Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams are all expected to make a push for consideration from the Bulls.
Opposing teams can tender new contract offers to restricted free agents, but their incumbent teams have a brief window to match that money. So, if anything, reps are incentivized to use clubs with cap space as leverage to drive up the asking price for their clients — even if said clients will likely just be retained by their teams.
It’s important to keep tabs on the language in these reports.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line writes, “There is an anticipation that Williams, like Detroit’s Jalen Duren and Utah’s Walker Kessler, will attempt to generate interest from Chicago in restricted free agency.”
He’s not saying the Bulls actually have registered interest just yet. So who’s leaking this to Fischer, who’s fairly plugged-in to the NBA world?
It sure seems like it’s their agents, hoping to drum up interest and thus increase everyone’s bottom line.
Duren, still just 22, enjoyed a breakout season while helping push the Pistons to a 64-18 record. He averaged a career-high 19.5 points on 65 percent field goal shooting and 74.7 percent free throw shooting, plus 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 dimes, 0.8 blocks and 0.8 swipes per bout. He made his first All-Star team and finished 11th in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Prior to the playoffs, Duren appeared to be in line for a maximum salary. Then Wendell Carter Jr. happened. The ex-Bulls lottery pick has absolutely outperformed Duren during the No. 8-seeded Orlando Magic’s surprisingly robust first-round showing against Detroit.
Duren is struggling to score or clean the glass at his regular season levels, averaging just 10.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per. The Magic lead the favored Pistons 3-2, and the series is returning to Orlando on Friday night. Could a team like the Bulls try to overpay for Duren, or will the Pistons just shrug off this frustrating postseason turn and pony up the cash?
Kessler and Williams will be more affordable. Injury issues may give Chicago’s front office pause, but given their age and two-way upside, the Bulls could at least consider slight overpays to poach either center from his current club.
Williams is more mobile than the bulkier Kessler, but his longer-term health problems may make him more affordable for the Bulls, Suns, or whoever else swoops in to grab him this summer. Although he did play in 60 games for the Suns this year as Phoenix’s starting five, a foot injury kept Williams out of the team’s entire play-in and playoff run.
Hence then, the article about bulls free agent interest breaking down recent rumors was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Bulls Free Agent Interest: Breaking Down Recent Rumors )
Also on site :
- Gianni Infantino’s attempt at forcing Israel-Palestine handshake backfires at Fifa Congress
- After IPL 2026 exit, Mitchell Santner to miss crucial WTC matches for New Zealand
- Why a shock Hearts title would hurt Rangers most of all