The Chicago Bulls absolutely need to add a big man this offseason, and preferably one that can protect the rim.

The Bulls ranked toward the bottom of the NBA in defense this past year, and much of that had to do with them not having anyone to anchor the back end. With Chicago having plenty of cap space and a couple of first-round picks this summer, it absolutely must rectify that problem.

But while many are focused on the Bulls owning the No. 4 overall selection in the NBA Draft (and understandably so), they also could potentially swing a trade or two to bolster their roster. Given how much new top executive Bryson Graham values length and defense, the path for Chicago seems obvious.

The Bulls will surely be scouring the market for a defensive-minded center in the coming months, and where they find it is anyone’s guess.

In the meantime, Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale has identified an intriguing — but risky — trade option for Chicago: Dallas Mavericks big man Dereck Lively II.

Chicago Bulls could trade for Dereck Lively II

Lively has spent the first three years of his career with the Dallas Mavericks, but due to his checkered medical history, the Mavericks may be looking to move on.

“Finding a higher-upside swing in the middle should also be among Chicago’s long-term aims. Dereck Lively II would be an excellent flier,” Favale wrote. “The Dallas Mavericks may not be actively looking to move him, but his injury history could foist him into distressed-asset territory. Especially with his extension eligibility looming.”

The 22-year-old played in just seven games this past season, starting the year with a knee injury and then ending up sidelined for the entire campaign as a result of foot surgery. Since entering the league as a No. 12 overall pick in June 2023, Lively has appeared in a grand total of 98 contests.

Lively’s track record is obviously concerning, especially for a player headed toward restricted free agency after next season. When healthy, though, there is no question that he is an impactful player.

The Duke product — who stands 7-foot-1 — has logged 1.5 blocks over 22.9 minutes per game for his career, good for an average of 2.3 blocks per 36 minutes. He is also a fine rebounder, having registered 11 boards per 36 minutes to go along with a total rebound percentage of 16.6 percent.

Lively would absolutely represent a nice get for the Bulls, but again, his injury history should give Chicago pause.

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The Chicago Bulls have some improvements they can make during the 2026 NBA Draft. They are one of the teams with two picks in the first round, so they can make some big moves during the draft. Chicago can use these picks to add some significant size to the rotation, and EVP Bryson Graham can do that in his first draft with the franchise. Let’s take a closer look at one outlet’s mock draft and discuss who they can wind up selecting when they are officially on the clock.

The Chicago Bulls add Caleb Wilson with the fourth pick

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report created a first-round NBA mock draft and had the Bulls add two frontcourt players. With the fourth pick, Buckley had the Bulls select power forward Caleb Wilson from the North Carolina Tar Heels. Below is what he wrote about the selection:

“For parts of mock draft season, it felt like Wilson had a tier to himself behind the Dybantsa-Peterson-Boozer trio and ahead of the rest. At this point, it’s clear that Wilson has expanded that elite group into a Big Four. As The Athletic’s Josh Robbins and David Aldridge relayed, several executives and scouts said ‘they can envision Wilson developing into the best player in the draft.’ It still feels like Wilson will wind up in the same No. 4 spot he’s been mocked at for a while, if only because his shooting and creation limitations are clearer to see than the other prospects. The Bulls would be thrilled if Wilson does, though, since he feels tailor-made for the type of team Chicago’s new front office wants to put together.”

Wilson had a strong freshman season for the Tar Heels. The 6’10 forward averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.5 steals on 57.8/25.9/71.3 shooting splits. Chicago still has Patrick Williams, Jalen Smith, and Noa Essengue on the depth chart, so the power forward spot is deep. However, when you get the chance to add a talent like Wilson, you certainly do that. They could move off one of the other power forwards on the roster, but there is room to develop Wilson’s game, like his perimeter shooting and ball-handling skills. It will be interesting to see how the first three picks shape up, as the Bulls will likely get whichever one of the Big Four is still available.

The Chicago Bulls add a center at the end of the lottery

The Bulls are one of the teams with multiple picks in the first round of this year’s draft. They also hold the 15th pick via the Portland Trail Blazers. With the final pick in the lottery, the Bulls select freshman center Hannes Steinbach out of the Washington Huskies. Below is the scouting report that Buckley gives:

“Steinbach was another winner at the NBA Draft Combine. He passed the eye test as an NBA-caliber center measuring 6’10” without shoes (with a 7’2″ wingspan), and showing added bulk at 248 pounds. The Bulls happen to have a glaring void at center, and if they filled it with Steinbach, they’d be getting perhaps the draft’s best rebounder and one of its best post scorers. Steinbach has also flashed enough competence from three to believe he can serve in a stretch-big capacity and make it easier to fit puzzle pieces around him. That should be hugely appealing to a franchise in such an early stage of a top-to-bottom reset.”

Steinbach actually led the NCAA in rebounding in the 2025-26 season. He averaged 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals while posting a 57.7/34.0/75.9 shooting split. He was ble to showcase his abilities in the Big Ten Tournament, averaging 13.5 rebounds and 17.5 points, but the Huskies failed to reach the NCAA Tournament. With the lack of big games to see Steinbach play, it makes it a bit more of a gamble to take him in the lottery. However, he stepped up in Big Ten action, so it’s not like he is playing inferior competition. This would certainly add some incredible size and talent at the five spot to guard players like Joel Embiid, Victor Wembanyama, and Giannis Antetokounmpo going forward.

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The Chicago Bulls should be one of the more active teams in the NBA this offseason, as they own a wealth of cap space and possess two first-round draft picks, including the No. 4 overall selection.

The Bulls have posted just one winning campaign over the last decade, so it’s high time that Chicago emerges from the depths and re-establishes itself as a legitimate Eastern Conference contender. Of course, that will be easier said than done, and it might require things to get a bit ugly first.

New top executive Bryson Graham surely wants to put his fingerprints on the roster, which means he will want to accumulate as much draft capital as possible moving forward. That’s why Josh Giddey has been labeled a trade candidate, and it’s why the Bulls might also consider moves you wouldn’t initially expect.

Morris Bankston of Pippen Ain’t Easy, for example, has pitched the idea of Chicago re-acquiring Zach LaVine in a trade with the Sacramento Kings, and while that may sound insane on the surface, it actually makes sense when you hear Bankston’s rationale.

Could the Chicago Bulls bring Zach LaVine back?

Bankston envisions a scenario in which the Bulls could land LaVine from the Kings while also netting draft capital in return.

“Presuming LaVine exercises the $48.9 million player option in the final year of his contract, originally signed with the Chicago Bulls, there is an opportunity for the Bulls to engage the Kings in a trade negotiation to return LaVine to the Bulls, provided, of course, the deal also attaches draft capital to LaVine,” Bankston wrote.

The only issue I have here is that Sacramento may not be so willing to attach a draft pick to LaVine with just one year remaining on his contract (and again, that’s assuming LaVine exercises his option, which he almost certainly will). The Kings could instead just allow that money to come off the books at the end of the season and keep their draft capital intact.

However, Bankston thinks the Bulls could sweeten the pot by throwing Giddey into the deal, which would give Sacramento a young, relatively affordable player to build with moving forward. He then thinks Chicago could flip LaVine for more assets at next year’s trade deadline.

“Fast forwarding to the 2027 NBA trade deadline, perhaps a Bulls return is a modest asset, whether it is a young player or a second-round pick for an expiring LaVine that can juice a playoff roster’s offensive punch,” Bankston added.

Is it an interesting proposition? Sure. Is it incredibly realistic? Probably not. But I like what Bankston is thinking.

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The Chicago Bulls are still one of the teams without a head coach after Billy Donovan’s departure. There are some intriguing options that the front office can go after, but there is now a surprising option available. There is a new face available to the Bulls’ coaching search, but there will be some intriguing conversations regarding him. Let’s take a look at who the newest coaching option is and why the Bulls’ front office should seriously consider hiring him.

Jason Kidd makes a lot of sense to become the next Chicago Bulls coach

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday evening that the Dallas Mavericks and coach Jason Kidd have mutually parted ways. Kidd is owed more than $40 million over the next four years by the Mavericks. This means that if Kidd wants to stick it to the Mavericks front office, he could potentially become a coach next season and still have that money coming in. Of course, that all depends on the language of the contract, but it appears that Kidd wants to continue his coaching career following his departure in Dallas. Chicago could be a great landing spot for him.

He has a first-time general manager in Bryson Graham, so there is an ability to get some power in the front office. The Bulls also have a young roster with significant cap space, meaning he can shape the roster however he wants. Chicago has other coaching candidates like Tiago Splitter, Wes Unseld, and Sean Sweeney, but having Kidd as a potential hire is certainly intriguing. Kidd is known as a player-coach and has helped rebuild processes to improve. He holds a 388-395 (.496) career record in 10 seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks. This includes five trips to the playoffs and an NBA Finals appearance.

Having Kidd as the head coach would allow players to want to play for him. He has coached big-name players before with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Kyrie Irving. Chicago is a destination, and they have cap space, getting players to buy into the future. Having the Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer on the bench is certainly a way to replace Billy Donovan. It will be interesting if the Bulls approach this and if Kidd is even interested in coaching next season.

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The Chicago Bulls’ head coach search is rolling on as the NBA moves into the conference finals portion of the schedule. With Chicago revamping the front office and also parting ways with Billy Donovan, it will usher in a new era for the franchise.

So far, Chicago has requested a few interviews with assistant coaches throughout the league but no official interviews have taken place. Once that happens, the process will certainly speed up a bit more. As the NBA Draft is under a month away and then the free agency period opening up after that, ideally the Bulls will have someone in place.

But now on Wednesday, an interesting name has emerged as a candidate.

Jerry Stackhouse is a candidate for Chicago Bulls job

Former North Carolina star and NBA All-Star Jerry Stackhouse is a name to watch in this coaching search. Per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Stackhouse is a candidate for the Bulls in this coaching search:

“Another name for the Bulls’ coaching search: Jerry Stackhouse, fresh off a stint as a Warriors assistant, has emerged as a candidate in Chicago.”

Another name for the Bulls' coaching search: Jerry Stackhouse, fresh off a stint as a Warriors assistant, has emerged as a candidate in Chicago, sources tell @JakeLFischer and me.

More coaching carousel coverage here: https://t.co/t2les20urH

And here: https://t.co/D3owWXcS0T https://t.co/8cyvifp3KN

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 20, 2026

He joins an already long list of potential candidates that the Bulls are interested in. That list includes some of the top assistants around the league.

For Stackhouse, he’s coached at different levels in the game. There’s a coaching background as he’s been able to learn from some of the best in the game as well.

Stackhouse has experience at the college level serving as Vanderbilt’s head coach. But he also coached at the G-League Level and then the NBA level as an assistant coach over the years. Most recently he was with the Golden State Warriors as an assistant coach but opted to leave to pursue other opportunities.

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The Chicago Bulls are entering a pivotal offseason in which they must take advantage of the golden opportunity at their fingertips.

The Bulls have a solid chunk of cap space and also own a pair of first-round draft picks, including the No. 4 overall selection thanks to some luck in the NBA Draft lottery.

Chicago has also been tabbed as a team that could be rather active on the trade market given its flexibility, and it could be only a matter of time before new top executive Bryson Graham decides to move Josh Giddey.

But in terms of players the Bulls could potentially acquire, who is actually on the list? Do they have any specific targets in mind?

Well, Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale ran down a list of three players every NBA team should be pursuing in trades this summer, and for Chicago, he mentioned an intriguing candidate: Portland Trail Blazers big man Yang Hansen.

Chicago Bulls linked to trade for Yang Hansen

Hansen was selected by the Blazers with the 16th overall pick of the NBA Draft last year and performed very well in Summer League, so well, in fact, that many started comparing him to Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic.

That comparison is obviously pretty rich, but it does indicate just how skilled Hansen truly is.

“Good luck convincing the Portland Trail Blazers to give up on the Yang Hansen experiment after just one season,” Favale wrote. “He’s bound to be called Baby Jokic again during Summer League. Yet, between Donovan Clingan’s emergence and Portland’s willingness to play smaller, he’s a good ‘It never hurts to ask’ option.”

Hansen played in 43 games with the Blazers this past season, averaging a meager 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds over seven minutes per game while shooting 31 percent from the floor. Clearly, he wasn’t very Jokic-like in Year 1, but perhaps he can flourish with a more significant opportunity.

The Bulls can provide that for Hansen given their need for a big man, and if Portland feels that Clingan is obviously the future at center, it might be willing to listen to what Chicago has to offer.

Of course, Hansen’s subpar defense is certainly problematic, and it makes you wonder if the 7-foot-1, 270-pound behemoth will ever be able to establish a legitimate role in the league, regardless of how many times people liken him to Jokic.

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The Chicago Bulls are moving in a new direction this offseason, clearing the front office as well as parting ways with head coach Billy Donovan. After hiring Bryson Graham, the Bulls search has now turned to the head coach position.

Chicago’s opening will be an attractive one despite a few years of struggles. They hold the No. 4 and No. 15 picks in the upcoming NBA Draft plus have a healthy cap situation to work with. A big offseason with the right hires and additions could speed up this rebuild which is exactly what the Bulls are hoping for.

As the search goes on, two new names have now popped up as the Bulls have put in requests to a pair of assistants around the league.

Chicago Bulls request interviews with targets

In this process there hasn’t been a whole lot of news regarding targets. But on Tuesday, news broke that the Bulls had requested interviews with two assistants around the league.

Per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Bulls plan to seek permission to interview for Chicago’s coaching search, per sources: Charlotte assistant Lamar Skeeter, and Atlanta assistant Ryan Schmidt.

Two more candidates that the Bulls plan to seek permission to interview for Chicago’s coaching search, per sources: Charlotte assistant Lamar Skeeter, and Atlanta assistant Ryan Schmidt.

More NBA from @TheSteinLine here: https://t.co/SCERJl2zA9

And, we’re jumping back on the… https://t.co/yNPPXMBE04

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) May 19, 2026

Fischer is also connecting the Bulls to a few other big targets as well as Bleacher Nation points out:

According to Fischer, current New Orleans Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego and Portland Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter are on the list. The Bulls are already set to talk with Borrego, while a Splitter interview is pending a formal request.

Fischer adds current Minnesota Timberwolves lead assistant coach Micah Nori, Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach Dave Bliss and Bulls assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. — who served under former head coach Billy Donovan — are expected to be interviewed.

The hope is that the Bulls can get a deal with someone soon ahead of the draft and free agency. From there, they can build their roster the way they envision it.

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We are a month away from the 2026 NBA Draft with the Chicago Bulls holding the  No. 4 and No. 15 overall picks. With a new era being started here this offseason, it’s a big chance for the franchise to add two key pieces.

Obviously, the No. 4 overall pick is the more important one. It’s the pick that the Bulls need to hit on in terms of adding a potential superstar. This is considered a top heavy draft with the top four guys having the potential to be stars. For Chicago, they will likely have Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson at No. 4 available, with either being a good pick.

The Bulls’ choice will come down to what the Memphis Grizzlies do at pick No. 3. Most mocks have the Bulls taking the former UNC star in Wilson and now, one analyst believes he is the best at a certain skill set.

NBA analyst calls Caleb Wilson the best athlete in this draft

While AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer may have more talent at the moment, the ceiling could be higher for Wilson. His skill set is impressive and the athleticism really stands out when watching him on tape. In Zach Buckley’s latest mock draft for Bleacher Report, he has Wilson going to the Bulls.

He had something interesting to say as well:

Still, this isn’t a by-default mock move. He looks like he was lab-created to fit their new SLAP philosophy, which prioritizes size, length, athleticism and physicality—or many of the strongest aspects of Wilson’s profile.

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With a new era in Chicago Bulls basketball, the franchise has the flexibility to build the roster how they want. There’s really no “untouchable” players outside of Matas Buzelis who is expected to be a key building block for the future.

The Bulls hold pick No. 4 and No. 15 in the first round which gives them the chance to add two young players. And at No. 4, they could land a potential superstar. But the big offseason storyline for the Bulls could be what they do in free agency.

Chicago hasn’t been super active over the past few seasons in terms of going out and spending a ton of money. They did give Josh Giddey a big deal last offseason but outside of that, there just hasn’t been much of an opportunity. That should change, however.

The Bulls will have a good amount of cap space to spend this offseason. With needs, they can address some of them by spending that money and adding key pieces. While the free agency period is still a few weeks away, the Bulls are already being linked to a key free agent who can help on the perimeter.

Chicago Bulls linked to Austin Reaves

The Athletic’s Dan Woike and Sam Amick wrote on Austin Reaves’ upcoming free agency. He listed a few teams that could be interested in Reaves, including the Bulls:

“While team and league sources believe that the Lakers and Reaves will eventually land on a contract that makes sense, the door for Reaves to walk is open should he get a big offer elsewhere,” Woike and Amick wrote last Tuesday.

“Rival executives predicted Reaves could command $40 million a season due to a combination of his play, his age, and, perhaps most importantly, a free-agent class completely devoid of players as productive as him in their prime.”

“At present, the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets, who both have needs at the guard position, are the only teams with the sort of salary-cap space available to meet that sort of financial mark. Other teams that are known to have some interest in Reaves — like Utah and Atlanta, per league sources — would need to make roster moves to find the necessary space. League sources say winning will be a significant factor in Reaves’ thinking.”

Reaves is coming off another impressive 2025-26 season with the Lakers and will be seeking a big deal. Many believe he could get close to $40 million a year in free agency. If that’s the case, it’s unlikely the Lakers would match that.

But is he a fit for the Bulls?

Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game during the regular season. He shot 49 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from three. At 27-years-old, Reaves is still somewhat young and could be a nice piece to add for the Bulls.

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The Chicago Bulls have some money to spend this offseason, and they also own a pair of first-round draft picks. That includes the No. 4 overall selection thanks to some tremendous luck in the lottery.

Ergo, this is an absolutely pivotal summer for the Bulls, who could expedite their rebuild very quickly with the right moves.

Of course, Chicago also needs to be careful not to overspend on any one particular player in free agency, as it could absolutely destroy its chances of long-term success. The last thing the Bulls want to do is lock themselves into a bad multi-year contract.

Taking that into consideration, there are some players Chicago should definitely avoid on the open market, and Detroit Pistons big man Jalen Duren is one of them, especially after his playoff collapse.

However, Andrew Hanlon of Pippen Ain’t Easy actually feels that the Bulls should roll the dice on Duren.

Chicago Bulls urged to make reckless move for Jalen Duren

On the surface, Duren looks like an enticing acquisition. After all, he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game on 65 percent shooting during the regular season, and he is still just 22 years old. That’s why Hanlon is campaigning for the University of Memphis product.

“The Bulls, on the other hand, are currently in the business of acquiring and developing young talent. They have the time and patience to let Duren work on his outside shot. To let him master defensive coverages. To become a better player without the pressure of the postseason. He’s come so far in just three seasons; how much more dominant could he be in three more?” Hanlon wrote.

Well, there are a plethora of issues when it comes to Duren.

First of all, his offensive game is very limited. He doesn’t space the floor, he has no post game to speak of and he isn’t a very good passer. Second, he actually isn’t a very good defender, particularly in terms of rim protection. He averaged 0.8 blocks per game this season, which is wild for a player with his size and athleticism.

Finally, Duren just put forth one of the most miserable playoff performances you will ever see for a so-called star player.

The former first-round pick could land a $177 million contract in free agency this offseason, which is something the Bulls should absolutely avoid. Such a deal could handicap Chicago’s long-term flexibility, and Duren simply isn’t worth that much even in a vacuum.

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Caleb Williams embraced the City of Chicago since the Bears drafted him at No. 1 in 2024. The quarterback also proved last year that he can lead the Chicago Bears franchise to success with him under center.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner guided Chicago to the Divisional Round last year after missing the playoffs in his rookie campaign. He produced strong numbers, completing 377-of-658 passes for 4,560 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 19 games.

The Bears signed key additions this offseason to surround Williams with more talent. They will pursue a deeper playoff run this coming season despite facing the toughest schedule in the NFL. Chicago will also play seven primetime games, giving the team more visibility across the country.

Caleb Williams enjoys dinner with Matas Buzelis, Pete Crow-Armstrong

Williams has been hanging out with Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis. They have formed a close friendship and watched a baseball and soccer games together. Another Chicago athlete joined them for dinner on Saturday.

A photo of Williams, Buzelis and Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong out for dinner is currently making the rounds on social media.

 

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Fans dropped some hilarious takes in the comments section.

“It’s time for Caleb to add someone from the White Sox to his crew,” a reaction read.

“This looks like a picture from 2005. Obsessed,” one fan said.

“Squad looking zesty,” posted another.

“Now I understand why these guys wear uniforms,” one user commented.

“so will Matas get replaced in this friend group with whoever the Bulls draft at 4?” one fan reacted.

“Caleb look like he advertising for a stepdad commercial😂😂,” another comment read.

Buzelis and the Bulls are experiencing an extended offseason after failing to make the playoffs. They finished 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 31-51 record. The good news is that the franchise will have the No. 4 pick in the 2026 draft and will get a chance to add a key piece.

Meanwhile, Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs are competing in the middle of their season. They sit at the top of the NL Central with a 29-18 win-loss slate.

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The Chicago Bulls are entering a critical offseason in which they own expansive cap room as well as a pair of first-round draft picks, so their roster could look awfully different next year.

Not only that, but the Bulls have a new top executive in Bryson Graham, and it stands to reason that he may want to entirely reshape the roster to his liking. That means Josh Giddey could ultimately be on the move.

Giddey’s name has been floated in trade speculation for quite some time now, and the buzz has only grown since Graham took the job in Chicago. Giddey does not exactly seem like Graham’s type of player due to his defensive deficiencies, so it makes sense that Graham would try to trade the 23-year-old.

While Giddey has never made an All-Star team, he should certainly drum up plenty of interest around the NBA after averaging 17 points, 9.1 assists and eight rebounds per game this past season, and he is entering the second year of a very manageable four-year, $100 million contract.

So, where could Giddey land? Well, Bailey Bassett of ClutchPoints has pitched an intriguing destination: the Houston Rockets.

Chicago Bulls linked to big trade with Houston Rockets

The Rockets could absolutely use a bona fide playmaker on their roster, so Giddey would certainly make sense in Houston.

“Because of that, center Alperen Sengun served as the team’s primary passer. While the big man is nicknamed Baby Jokic for a reason, it would probably be in Houston’s best interest if he were more of a secondary playmaker rather than the team’s leading assister. Trading for a pure point guard like Giddey would make a lot of sense, especially because it is unclear how VanVleet will look upon returning from a major injury,” Bassett wrote.

Bassett did not go into detail about what the return would look like for the Bulls, and because Houston already surrendered a bunch of its top assets in the Kevin Durant trade, finding common ground might prove difficult.

But if Graham is really just looking to shed Giddey’s money and start fresh, he might be willing to accept what would appear to be a rather light return. It’s also important to note that the Rockets do possess a pair of first-round draft picks in 2027.

It would not be the least bit surprising if Houston places a call to Chicago about Giddey. We’ll see if the two sides can find a match.

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The Chicago Bulls certainly have a lot of work to do this offseason, and luckily for them, they have the ammunition to make it happen.

Armed with a pair of first-round draft picks (including the No. 4 overall selection) and $54 million in cap space, the Bulls will have the opportunity to jumpstart a rebuild this summer under new top executive Bryson Graham.

Of course, Chicago will have to be careful with how it proceeds, because blowing its top draft choice and/or locking itself into a bad contract would be devastating.

But because the Bulls have so many assets, they could try and swing a big trade in the coming weeks, and that could even feature moving the No. 4 pick.

Ernesto Cova of Da Windy City has concocted a wild scenario for Chicago in which it would complete a huge eight-player trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder in a proposal that would completely shake up the NBA Draft.

Chicago Bulls linked to huge trade with Oklahoma City Thunder

Cova’s proposal has the Bulls sending pick Nos. 4 and 15 as well as Patrick Williams to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for pick Nos. 12 and 17, Nikola Topic, Jared McCain and Thomas Sorber.

Why? Because Cova is not entirely sold on either Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson as generational prospects.

“The Bulls would be giving up better draft positioning and a chance at a franchise player, but they would be flipping one lottery ticket into 3, all while still keeping Josh Giddey, [Matas] Buzelis, and [Noa] Essengue, and adding two more draft picks to round out the roster. At that range, they can probably get Cameron Carr, Morez Johnson Jr., or Karim Lopez,” Cova wrote.

I’m honestly not too sure Chicago would even consider making this trade.

Topic has played just 10 games since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2024 (injuries and health issues have largely kept him off the floor), Sorber missed his entire rookie campaign due to a torn ACL and McCain is a subpar defender who averaged just 8.3 points in 67 games this season.

Yes, the Bulls would be getting picks 12 and 17 in the deal, but is all of that worth moving out of the No. 4 slot? It doesn’t seem like it.

Chicago would surely need to be blown away by an offer to trade out of its top draft pick, and this proposed deal with the Thunder — while intriguing — probably wouldn’t cut it.

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The Chicago Bulls are in a good spot for the 2026 NBA Draft. Picking fourth, they will have the chance to draft one of the top four players in a loaded draft.

It’s very likely that it will be either Duke’s Cameron Boozer or North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson with the pick. As A.J. Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson are projected to go in the top two, Chicago’s decision will come down to what the Memphis Grizzlies will do at No. 3 overall.

The Bulls are meeting with a lot of prospects ahead of the draft, including Wilson. The former North Carolina standout is thought to have one of the highest ceilings overall in this class. He spent one season at North Carolina, averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. He did get hurt late in the year and missed most of February and all of March.

However, when he was on the court, his game really stood out. In meeting with the Bulls, Wilson understood Bryson Graham’s SLAP philosophy. But he also understands the history of the franchise, leading back to Michael Jordan.

Caleb Wilson on Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls

After his meeting at the combine with the Bulls, Wilson told the media that he knows a lot about the franchise already. That dates back to the connection with Michael Jordan, both being former Tar Heels.

“I know a lot about Chicago, I know Mike went here from North Carolina. I watched The Last Dance, so I got a little bit of history on Chicago. The city is a great place for sure,” Wilson said.

Watching interviews with Wilson, you can tell he oozes with confidence. He doesn’t shy away from the situation and knows that he can come in a change a franchise. Much like Jordan did.

Now, we aren’t going to compare him to the GOAT at all. That’s just not fair. Wilson is in a position where he can go to a franchise that is in desperate need of a star and really change the culture. That would be welcomed by this fan base after years of struggles.

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The Chicago Bulls will be one of the most interesting NBA teams to watch this offseason, as they are armed with cap space and a pair of first-round draft picks.

The Bulls also benefited from some extraordinary luck in the lottery, landing the fourth overall selection. That should give them the opportunity to select either Caleb Wilson or Cameron Boozer (hopefully, it’s Wilson).

But in the meantime, Chicago’s name will surely be connected to a bunch of names both in free agency and the trade market. The Bulls have money to spend, so it’s entirely possible they will swing a major move for a star player this summer.

We’ve already heard Chicago linked to free agents like Austin Reaves and Jalen Duren (although the less said about Duren, the better), and while the trade block has yet to really take shape, some players are being speculated as early candidates to be moved.

One such player is Minnesota Timberwolves big man Julius Randle, and the Bulls are already being warned to stay away.

Chicago Bulls should avoid Julius Randle like the plague

On paper, Randle seems enticing. He averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists per game on 48.1/31.5/80.2 shooting splits during the 2025-26 regular season, and he has made three All-Star teams throughout his career. But after his latest playoff failure in the Timberwolves’ second-round loss to the San Antonio Spurs, it’s clear that Chicago should avoid trading for him.

Andrew Hanlon of Pippen Ain’t Easy broke it down perfectly.

“In Games 2 through 6, he averaged 11.2 points on 32.2 percent shooting from the field and 13.3 percent from deep. His massive dud in Game 6 — he scored three points on 1-for-8 shooting — ultimately doomed the Wolves,” Hanlon wrote. ” Minnesota was outscored by 34 points in his 24 minutes on the floor. Thirty-four points! The Bulls can’t afford to add a player like Randle.”

That’s the truth.

Randle has long been the definition of an “empty numbers” player. He’ll fill up the box score, but he doesn’t have the greatest impact on winning and gets exposed in the playoffs. In 42 career postseason contests, he is shooting just 41.1 percent from the floor and owns a true-shooting percentage of 47.9 percent.

That isn’t going to cut it, and with Randle being 31 years old and having two years left (including a player option) on his contract, the Bulls should undoubtedly look elsewhere for frontcourt help.

The good news is that new executive Bryson Graham probably won’t even entertain a trade for Randle.

The post Bulls linked to All-Star trade that would be absolute fool’s gold appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls are ushering in a rebuild after another disappointing 2025-26 season. Chicago made the decision to clean house, moving on from Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley in the front office. From there, Billy Donovan also opted to leave the franchise.

But all of that happened after the front office made a few moves at the trade deadline, potentially trying to save their jobs.

The two moved on from key players such as Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Nikola Vucevic. But failed to get a single first-round pick back in any of those deals that they made. Instead, they loaded up on second-round picks which could be useful in terms of trade bait moving forward.

However, a new report suggests that the Bulls turned down more second-round picks in a potential deal.

Did Chicago Bulls turn down trade offer from Philadelphia 76ers?

The Bulls were one of the more active teams at last season’s deadline. It could have been the front office attempting to save their jobs by fully turning to a rebuild like they should have done before. While they unloaded a lot of talent, there was one player they reportedly turned down an offer for.

Per Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice, the Philadelphia 76ers offered up second-round picks for Bulls’ big man Jalen Smith:

“The Sixers, the source said, offered the Chicago Bulls multiple second-round picks for reserve big man Jalen Smith; Chicago held onto him.”

It makes sense for the 76ers to target a big man, especially with the questions about Joel Embiid. More depth couldn’t hurt them as we saw in their second-round loss to the New York Knicks.

For Chicago, it would have made sense to unload Smith for more picks. With a new regime here, Smith probably won’t have a large role anyways.

The benefit is that he still has one year on his deal at a very friendly price tag of $9.4 million. That could be something this regime looks at but if they do move on, you have to wonder if it would have been better to get more draft picks.

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The Chicago Bulls own a pair of first-round draft picks next month, including the No. 4 overall selection thanks to some lottery luck.

While the prevailing thought is that the Bulls will end up with either Caleb Wilson or Cameron Boozer for their top selection, there has been some speculation that they could potentially trade up to No. 3 and take Ja Morant off the Memphis Grizzlies’ hands.

Essentially, the Grizzlies would move down a spot just to get out of Morant’s contract, and Chicago would be rewarded with a higher draft choice (and the ability to choose its favorite between Wilson and Boozer rather than accepting the leftover) while also potentially getting something out of Morant.

But is that actually a valid, possibly fruitful path for the Bulls?

Bulls insider Sam Smith doesn’t seem to think so, as he gave an emphatic “no” to such a potential move when asked about it in a recent mailbag.

Chicago Bulls warned to avoid Ja Morant

Memphis would surely love to dump Morant at this stage, but Smith isn’t buying.

“[Russell] Westbrook, Ja? Please, no,” Smith wrote. “The new guy [Bryson Graham] seems way smart enough not to fall into those sorts of traps. He’s also seemed to make it clear if you’ve listened to his continued emphasis on patience and building that he’s not going to make the same short term mistake the previous administration made in going all in on veterans like [DeMar] DeRozan and [Nikola] Vučević for an instant high.”

Morant has two years and roughly $87 million remaining on his contract, which would be a heck of a lot more palatable if he were actually available.

The 26-year-old has played in a grand total of 79 games over the last three seasons due to injuries and suspensions. This past year, he appeared in 20 contests and averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists a night on 41.0/23.5/89.7 shooting splits.

There was a time when Morant was one of the best players in basketball, but that feels like ages ago, and it probably wouldn’t be worth it for the Bulls to take on the remainder of Morant’s deal just to move up one spot in the draft.

AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson seem like near-locks to be selected first and second overall next month, so the hope is that the Grizzlies select Boozer, allowing Chicago to take the far better fit in Wilson at No. 4. But even if Wilson goes third overall to Memphis, the Bulls might just settle on Boozer.

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The attention so far for the Chicago Bulls has been on the No. 4 overall pick. Chicago is guaranteed to get one of the top four, likely either Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson. But they also own No. 15 from the Portland Trailblazers and that pick could be a big bonus for the franchise in the draft.

The addition of Wilson or Boozer is a great start for this Bulls rebuild. At 15, they could go a few different routes. As it stands, the Bulls can be very flexible in terms of targeting positions as there’s really not an “untouchable” player on the roster outside of Matas Buzelis. But one player that could fill a need for perimeter scoring is a former Big Ten standout who just came off a big tournament run.

Chicago Bulls should keep an eye on Bennett Stirtz

The guard is one of the best stories of this past college basketball season. After starring at Northwest Missouri State, he followed head coach Ben McCollum to Drake and then to Iowa. He continued to find success even at a higher level of play.

Stirtz helped lead the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight including an upset win over No. 1 Florida in the second round. Now, as he prepares for his chance at the NBA level, he’s putting on a show at the NBA Scouting Combine. Check out what he did in shooting drills at the combine:

NBA Draft Combine Day 1 shooting drills:

Bennett Stirtz
• 20/25 Spot-up shooting (1st)
• 23/30 off-the-dribble shooting (3rd)
• 16/25 3-point star drill (6th)
• 9/10 Free throws (5th)
• 21/27 Side-mid-side (2nd) pic.twitter.com/cfiHVKk6ZL

— Zark (@ZarkTweets) May 12, 2026

His 74.6 percent shooting at the combine was second only to Iowa’s Alex Karaban who finished at 74.8 percent. For a team that needs some shooting and a guard, Stirtz makes a lot of sense. He also has that killer instinct.

“I feel like I’m the best shooter in this draft, and I want to prove that,” Stirtz said. “It starts with your work ethic and getting up as many shots as you can. . . Respect your opponents but also know that I’m going to go out there and kill these dudes”

Currently, Stirtz is being mocked in the top 20 with some having him as high as No. 14. He may not be the ‘sexy’ option, but it’s worth a look if you’re the Bulls.

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The Chicago Bulls own the fourth overall pick in the NBA Draft thanks to a stroke of luck in the lottery last weekend, and while selecting fourth is certainly better than picking ninth, the Bulls are still in a rather uncomfortable position.

AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson — in no particular order — are viewed, by and large, as the top four players in this year’s draft class, but Dybantsa and Peterson are expected to come off the board at pick Nos. 1 and 2. That would leave Chicago with either Boozer or Wilson, the latter of whom is the far superior fit.

But what if Wilson is off the board? Should the Bulls just settle for Boozer? Or should they go in an entirely different direction and nab someone like Arkansas point guard Darius Acuff?

Acuff has been rising up draft boards and could suddenly be in play as a potential top-four pick next month, but long-time Bulls insider Joe Cowley does not even think the team should entertain the idea of taking him.

Chicago Bulls warned about drafting Darius Acuff

Cowley has made it clear that he thinks Chicago should go with who is left between Boozer and Wilson at No. 4, ruling out Acuff entirely.

“I love Acuff … and if the Bulls were picking 5, I’m in. But this is a big man’s league,” Cowley posted on X. “Steph and Zeke the only small guards to win rings … and you have to build an exact team around that. Boozer or Caleb … no brainers.”

Cowley then went as far to rip those in the Windy City media who are suddenly urging the Bulls to select Acuff.

“Problem is there are talking heads in Chicago that don’t know ball, selling themselves on Acuff at No. 4. Ignore them. Talking puppets,” Cowley added.

Acuff averaged 23.5 points, 6.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game on 48.4/44.0/80.9 shooting splits this past season and has even drawn comparisons to top NBA combo guards like Damian Lillard and Jalen Brunson. When you watch him play, it’s easy to say both players in the youngster.

But Cowley is right: you really need to build around a big man, and with Acuff coming in at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, he certainly doesn’t qualify.

Wilson is an absolute no-brainer if he is still available at No. 4. Boozer? That’s a bit more of a question mark given his defensive deficiencies, but at that point, the Bulls might be better off trading out of the pick then selecting a point guard.

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The Chicago Bulls own a wealth of cap room heading into the NBA offseason, so they are expected to be big players in free agency.

The Bulls have posted just one winning record over the last decade, so they are in dire need of a boost, and armed with a couple of first-round draft picks (including the No. 4 overall selection) and plenty of money to spend, this summer will be the most pivotal in the franchise’s recent memory.

Chicago has already been linked to various big-name free agents this offseason, ranging from Los Angeles Lakers wing Austin Reaves to Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren.

Duren is widely viewed as one of the top players slated to be available, as he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game this season and is just 22 years old.

But is the University of Memphis product really the answer the Bulls need this July? His playoff showing says no.

The Chicago Bulls should avoid Jalen Duren

Duren may have played a huge role in the Pistons finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference this season, but many people saw his limitations then. Now, they are glaringly obvious in the playoffs.

His shortcomings are so clear, as a matter of fact, that Detroit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff benched Duren in favor of Paul Reed in the fourth quarter and overtime of the Pistons’ Game 5 second-round playoff loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

Duren’s minutes have decreased every game in this series, and considering he is averaging just 9.4 points and 6.6 rebounds a night, you can understand why. His struggles have not been confined to the Cavaliers series, either, as he also labored in the Pistons’ first-round matchup against the Orlando Magic.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound big man has a very limited offensive repertoire, and he also surprisingly isn’t the greatest defender, particularly in terms of rim protection. In spite of Duren possessing impressive athleticism, he logged just 0.8 blocks per game during the regular season.

With the Bulls in dire need of a defensive lynchpin, spending $185 million on Duren in free agency probably isn’t the best idea. That money would be far better spent elsewhere, and Chicago might be able to land a franchise big man with one of its two first-round draft picks, anyway.

It’s becoming more and more obvious that the Bulls should avoid Duren like the plague.

The post Bulls just received a clear answer on a major NBA free agency decision appeared first on ChiCitySports.

With the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls likely have two options for the selection.

BYU’s AJ Dybantsa is expected to go No. 1, and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson should go No. 2. Duke star Cameron Boozer appears to be the polished player and the guy most likely to go No. 3.

However, North Carolina standout Caleb Wilson needs more development than the first three, but could have a higher ceiling than anyone in the draft.

The Memphis Grizzlies pick at No. 3 and are set to make the decision on Boozer and Wilson. The Bulls would be happy with either and should be lucky to have the opportunity to have Boozer or Wilson to jumpstart their rebuild.

When speaking to reporters at the NBA Combine in Chicago on Wednesday, Boozer said he had a “good conversation” with the Bulls and that it would be “nice” to go to Chicago, via Matt Zahn of CBS Sports.

“If your team’s goal is to win a championship, I think I’m the guy,” Boozer said.

More News: Caleb Wilson said something to ignite Bulls fan base

Cameron Boozer has ties to the Chicago Bulls

More News: Bulls have some draft drama on Caleb Wilson

Carlos Boozer is the father of Cameron and Cayden Boozer, the latter of whom chose to return to Duke for a second season. He played for the Bulls from 2010 to 2014 and was a key part of their playoff teams during the Derrick Rose era.

The Bulls appear to be a popular destination for Wilson and Boozer, no doubt because of the team’s history and the marketing possibilities in Chicago.

Wilson has met with Rob Dillingham and Patrick Williams. He called Chicago a “great city.”

“Chicago is a great city. It would be a great place to play—nice marketing,” Wilson said. “I know some players on the team. So it definitely be a really cool opportunity. And I know a lot about Chicago. I know Mike (Michael Jordan) went here from North Carolina.

“I watched the Last Dance. So you know, I got a little bit of history in Chicago. It’s a great place for sure.”

One of those players is likely to play for the Bulls next season and could be a part of a championship run in the future.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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North Carolina prospect Caleb Wilson has been making the most of his week at the NBA combine in Chicago.

The Chicago Bulls have been heavily connected to Wilson ever since the NBA lottery on Sunday when they learned they had the No. 4 pick. Wilson is considered by most around the association to be the fourth-best pick in the draft, though there is some chatter that Wilson could go before Duke forward Cameron Boozer.

When speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Wilson said he’s familiar with new executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham’s “S.L.A.P.” philosophy. Wilson said he met with Bulls players Patrick Williams and Rob Dillingham.

“I know Rob. I know Patrick Williams. I met Patrick last night,” Wilson said, via video from Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. “I feel like they’re (going) in a great direction. I know about the slap… I mean, I think (Chicago) would be a great spot, honestly. But you know, I’m just blessed to be in this opportunity.”

More News: Caleb Wilson said something to ignite Bulls fan base

Caleb Wilson would feel at home with the Chicago Bulls

More News:Bulls have some draft drama on Caleb Wilson

Wilson said he’d fit right at home if the Bulls took him in the draft.

“Chicago is a great city, it would be a great place to play–nice marketing,” Wilson said. “I know some players on the team. So definitely be a really cool opportunity. And I know a lot about Chicago. I know Mike (Michael Jordan) went here from North Carolina.

“I watched the Last Dance. So you know, I got a little bit of history in Chicago. It’s a great place for sure.”

Wilson would embrace the S.L.A.P. philosophy if he joined the Bulls. He said he’s willing to do whatever a team needs to win.

The Bulls need a player that will come into the new system and take charge. Wilson seems like that kind of prospect for Chicago.

The only question is if the Memphis Grizzlies will take a chance on Wilson with pick No. 3?

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Bulls already own one top-10 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, as they ended up securing the No. 4 overall selection in the lottery. Could they somehow find a way to land another top-10 draft choice?

Will Gottlieb of CHGO Bulls feels it’s possible, pitching the idea of the Bulls potentially moving up from No. 15.

“Have seen some chatter about the Bulls packaging 15 to move up from 4, but I’d be more interested in moving up from 15,” Gottlieb posted on X. “Could they attach 38+some future seconds to get into the 8/9 range to pair a guard with Boozer/Wilson?”

With AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson expected to go 1 and 2 to the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz, Chicago is expected to select who is left between Caleb Wilson and Cameron Boozer. In Gottlieb’s scenario, the Bulls would then jump back into the top 10 to potentially nab a point guard like Kingston Flemings or Mikel Brown.

Could the Chicago Bulls swing a blockbuster NBA Draft trade?

As Gottlieb noted, there has been plenty of chatter about Chicago possibly attempting to move up from No. 4 to No. 3 so it can select Wilson, who is generally viewed as the best fit for the Bulls and new executive Bryson Graham’s vision.

But maybe staying put at No. 4 and acquiring a second top-10 selection would be the best way to go for Chicago?

If Wilson falls to the fourth pick and the Bulls are able to swing such a trade, it would be the best-case scenario for the squad. Not only would they land arguably the best two-way player in the class in Wilson, but they would have the opportunity to snatch a talented floor general, as well.

Graham is known for working some magic in the draft from his previous stops, so Chicago should be in good hands next month.

It would also be interesting if the Bulls try to package Josh Giddey in a trade, as the prevailing thought is that he is not Graham’s type of player and could be moved this summer.

We’ll get a clearer picture of exactly what Chicago wants to do in the coming weeks.

The post Bulls linked to blockbuster trade for another top 10 NBA Draft pick appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls could make a lot of noise this offseason. They have one of the largest amounts of cap space available and two picks in the top-15 in this year’s NBA Draft. There are a lot of decisions the front office can make in order to shape out the roster. While this year’s free agent class is not considered too strong, there are some impactful players who will be available. There is one name who has reportedly drawn interest of Chicago’s front office, so let’s take a look at who it is.

The Chicago Bulls are reportedly interested in Austin Reaves

In an article published by Dan Wolke and Sam Amick about the Los Angeles Lakers’ upcoming offseason, guard Austin Reaves was highlighted. He is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and can command a lot of money, and the Bulls are reportedly one of the teams that are interested in adding him. Below is what they discussed regarding Reaves’ future:

“Rival executives predicted Reaves could command $40 million a season due to a combination of his play, his age, and most importantly, a free-agent class completely devoid of players as productive as him in their prime. At present, the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets, who both have needs at the guard position, are the only teams with the sort of salary-cap space available to meet that sort of financial mark. Other teams that are known to have some interest in Reaves – like Utah and Atlanta, per league sources – would need to make roster moves to find the necessary cap space. League sources say winning will be a significant factor in Reaves’ thinking.”

Why Austin Reaves fits for the Chicago Bulls this offseason

The Bulls provide a solid landing spot for Reaves if he decides to leave Los Angeles. The guard position is basically up for grabs as Josh Giddey can slide to the three and allow Reaves to play shooting guard. Reaves had a strong season as he finished with a 49.0/36.0/87.1 shooting split while averaging 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. In the Eastern Conference, he could be one of the more valuable guards as he immediately is top-five in the conference.

The price tag is something that will be intriguing, as $40 million per season for Reaves is a lot of money. The belief is currently that Reaves will re-sign with the Lakers, but the Bulls could provide a space for him to continue growing and winning. They hold the fourth and 15th picks in the 2026 NBA Draft and significant cap space. It will be intriguing to see how interested Chicago is in signing Reaves this offseason.

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With some luck in the NBA lottery on Sunday, the Chicago Bulls are set to take a potentially franchise-altering selection with the No. 4 pick.

Duke standout Cameron Boozer and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson are the two most likely picks for the Bulls at No. 4.

Chicago is expected to be happy with either Boozer or Williams. Boozer is more of a polished athlete, whereas Wilson needs more time to develop but has a higher ceiling.

During an interview with ESPN at the NBA combine on Tuesday, Wilson made a comment that will excite Bulls fans. He listed Chicago legend Michael Jordan as an example and said he finds something to motivate him through anger for games.

“I try to make it personal like Michael Jordan,” Wilson said, via Brett Siegel. “I find something that pisses me off and I flip the switch.”

Chicago Bulls could use a player like Caleb Wilson

More News: Bulls have some draft drama on Caleb Wilson

Wilson and Jordan were both starts at UNC. Jordan went on to win six NBA championships with the Bulls. Wilson could be the next big star in Chicago.

Wilson suffered a hand injury in February that prematurely ended his season. Even while he was on the bench, Wilson was intense, vocally confronting his teammates after a loss to NC State in February.

“I’m not going to share that,” Davis said. “I mean, I respect your question. I really do. And I do. I think it’s a great question.

“Where I’m coming from is I think there are things that are said between us as a team that should stay between us as a team. But I think that’s a great question. That needs to be shared with just us.”

Wilson would be an energizing prospect for the Bulls, and he could bring a fire to Chicago that the roster desperately needs. The Bulls have been stuck in mediocrity for a decade, and Wilson could be the type of player that won’t tolerate that type of complacency.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Oklahoma City Thunder took care of business against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, sweeping the playoff series to advance on. With the loss, the Lakers’ season is now in the books.

And that means the future of LeBron James is officially up in the air.

James is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason after spending eight seasons with the Lakers. Rumors have swirled that James could move on with Cleveland and Golden State being the two teams connected to him. James could also decide to retire after his 23rd season in the league. Either way, he has a major decision to make that could shape the landscape of the NBA to an extent this Summer.

But after the game, James met the media and while he didn’t say anything to indicate a decision has been made, he did reference Michael Jordan.

LeBron James points to Michael Jordan as retirement questions loom

It’s no secret that the GOAT debate between James and Jordan will go on for as long as time. But there’s also a mutual respect between the two. On Monday night, following the loss James met the media and his final answer had a Jordan reference.

He pointed to an interview that Jordan did on NBC with Mike Tirico, mentioning his love for the game.

“[Jordan] was just talking about his desire for the game still, like even though he’s not playing, but like he still loves the game,” James said after the Game 4 loss. “Like that would never go away. Like we grow up playing a game that we love, and you do it at a high level, and I don’t think that’ll ever go away.”

For James, it’s all about the process.

He doesn’t believe that the love of the game will ever go away, just like Jordan. But instead, it’s the process and if he can continue on with that.

“I’ve always enjoyed the process more than the outcome, so I think that would be a big factor,” James revealed. “Then also, have a conversation with my 12-year-old daughter, that’s a big factor. And my 19-year-old son is entering his second year at Arizona, and my wife, as well. So, they’re a huge factor in any decision I’ve made. So, they’ll be a big part of it as well.”

James’ decision will likely come in the next few weeks. When he’s done, he will still be compared to Jordan as both careers will officially be finished.

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After Sunday’s NBA draft lottery results, the Chicago Bulls find themselves in a good spot. They moved up from ninth in terms of the lottery odds to having the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

By moving up to No. 4, the Bulls will very likely have the chance to draft either Caleb Wilson or Cameron Boozer. It would be shocking if A.J. Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson didn’t go in the top two, setting up a big opportunity for the Bulls. Either way, it feels like they are going to get a potential star out of this draft, which is a good start to the rebuild.

But does one prospect fit them better than the other?

Caleb Wilson would be a perfect fit for Chicago Bulls per analyst

The consensus is that Wilson will go in the top four with the biggest question being if he goes to Memphis at three or Chicago at four. For Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports, he believes Wilson fits perfectly with the Bulls in terms of what they want in terms of players.

North Carolina star Caleb Wilson is going to knock the interviews and the athletic testing out of the park. The athleticism, the smile, the competitiveness, the ability to put his nose on the rim, it’s all there.

Wilson fits like a glove with what the Chicago Bulls are looking for under new general manager, Bryson Graham.

But will he get to No. 4 overall? It’s still the most likely outcome, but there’s no question that Wilson can surge even more with a strong week. He fits the profile of what each NBA team is looking for as a two-way wing with elite athletic tools and an insatiable desire to win. Can he vault past Peterson or Duke’s Cameron Boozer? It’s certainly not out of the question.

With Bryson Graham now in charge, he wants to install his SLAP philosophy, especially defensively. That fits in perfect with what Wilson can bring to the table as he showed at UNC.

Wilson is still raw in terms of a prospect but he’s not someone that will not need to sit much early on at all. But time will tell if he’s there at number four for the Bulls or not.

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The Chicago Bulls own the fourth overall pick in the NBA Draft after benefiting from some extreme luck in the NBA Draft lottery, and it’s looking like they will end up with either Caleb Wilson or Cameron Boozer with the selection.

Wilson seems to be the most popular choice, and for good reason. He is long, he’s athletic and he possesses tremendous two-way potential. He has even drawn comparisons to Kevin Garnett, which should be more than enough to convince Bulls fans that he would be a perfect fit.

But there is absolutely a chance that Wilson goes third overall to the Memphis Grizzlies, which would leave Boozer as the “top” player available for Chicago … which could absolutely spell disaster for the franchise.

Boozer entered the 2025-26 college basketball campaign viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick, but at this point, just about everyone is locked on AJ Dybantsa with the top selection. Still, Boozer is considered a top three or four prospect, even though he has some very clear deficiencies in his game.

The Bulls should absolutely be aware of them.

Chicago Bulls could regret selecting Cameron Boozer

Look, I get the hype around Boozer. In one season at Duke, he averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the floor, 39.1 percent from three-point range and 78.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Boozer possesses a very solid post game, a good jumper and terrific passing skills. There is no question that his offensive repertoire is very refined, and his floor is fairly high as a prospect.

But there are some blaring warning signs that many seem to be ignoring.

Most pertinent of all is Boozer’s lack of athleticism, which will almost certainly make defense a trying exercise for the big man on the NBA level. In today’s era, being able to defend in space is critical, and Boozer has not shown the ability to consistently do that. He also offers very little in rim protection.

Considering that Chicago is in dire need of defensive assistance, that is not ideal.

Cameron Boozer is similar to a former Chicago Bulls player

Not only that, but it’s fair to question if Boozer’s offensive game will even be as effective in the pros. His subpar quickness could become a major issue against more athletic defenders, and his lack of lift could result in the Miami native having many shots blocked or altered around the basket.

Boozer is actually very similar to a player with whom Bulls fans are very familiar: his father, Carlos Boozer. Yes, Cameron has a bit more range on his jumper, but otherwise, his archetype is very analogous, and in 2026, that isn’t a good thing.

Chicago better hope Wilson is still available at No. 4, because having to settle on Boozer could be the worst-case scenario.

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The Chicago Bulls were a big winner in Sunday’s 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. They went from No. 9 into the top four and will pick No. 4 overall come June’s draft, giving them a shot at a potential star player.

With A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson being the consensus top four in this draft, Chicago is going to land one of them and potentially a franchise cornerstone. The Bulls also have the No. 15 pick in the draft thanks to a trade with the Portland Trailblazers.

The two first-round picks could go a long way in terms of this rebuild. Early mocks have the Bulls taking the former UNC star in Wilson at No. 4 but one analyst believes they should continue to target the front court, specifically on defense with the No. 15 pick.

Chicago Bulls to take Kentucky forward Jayden Quaintance in mock draft

In his first mock draft following the lottery, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has the Bulls taking Wilson but also Kentucky’s Jayden Quaintance later on. He wants them to focus on the front court and specifically on defense with the pick:

“The Chicago Bulls could really strengthen their defensive identity by building around Caleb Wilson and Jayden Quaintance,” Wasserman wrote. “At full strength, Quaintance looks like an outstanding defensive prospect due to his frame, length and shot-blocking rate. He was always behind offensively, but he’s delivered enough flashes of low-post touch, driving ability and shotmaking for scouts to picture some long-term scoring potential to unlock.”

If Chicago came away with Wilson and Quaintance for the front court, it would be a good start to a rebuild. It could also allow Matas Buzelis to move to the three spot which appears to be more of a natural fit for him.

With Kentucky, he played just four games. But the season before that at Arizona State, he averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game.

The post Chicago Bulls urged to boost front court defense at pick No. 15 in NBA Draft appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls definitely benefited from some tremendous luck in the NBA Draft lottery, ending up with the No. 4 overall pick and likely giving themselves a chance to select either Caleb Wilson or Cameron Boozer at that spot.

Wilson would definitely be the better fit for the Bulls, but if the Memphis Grizzlies end up taking the North Carolina Tar Heels star at No. 3 (which appears to be a possibility), Chicago might then settle for Boozer at No. 4.

But while the Bulls are certainly thrilled to make such a significant jump in the draft order, there is also reason for trepidation.

Why? Because of Chicago’s history when it comes to selecting fourth overall int the NBA Draft, and Bulls fans know it all too well.

The Chicago Bulls have failed miserably at No. 4 in the past

Different regime, different results, right? Well, no matter who has been in charge in previous years, Chicago has simply been unable to get the No. 4 overall pick right.

Since the turn of the century, the Bulls have owned the fourth pick in the NBA Draft four times, and each time, they have misfired.

In 2000, Chicago took Marcus Fizer. The following year, it selected Eddy Curry. In 2006, the Bulls nabbed Tyrus Thomas (actually, they took LaMarcus Aldridge at No. 2, but they instantly traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Thomas and Viktor Khryapa). Then, in 2020, Chicago settled on Patrick Williams.

None of those players have worked out on the professional level. Call it bad luck if you like, but the fact that the Bulls missed on that many No. 4 picks is certainly unsettling.

The good news is that new top executive Bryson Graham has a pretty solid track record when it comes to the NBA Draft, so Chicago fans should trust that he will ultimately make the right decision. But much of that also depends on how the situation unfolds in front of him.

If Wilson comes off the board at No. 3, the Bulls may have to take Boozer, which could create a litany of problems for the team defensively. Or, Chicago can go in another direction.

We’ll see if Chicago can break the odd curse next month.

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New Chicago Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham received a huge gift from the NBA lottery when his team lucked out on the No. 4 draft pick for 2026.

The first round has four big names for the upcoming draft: AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson are expected to be the first four players taken off the board.

Dybantsa and Peterson will likely go No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Boozer, who had a phenomenal freshman season with Duke, could go No. 3, with Wilson falling to Chicago. ESPN immediately mocked Wilson to the Bulls on Sunday when the lottery was finished.

However, nothing is guaranteed in May.

Per Evan Sidery, the Memphis Grizzlies could draft Wilson over Boozer, as the former North Carolina star is seen as a talent who could develop into a better player than Boozer. The Bulls would be happy taking Boozer if the Grizzlies draft Boozer.

“There’s a real chance the Grizzlies decide to select Caleb Wilson over Cam Boozer at No. 3,” Sidery posted on X. “Many NBA scouts and top decision-makers view Wilson as the higher ceiling, but Boozer with the more safe floor outcome. The Bulls are very comfortable picking the remaining one at No. 4.”

Chicago Bulls have other options besides Caleb Wilson

Darius Acuff Jr. could be a wild-card pick for the Bulls at No. 4. The point guard would fill a position of need for Chicago.

Ideally, the Bulls would take Wilson in this year’s draft. Chicago doesn’t need an immediate star as much as they need a player who can be a superstar on a playoff team.

Wilson had a promising freshman season, averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game before he suffered a hand injury in February that knocked him out of the season early.

Boozer would still be a great option for the Bulls. He averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Blue Devils.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Bulls ended up moving all the way up to the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft after some extreme luck in the draft lottery on Sunday, which could very well provide the Bulls with the ability to select North Carolina Tar Heels star Caleb Wilson.

Wilson seems to fit exactly what new top executive Bryson Graham wants out of a player given that he is long, athletic and has tremendous two-way potential. The UNC product has even drawn comparisons to Kevin Garnett, so it seems like a slam-dunk pick for Chicago.

Or perhaps the Bulls would prefer to trade out of the pick?

Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey proposed trade scenarios for each lottery selection, and for Chicago, he has the Bulls sending the No. 4 selection, Patrick Williams, Isaac Okoro and Rob Dillingham to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Ja Morant and the third overall pick.

Would the Chicago Bulls trade for Ja Morant?

Why would the Grizzlies move down a spot in the draft and also trade Morant, you ask?

Well, because Morant has two years remaining on his $197 million contract and is slated to make $42.1 million next season and $44.9 million in 2026-27. Surely, Memphis would love to get out from under that deal, and moving down from No. 3 may be the way to do it.

Why would the Bulls agree to this trade, though? Bailey explained.

The post Bulls linked to dangerous $197 million trade after NBA Draft lottery fortune appeared first on ChiCitySports.

An NBA team rarely collapses in one night. It usually leaks first: slower closeouts, short jumpers hitting the front rim, late defensive rotations, a bench unit losing eight points in three minutes. Over 82 games, stability is not built only by stars. It is built by minute distribution, travel management, recovery timing, and a coach’s trust in the seventh, eighth, and ninth players.

The 2025-26 NBA schedule still asks every roster to survive back-to-backs, national TV windows, long trips, and injury-report uncertainty. Official league scheduling placed the average at 14.4 back-to-back sets per team. That number looks harmless on paper. On tired legs, the market changes.

Evaluation Method: Reading the Season Below the Box Score

The cleanest workload read starts with four indicators: minutes played over the last five games, rest differential, travel distance, and bench scoring share. A star playing 38 minutes in January is not automatically a problem. A star playing 38 minutes, then flying overnight, then defending a top-five usage guard two nights later is different math.

The second layer is role stability. Teams with clear rotation patterns usually survive minor absences better than teams relying on improvised lineups. The third layer is timing. March fatigue has a different meaning from November fatigue, because playoff position, award eligibility, and injury caution start pulling decisions in opposite directions.

The 82-Game Season Exposes Shallow Benches

The NBA sells stars, but the regular season tests the back half of the rotation. A strong second unit can keep a favorite from burning extra minutes in games that should be controlled by halftime. A weak bench forces starters back early, turns eight-point leads into coin flips, and makes the next night harder before the plane even leaves.

This is where box-score averages mislead. A team may rank well in net rating but still carry a fragile rotation if only six players produce against playoff-level opponents. Bettors who only scan points per game miss the real question: who holds the game together when the first option sits?

Coaches Treat Minutes Like a Risk Budget

Coaching workload is basically portfolio management. Tom Thibodeau’s old reputation was built around heavy trust in his main players, while Gregg Popovich’s long San Antonio doctrine treated rest, role clarity, and regular-season restraint as competitive tools. Neither model is cartoonishly right or wrong. The roster decides the answer.

A young team often needs repetition. A veteran team often needs protection. A contender with two creators can stagger minutes and keep offensive shape for 48 minutes. A contender with one true initiator becomes vulnerable every time that player sits, even if the starting five looks elite on television.

Injury Reports Are Market Information, Not Paperwork

The NBA requires teams to list injuries, illnesses, medical issues, and rest designations before games, with a tighter deadline for the second leg of a back-to-back. That turns the injury report into a daily pricing document. It is not just a health update. It changes usage, pace, rebounding responsibilities, and late-game shot quality.

A questionable tag on a star matters less when the replacement is a high-IQ defender who knows the system. It matters more when the absence forces a non-shooter into spacing-heavy lineups. The betting market often adjusts the spread for the missing name. It does not always adjust enough for the shape of the minutes left behind.

Where Workload Analysis Meets Sports Betting

Rotation analysis becomes sharper when the bettor treats a lineup as a living structure rather than a list of names. A team on the second night of a back-to-back may still look superior, but its edge can shrink if the bench has played heavy minutes and the opponent owns a rest advantage. A reader who wants to apply that kind of schedule-based thinking can bet on sport at Melbet after checking the injury report, projected usage, and recent minute loads. The point is not to chase every market movement. It is to identify when the odds still reflect reputation while the rotation data already shows strain. Totals, player props, and live spreads often react differently to the same fatigue signal.

The 65-Game Rule Changed Coaching Incentives

The NBA’s 65-game award eligibility rule, introduced for the 2023-24 season, added a strange pressure point. It was meant to support player availability. It also made every borderline absence feel larger for stars chasing MVP, All-NBA, Defensive Player of the Year, or major contract-linked recognition.

That pressure can shape rotation choices. A player may return sooner than a team would prefer. A coach may limit minutes without sitting him. A star may play the first half of a weaker matchup, then watch the closing stretch if the score allows it. For bettors, the status line is not enough. The minutes expectation matters more than the word “available.”

Hidden Fatigue Shows Up Before the Loss

Fatigue does not always announce itself with a blowout. It appears in smaller details:

• fewer transition chances after defensive rebounds;
• late help rotations on corner shooters;
• careless live-ball turnovers;
• lower free-throw rate from tired drivers;
• weaker offensive rebounding from wings;
• more zone defense to protect legs.

These signals are especially useful in live betting. A favorite can lead by six and still look cooked if every shot is coming late in the clock. A tired team may survive the third quarter, then lose the non-star minutes at the start of the fourth.

What Bettors Should Track Before Tipoff

The pregame routine should be short and repeatable. Start with the official injury report. Check back-to-back status. Review minutes from the last three games. Scan whether the backup point guard, rim protector, or primary wing stopper is missing. Then compare that with the market movement.

The phone check matters because NBA information ages fast. A player can move from questionable to available in the afternoon, then start on a minute restriction at night. A reader who wants a mobile route for comparing spreads and totals can start here after reviewing the team’s travel spot, rotation depth, and late injury updates. That workflow protects the bettor from acting on stale assumptions. It also keeps the focus on measurable basketball inputs rather than on social media noise. The best read is often boring: tired legs, thin bench, bad price.

FAQ

Why do NBA rotations matter so much for betting?

Rotations decide who plays the non-star minutes. A team with a strong bench can hold leads, protect tired starters, and keep pace stable. A thin rotation creates risk in spreads, totals, and fourth-quarter live markets.

Is a back-to-back always a bad betting sign?

No. Some teams manage them well, especially with deep benches and short travel. The sharper question is whether one team has a rest advantage and whether key players logged heavy minutes the previous night.

What is the most useful workload metric?

Recent minutes plus role difficulty. A guard playing 36 minutes while carrying usage and defending elite creators is under more strain than a low-usage forward playing the same total.

How should bettors read questionable tags?

Questionable is not enough. Check likely minutes, replacement quality, usage redistribution, and whether the team has another game soon. Availability does not guarantee normal workload.

The post How Rotations and Workload Decide an NBA Season Before the Playoffs appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls finally caught a break on lottery night, jumping into the No. 4 spot in the 2026 NBA Draft. Now, early projections have the franchise landing one of college basketball’s most exciting young talents in UNC forward Caleb Wilson as the team prepares for a new era.

For fans who’ve spent the past few years stuck in limbo, bouncing between rebuilding and chasing the Play-In Tournament, Sunday afternoon had a different vibe. The Chicago Bulls showed up at the NBA Draft Lottery holding the ninth spot. Most people were bracing for another middle-of-the-road finish and a summer packed with “what ifs”. This time the lottery balls finally landed in Chicago’s favor.

By the time everything wrapped up at Navy Pier, the Bulls had leapt all the way to the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. With so much elite talent in this draft class, that jump could totally turn the franchise around.

Bulls finally get the lottery luck they needed

Seeing Chicago land in the top four was a real shock. The team only had a little more than a 20% shot at making that big leap, but this time, the basketball gods actually smiled on the Bulls. Washington, Utah, Memphis and Chicago ended up as the top four. That’s a huge deal; plenty of scouts believe this draft could deliver more than one franchise-altering star.

A.J. Dybantsa is the top favorite, but Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson and Darius Acuff are all viewed as top-tier prospects who could become future All-Stars. For Chicago, moving up from ninth to fourth suddenly makes it possible to land a player with real superstar potential instead of just another work-in-progress.

Chicago fans are already dreaming big

It didn’t take long for social media to go nuts after the lottery results came out. Bulls fans know this team badly needs a true franchise player. Derrick Rose is still the last homegrown superstar Chicago drafted who truly energized the team. Wilson doesn’t carry that kind of hype just yet, but there’s growing buzz that he might turn into something special in the right setting. And a sports city like Chicago gets excited fast.

You can already picture the United Center lighting up as Wilson throws down fast-break dunks, all while growing alongside a younger core. After years of short-term patchwork, the Bulls finally seem ready to rebuild the right way, with patience and purpose.

The lottery night felt a lot like those huge jackpot draws on online lottery sites. Bulls fans spent hours refreshing updates and watching the ping-pong balls bounce, hoping for that one lucky break that could change everything. Just like online lottery services that let people buy tickets for big US and European jackpots and track the results, Bulls fans were waiting for their numbers to come up; and this time, they did.

Caleb Wilson feels like a perfect fit

ESPN’s latest mock draft has Woo slotting Wilson to the Bulls after Dybantsa, Peterson and Boozer get drafted. And it just clicks.

Wilson’s skillset is almost tailor-made for what Chicago needs right now. He’s athletic, aggressive in transition and already looks comfortable making an impact on both ends of the court. In his only season at UNC, Wilson put up 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, and he showed off the kind of versatility NBA teams crave.

What really stood out, though, was his energy game in and game out. Scouts are raving about his motor and athleticism. Even though hand injuries cut his season short, Wilson’s draft stock kept rising. If anything, it made him look even more intriguing.

Bryson Graham’s vision starting to take shape

The timing of all this is pretty interesting. Just days before the lottery, the Bulls officially promoted Bryson Graham to a lead executive role. The team clearly wants a fresh direction after years of not really getting anywhere.

Graham’s “SLAP” philosophy; speed, length, athleticism and pressure, is just about perfect for someone like Wilson. Wilson thrives in open space. He runs the court hard, attacks the rim fearlessly and can defend all kinds of positions. In today’s NBA, those skills matter more than ever.

Now, the Bulls have some options. They also hold the No. 15 pick, so there’s another shot at adding young talent to the roster.

The pressure is still on

Of course, none of this guarantees anything. The Bulls still have to make the right pick. Player development matters. Coaching matters. Patience might matter most. Chicago has missed chances before, and fans definitely have the right to be skeptical until something real changes on the court.

But still, this just feels different. A top-four pick in a draft like this gives the Bulls something they haven’t had in a long time: Real hope, with substance behind it. Wilson might not even be there at No. 4. Strong pre-draft workouts could push him higher. But if he’s available, it’s hard to imagine Chicago passing him up.

The post Chicago Bulls strike gold in NBA lottery, eye UNC star Caleb Wilson in latest mock draft appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago sports are not built around one team, one season or one kind of fan. The city has year-round coverage because the calendar never really goes quiet. When the Bears slow down, the Bulls or Blackhawks are in motion. When baseball starts, the Cubs and White Sox pull attention in opposite directions across town.

That is what makes Chicago different. Coverage stretches across leagues, neighborhoods, rivalries and media habits.

The Big Four Aren’t the Whole Map

Most people start with the Bears, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox. That makes sense. They carry decades of history, huge fan bases and national recognition. But Chicago sports coverage goes wider than that.

The Blackhawks, Fire and Sky all add their own layers. College sports, local prospects, minor-league updates and neighborhood-level fandom make the picture even broader. A good beginner’s guide to Chicago’s sports teams shows why the city is not easy to summarize in one season or one league.

The Coverage Stack

Chicago sports coverage works in layers.

• Live games: the obvious starting point.
• Beat reporting: daily updates from practices, injuries and roster changes.
• Analysis: what a trade, draft pick or coaching move actually means.
• Podcasts and radio: where fan arguments get louder and more personal.
• Social clips: highlights, quotes and reactions spreading in minutes.
• Fan forums: the place where optimism and panic often sit side by side.

That stack is why one game can turn into a full week of discussion.

Following Chicago Sports Across Devices

The modern Chicago fan rarely follows everything from one screen. Scores come through apps. Clips show up on social media. Podcasts play during commutes. Articles get saved for later. Some fans manage logins across phones, laptops, tablets and smart TVs.

For people who care about stable account access or consistent privacy settings across devices, a tool like PIA dedicated ip can sit inside the broader tech setup. It is not the center of sports coverage, but it can be one piece of how someone manages their online routine.

A City With More Than One Sports Identity

Chicago does not have one single sports personality. The North Side and South Side baseball split alone makes that clear. The Bears create a different kind of citywide noise than the Bulls. The Blackhawks bring another tradition. The Sky have built their own modern fan base.

A broader look at Chicago sports teams makes that variety obvious. The city’s coverage is wide because the teams serve different audiences, histories and rituals.

Where Local Networks Changed the Picture

The media side matters too. Local broadcasts, team-owned channels and regional sports coverage shape how fans follow games when they are not in the building.

Recent moves around comprehensive Chicago sports coverage show how networks are trying to serve fans who want more than live games. Pregame shows, postgame reaction and around-the-clock programming all expand the sports conversation.

The Real Width of the Chicago Sports Beat

Chicago sports coverage is wide because the city gives reporters and fans too much to ignore. There is always another matchup, another rumor, another rebuild, another hot streak, another collapse or another reason to argue.

The beat does not end when the game ends. In Chicago, that is often when it really starts.

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Some luck was on the Chicago Bulls side on Sunday afternoon at Navy Pier in Chicago. With the NBA hosting the draft lottery, we now know where the Bulls will pick come June’s draft. And they landed in the top four.

Chicago moved up from entering the lottery at No. 9 overall to picking No. 4 overall. They moved into that top four with the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards, before eventually finding out they were No. 4 overall.

However, it’s a big improvement from where they were entering this lottery selection. With this draft being a loaded one in terms of potential star prospects, picking fourth should give the Bulls one of the following: Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson and Darius Acuff if they wanted to go that route.

All four of those players are projected to go right away after A.J. Dybantsa who is currently being mocked as the No. 1 overall pick.

For one NBA draft analyst, he has the Bulls going with the UNC star.

Chicago Bulls mocked to land Caleb Wilson

As soon as the lottery wrapped up, Jeremy Woo of ESPN released his updated mock draft. He has the Washington Wizards going with Dybantsa followed by Peterson going to Utah and then Memphis taking Boozer. That leaves Wilson and Acuff, with the Bulls taking the former UNC star at No. 4 overall.

Here is what Woo said about the pick:

The Bulls had a 20.27% chance of moving into the top four and will be thrilled with this stroke of luck after tabbing Bryson Graham as their new lead executive last week. Chicago appears to be charting a patient course as it prepares to build through the draft. The opportunity to add a star-level player at this spot significantly raises the Bulls’ chances of building something sustainable, as they operate with a relatively clean slate. The Bulls also own the 15th pick and should have minutes available for their rookies next season, presenting a strong opportunity to add talent and build a younger team.

In addition to being viewed as a consensus top-four prospect, Wilson is an excellent fit with Chicago’s existing talent, representing a high-flying frontcourt option with room to grow. His season ended early due to a pair of hand injuries, but that didn’t impact his momentum as a top-four selection, as teams fell in love with his motor, explosiveness and potential as a two-way impact player. He will likely receive looks higher than this and will have an opportunity to make his case in pre-draft workouts, where his athletic gifts should stand out, and teams will want to better assess his skill level and perimeter shooting.

With the Bulls ushering in a new era under Bryson Graham, he wants to implement his SLAP philosophy. That fits exactly how Wilson plays his game, spending just one year at UNC and averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

Wilson has the chance to be a star and there are some GM’s that even have him higher than Boozer.

As for the Bulls’ pick at 15, Woo has them selecting Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance, someone he calls a ‘wild card’ prospect.

The post Chicago Bulls projected to land UNC basketball star in latest mock draft appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls definitely have some work to do heading into the NBA offseason, as they won just 31 games this past year and have posted just one winning campaign over the last decade.

The Bulls are now rolling with a new regime, as they recently hired Bryson Graham as their new top executive, and while they still need to find a head coach, they at least have some sort of direction with Graham now at the helm.

The question is whether or not Graham wants to completely revamp this roster or if he feels there are some pieces who could be a part of the process moving forward.

One name to watch in particular is Josh Giddey, who just averaged 17 points, 9.1 assists and 8.3 rebounds over 32.1 minutes on 44.8/36.4/76.3 shooting splits. He signed a four-year, $100 million contract extension with Chicago last September, but that was before the front office shakeup.

Does Graham view Giddey as a mainstay? Brett Sigel of ClutchPoints isn’t so sure.

Chicago Bulls could trade Josh Giddey because he doesn’t fit their style

Sigel wonders if Graham actually wants to move forward with Giddey, noting that the 23-year-old doesn’t seem to fit the mold for the new exec.

“Graham laid out in his press conference that he wants guys that are hard-nosed, can play on both ends of the court, athletic, length,” Sigel said on Clutch Scoops. “So it draws major questions about where Josh Giddey fits in with the future of this organization.”

While Giddey did log one steal per game during the 2025-26 campaign, he is not actually known for being a defensive dynamo, and the fact that he is under contract through 2029 — with no options — could result in Graham wanting to clear his salary.

It’s not that Giddey has a bad contract. He is making just $25 million annually, which some may view as a steal in the modern era. However, if the Australian native doesn’t possess the traits Graham wants in a star player, he may view the contract as a weight.

There would surely be some teams interested in Giddey, who is a versatile playmaker and has been steadily impressive throughout his five-year career. But it’s also entirely possible that he has already hit his ceiling, and his lack of defensive acumen could make him more difficult to trade than some would initially expect.

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The Chicago Bulls have two picks in the NBA lottery, but do not know exactly what number these picks are going to be. The NBA Draft Lottery takes place on Sunday, but mock drafts have been either using a simulator or going by win percentage to determine the order. One mock draft has been shaking it up with the draft simulator in order to give each team different options of who they can take. Let’s take a closer look at who Bryson Graham could wind up selecting in the first round of his first NBA draft with the Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls draft an elite guard with their first pick

Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley wrote a mock draft lottery ahead of the actual lottery taking place. For Chicago, they were able to land the ninth and 15th picks in this draft. Their first pick has the team selecting Alabama Crimson Tide guard Labaron Philon Jr. Below is what he said regarding the pick:

“The Bulls have one of the least convincing collections of long-term keepers among all of the rebuilders. Theree might not be a single self-sufficient scorer within that group. Adding Philon here would help ease that concern. Even if he’s more of an undersized scorer than a traditional point guard, that’s fine. In fact, it might make it easy for him to slot alongside Josh Giddey, a pass-first player with limited scoring punch. Philon’s ignitable shooting should help him thrive in an off-ball role, but Chicago would want to give him plenty of on-ball reps, too. He is shifty with the basketball while being a scoring threat on the move.”

Philon had a change of roles ahead of the NCAA Tournament this year when teammate Aiden Holloway was removed from the team. On the floor, he averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game with 45.2/41.5/76.7 shooting splits. While Chicago has not hired a coach yet, Philon has shown the ability to play in a high-octane offense at Alabama. He also has a 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame, so he can have a great ability to wear down the opposing defense and push the pace.

Chicago’s current guard situation includes Josh Giddey, Isaac Okoro, Tre Jones, and Rob Dillingham, so landing Philon would be major for the team. This is not the first time that the Bulls have been mocked to select Philon either. This would give the Bulls a sign that they have an elite playmaking guard immediately for the roster.

Chicago Bulls add national champion center with second lottery pick

This pick comes via the Portland Trail Blazers from a trade back in 2021 finally being finalized. This mock draft has them addressing the center position and they select center Aday Mara from the Michigan Wolverines. Below is what Buckley said about this selection:

“The Bulls are so early into their rebuild that they don’t have to force a team need into their consideration. That said, if the draft board breaks right, you’d think they’d prefer to find a long-term interior anchor. Well, this mock helped make that happen with Mara and his unique skill set still sitting on the board. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo called Mara ‘the most gifted center in the draft, both skill-and size-wise,’ highlighting the 7’3″ center’s paint protection, play finishing and keen eye for passing.”

Mara averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.6 blocks in 23.4 minutes per game en route to the national championship. In a game where the huge centers are not as prevalent as they were in previous eras, this gives the Bulls a true big man. He has shown the ability to defend the paint well, but needs to improve at expanding his offensive game. However, centers like Rudy Gobert, DeAndre Ayton, and Victor Wembanyama exist so there’s still a potential need for size. It will be intriguing how the front office views size going into the draft.

The post Chicago Bulls add 2 major pieces in Bleacher Report’s latest NBA mock draft appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls will soon know exactly where they are picking in the 2026 NBA Draft. Holding two picks, one of those will be in the lottery with a slim chance to get into the top four. And an even slimmer chance to be No. 1 overall.

But as the 2026 NBA Draft lottery is just a day away, potential names are started to be connected to Chicago if they stay around No. 9 or No. 10 overall. One of those names is a national champion and one of the best players in college basketball last season.

With the Bulls going in a new direction with a rebuild this offseason, they can really target any position in the NBA draft. They also can’t be picky in doing so and need to take the best players available. That player could be Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg.

Chicago Bulls insider says Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg could fit with team

As Chicago begins this new era under Bryson Graham, the SLAP principle that he lives by could be seen early in his tenure. With that being said, Joe Cowley dropped Yaxel Lendeborg as a player to watch for the Bulls.

The one player that likely would be there for the Bulls at No. 9 and seems to check a lot of the “SLAP” boxes is Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who is 6-9, has a 7-4 wingspan, can switch to guards and lock them down on the perimeter and plays with physicality. It didn’t hurt that he also shot 53% from three-point range in his last 11 games on the way to a national championship.

Graham’s SLAP stands for Size, length, athleticism and physicality. Ideally, that is going to be felt on the defensive side of the ball. Graham explained that in his first press conference and it sounds like Lendeborg would fit that.

He does appear to be a realistic option for the Bulls if they are at No. 9 or No.10. But let’s hope they can get some lottery luck on their side.

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The Chicago Bulls own a pair of first-round picks in this year’s NBA Draft, including their own (which will be a lottery selection) and the Portland Trail Blazers’ selection, which will come in at No. 15 overall.

The Bulls won just 31 games this past season and have posted just one winning campaign the last decade, so clearly, they need some pretty serious help. Fortunately, they have a new executive with a pretty fine draft record in Bryson Graham, so perhaps Chicago’s turnaround starts this summer.

Unfortunately, the Bulls won’t be able to land any of the most hyped prospects in this year’s class, as AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson will all be out of their reach, barring a trade.

But there should still be some very intriguing young talents available for Chicago with each of its two first-round selections, so the Bulls — who own four picks in this draft overall — could come away with quite a haul next month.

However, there is one player Chicago is being warned to avoid.

Chicago Bulls warned to avoid Jayden Quaintance

Perhaps one of the most compelling prospects in this year’s NBA Draft class is Kentucky Wildcats big man Jayden Quaintance, a freakish athlete whose skillset appears to be exactly what the Bulls need on the interior. At least defensively.

But Alex Kirschenbaum of Bleacher Nation isn’t buying any of it, sternly warning Chicago to steer clear of Quaintance.

“Every declared player in ESPN’s top 25 (beyond the injury-prone Jayden Quaintance, who feels like an obvious stayaway) is worth an extended look. The Bulls have positional needs absolutely everywhere,” Kirschenbaum wrote.

ESPN has ranked Quaintance 18th on its latest big board, which feels about right given his medical concerns.

The 20-year-old began his career at Arizona State in 2024-25 and played in 24 games with the Sun Devils, averaging 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks over 29.5 minutes per game before a torn ACL knocked him out for the remainder of the campaign.

Quaintance than transferred to Kentucky, where he appeared in all of four contests this past season as a result of swelling in that same right knee.

Clearly, there is reason to worry about Quaintance, who actually might have been one of the top prospects in this year’s class had it not been for his injury red flags. It’s also worth noting that Quaintance’s offense repertoire is very limited, as well.

As tempting as it may be for the Bulls to draft Quaintance and make him their defensive anchor, it’s probably not worth the risk.

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The Chicago Bulls are slated to have a wealth of cap space heading into the NBA offseason, which means they could be major players in free agency.

The Bulls won just 31 games this past year and have posted only one winning season over the last decade, so they need all of the help they can get. It should not, however, come in the form of Jalen Duren.

Duren is viewed as one of the top upcoming free agents after averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in 2025-26, but when you look past those traditional stats, you’ll see that Duren may not be worth a $184 million max contract.

He is very limited offensively, he isn’t the best defender (particularly when it comes to rim protection) and he has had his fair share of struggles in the playoffs.

For a Chicago squad that absolutely has to get it right this summer, splurging on Duren may not be the wisest course of action. The good news is that there will be several other intriguing big men available on the open market, and one in particular seems like a much better fit than Duren: Mitchell Robinson.

Chicago Bulls should pursue Mitchell Robinson in free agency

Look, I get it: Robinson is one of the most injury-prone players in the league, and him playing 60 games for the New York Knicks this season was actually a lot. But his lack of durability will make him infinitely cheaper than Duren, and when he is on the floor, an argument can be made that he is more effective.

Unlike Duren, Robinson is a fantastic rim protector, as he owns a lifetime average of 1.7 blocks over 23.6 minutes per game. That’s good for an average of 2.7 blocks per 36 minutes, and it’s also worth noting that Robinson can move his feet and defend in space.

No, Robinson doesn’t have an offensive repertoire, but neither does Duren.

Essentially, Robinson is a far cheaper version of Duren with significantly better defense. The only issue is that there is no guarantee he is going to be healthy, but that will be reflected in the contract he receives.

The 28-year-old averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks across 19.6 minutes a night this season. Those rebounding numbers are ridiculous (he averaged 22.2 boards per 100 possession) and are exactly what the Bulls need.

When Robinson is on the floor, he’s an athletic freak capable of changing the complexion of a game. And he would be very affordable.

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As the Chicago Bulls officially usher in a new era, the next steps in the offseason will be the 2026 NBA Draft as well as free agency. Chicago’s roster right now needs to be revamped and with a new regime in, it almost feels like no one is untouchable.

Ideally, Chicago continues to build around Matas Buzelis but in terms of draft prep, they really can’t rule out any position.

Chicago will have two first-round picks in this year’s draft and one has a slim potential of being in the top four. The Bulls will need a lot of lick for that to happen but it would land them a potential superstar. For now though, most mock drafts are operating with the Bulls staying put. That includes the latest from Bleacher Report which has a big shocker in Oklahoma city going to No. 1. They do have the Bears at No. 10 and No. 15 overall and with those picks, they have them addressing two needs.

Chicago Bulls address two needs in latest mock draft

In Zach Buckley’s latest mock draft, he has the Bulls taking Arizona guard Brayden Burries and then Michigan center Aday Mara. The Bulls are in need of a point guard as well of a center, so this makes a lot of sense. Here is what he said about Burries at No. 10 overall:

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This weekend will be an important one for the Chicago Bulls. Holding two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, one of those picks will be in the lottery with a small chance to land a top four pick.

On Sunday, the Bulls will know where that lottery pick lands as the league will host the draft lottery at Navy Pier. With a full slate of games, the league is using the day to reveal the draft order live in Chicago. The Bulls will know that pick and can start planning ahead. But they also need a head coach to run their team.

Earlier in the week there was a name that was mentioned by Bulls’ insider K.C. Johnson as he brought up San Antonio Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney as a candidate. And now, another insider is doing the same.

Another insider connects Sean Sweeney to Chicago Bulls

In his latest piece, NBA reporter Jake Fischer wrote on the Bulls’ search. He also named Sweeney as a candidate.

“There is a growing sense, meanwhile, that New Orleans is unlikely to have a shot at San Antonio’s in-demand assistant coach Sean Sweeney, who is expected to be part of Chicago’s search and possibly Orlando’s,” Fischer wrote.

Sweeney has worked his way up the NBA coaching ladder, starting off as a video assistant before earning an assistant coaching job with the Brooklyn Nets.

He’s also worked with the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks and most recently the Spurs. He’s helped the Spurs become one of the top teams in the Western Conference while also coaching Wemby as well.

With Chicago ushering in a new era, getting this hire right is important. And it feels like Sweeney could be that guy to put them over the top and get this thing back on track.

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The Chicago Bulls went just 31-51 this past year and have posted just one winning campaign over the last 10 NBA seasons, so they are definitely in need of a spark.

Fortunately, the Bulls are slated to have more cap room than any other team this summer, so they do have the ability to swing some big moves to bolster their roster for a potential playoff run in a weak Eastern Conference next year.

Of course, Chicago actually needs to make the right decisions with its money, and with so many of the top free agents in this year’s class being so polarizing, things will be challenging.

Nevertheless, the Bulls are expected to make a significant splash in free agency, and one name that has regularly been connected to the squad is Detroit Pistons big man Jalen Duren.

Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes recently published a piece in which he predicted what every team would do if free agency started today, and for Chicago, it was making a substantial offer to Duren.

Will the Chicago Bulls sign Jalen Duren?

Duren is a restricted free agent, meaning the Pistons can match any offer. But Hughes thinks the Bulls might be able to pry the All-Star away from Detroit.

“Boasting as much as $58 million in cap space, easily the most in the league, the Bulls could throw a max offer sheet of four years and $184 million at Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren and have a reasonable hope of the incumbent team not matching,” Hughes wrote. “Offer sheets tie up a team’s cap space until they’re matched, so the Bulls would be taking a calculated risk here. But what do they have to lose?”

While Duren is certainly enticing, $184 million is a whole lot of money to throw at a center with such a limited offensive repertoire and who has struggled in the playoffs this year. It’s also the type of move that could potentially set Chicago even further back if it doesn’t pan out.

Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds over 28.2 minutes per game this season, shooting 65 percent from the floor and 74.7 percent from the free-throw line. While his improved free-throw shooting was nice, Duren still lacks any semblance of a true offensive game, and he even has his fair share of struggles defensively, particularly when it comes to rim protection.

This free-agent class is pretty deep in terms of frontcourt talent, and there should be far cheaper options than Duren. Perhaps the Bulls should look elsewhere rather than offering Duren $46 million annually.

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The Chicago Bulls have officially hired Bryson Graham to run their front office as he became Vice President of Basketball Operations this week. After a search that lasted a few weeks, the Bulls landed on Graham who has experience in New Orleans and Atlanta.

This hire might have surprised some as it was reported that Minnesota Timberwolves executive Matt Lloyd was the favorite. But instead, Chicago went in a different direction and are moving forward with Graham.

Following the hire, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch was asked about Lloyd not getting the job. He praised Graham and Lloyd in his answer.

Chris Finch has praise for Chicago Bulls’ hire

Finch and Graham have a connection, dating back to their time together in New Orleans. He opened up his answer by congratulating the new man in charge of the Bulls.

“Congrats to Bryson Graham. I worked with Bryson in New Orleans for a number of years,” Finch said. “He’s a class act and an outstanding talent evaluator. I’m sure he will be a great pick for the Bulls.”

But when talking about Lloyd, he told the media how lucky the Timberwolves were to have him. However, it sounded like the franchise was shocked he didn’t get the job.

“Gunning for Matt. He’s one of the best executives I’ve ever worked with anywhere I’ve been,” Finch said. “He’s an absolute rock star when it comes to that, from running processes to connecting with people in the building, to positivity to leadership, to being able to manage up and down. It’s only a matter of time until he gets his chance, I’m convinced of it. These are really hard jobs to get, highly coveted. Lots of things go into them. We’re fortunate to have him here and he’s been a huge part of our success.”

Lloyd will get a chance eventually. It’s only a matter of time before he takes a better job. He was able to work his way up from the bottom in this league and it should pay off in the near future.

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The Chicago Bulls have had a curse ever since owner Jerry Reinsdorf made the decision not to run it back after the 1988 NBA championship, prompting Michael Jordan to briefly retire.

The Bulls had moderate success with Derrick Rose, but he was never the same after his ACL injury in 2012.

Since the Bulls’ loss in the conference finals to the Miami Heat in 2011, Chicago has won two playoff series, with the last coming in the first round of the 2015 playoffs. The Bulls’ last playoff appearance was in 2022, the second year of the former regime of executive Artūras Karnišovas.

On Wednesday, Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf took responsibility for the team’s recent failures, suggesting new executive vice president of basketball Bryson Graham was capable of making hard but necessary changes to make the team competitive again.

“First I’ll start with our fans,” Reinsdorf said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. “I want to, actually I need to, say I’m sorry because the results obviously haven’t been there. It’s not something I’m proud of and it’s something I want to get right. Ultimately it flows up to me and I take responsibility.

“I do feel that (Wednesday) is a step in the right direction and it’s an important step. At the end of the day, Bryson just clearly stood out. So why Bryson? I think it starts with he’s not about shortcuts.”

Maybe Bill Donovan’s decision to flee the ship got Reinsdorf’s attention.

The Chicago Bulls are in full rebuild mode

The Bulls chose Graham because of his history of having an eye for talent, and Chicago needs a lot of that in the next few draft classes. Karnišovas had a knack for missing elite players like Tyrese Haliburton and Derik Queen.

Graham was honest in his assessment of the Bulls’ current roster, saying the team was in need of a rebuild. Most executives shy away from saying the “R” word out loud.

“Most rebuild situations are when you don’t have star-caliber players,” Graham said. “Right now, not to say we don’t have anyone on this roster that can get there, but until we continue to draft well, add to this mix, and add overall talent and team identity, yeah, we’re in a rebuilding phase.”

The Bulls needed to start with honesty about needing to rebuild. Karnišovas never wanted to blow it up, opting to compete for the Play-In Tournament after the Play-In Tournament.

Chicago deserves better, and the Bulls for once are trying to make that change.

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The Chicago Bulls hired Bryson Graham to be their new executive vice president earlier this week, placing him at the top of their organizational chain when it comes to basketball operations.

The move was met with some pushback from fans, who wondered why the Bulls passed on Minnesota Timberwolves exec Matt Lloyd to hire Graham, but nevertheless, the fanbase will just have to accept the decision.

Graham had been serving as Atlanta Hawks senior vice president prior to taking the job in Chicago, and before that, he spent 15 years with the New Orleans Pelicans’ organization, eventually working his way up into the general manager role.

Because the Pelicans did not exactly enjoy my success during Graham’s time there, he doesn’t have the most sparkling reputation, but he did do a tremendous job during his lone season with the Hawks, and the Bulls obviously took notice.

On that note, a rather wild Graham story has resurfaced from his brief time in Atlanta.

Chicago Bulls executive Bryson Graham pulled off a heist

Last summer, Graham pulled off a remarkable trade for the Hawks, sending the No. 13 overall pick to the Pelicans (Graham’s former team, ironically enough) in exchange for the No. 23 selection and an unprotected 2026 first-round draft choice.

New Orleans proceeded to select Maryland big man Derik Queen with the 13th pick, and Atlanta nabbed Georgia big man Asa Newell at No. 23.

The Hawks now own the seventh overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft as a result of the deal, making it quite the steal for Atlanta. And when the trade was initially proposed, Graham was apparently in a state of shock, as Pelicans insider Shamit Dua noted.

“One Eastern executive with knowledge of how the conversation went from Atlanta’s perspective described a perplexing scene,” Dua wrote. “When Senior Vice President Troy Weaver made the call to Atlanta’s Bryson Graham, Graham couldn’t believe what was actually being offered. Graham asked for clarification multiple times to confirm the unprotected pick was indeed part of the deal.”

In fact, Graham called Pelicans president Joe Dumars to “triple check.”

To be fair, this isn’t much of a feather in Graham’s cap. It’s more of a once-in-a-lifetime type of trade that just fell into his lap. But it still makes for a rather amusing anecdote.

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The Chicago Bulls are preparing for the 2026 NBA Draft lottery this week to determine where they will officially pick. The team has a 4.5% chance of getting the first pick, but are likely going to be in the top 10. There is a chance they fall to the end of the lottery if things go against them, but they have two picks in the first round thanks to the Portland Trail Blazers making the playoffs as part of the Larry Nance Jr trade in 2021. Let’s take a closer look at the two players that one outlet has them selecting.

Chicago Bulls land the 10th pick in Bleacher Report’s mock NBA draft

The Bulls do not have the luck of the ping-pong balls in Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft. They land with the 10th pick and selected guard Labaron Philon Jr from the Alabama Crimson Tide. Below is the reasoning given to the pick:

“Labaron Philon gave Michigan 35 points in his final game, capping off a breakout season fueled by improved shooting and finishing. His identity still revolves around dribbling creativity and getting to spots. Philon has a dangerous change of speed, deceleration ability and handling. He’s a more advance isolation and ball-screen scorer with his pull-up game and craft around the rim.”

The 20-year-old has been compared to Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray. Philon finished the season 12th in the NCAA in scoring as he averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on 50.1/39.9/79.8 shooting splits over 33 games. He can be the point guard as Rob Dillingham and Tre Jones have not elevated to being a starting point guard on a contending team yet. Instead, the backocurt of Philon and Josh Giddey could be a dynamic scoring duo. If this is the first pick in the Bryson Graham era for Chicago, they would be excited.

Chicago gets a forward with the 15th pick

In addition to their own first-round pick, they also have the first non-lottery pick via the Trail Blazers. In the mock draft, they get some size from a different SEC school in forward Jayden Quaintance from the Kentucky Wildcats. Below is what they wrote about this pick:

“Jayden Quaintance lasted four games for Kentcuky after trying to return 10 months after last year’s torn ACL. Scouts aren’t banking on seeing him again this year, which creates a tricky evaluation and draft decision for a sophomore who’s still younger than most freshmen. The long-term ceiling that looked so appealing at Arizona State hasn’t changed. But with questions about his availability, health and current stage of development, it’s becoming more likely that he could lose support from certain teams desperate for a sure thing.

“At full strength, Quaintance looks like an outstanding defensive prospect due to his frame, length and shot-blocking rate. He was always behind offensively, but he’s delivered enough flashes of low-post touch, driving ability and shotmaking for scouts to picture some long-term scoring potential to unlock.”

While this pick seems like more of a gamble, Quintance has shown the upside to be a legitimate defensive threat at the forward position. He played 28 games (25 starts) in his collegiate career and averaged 8.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 2.4 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game. He needs to figure out how to be able to shoot the basketball at a better level, but it could come with more time on the court. When healthy, he provides solid forward minutes as a starter in the league. Like the mock draft said, he is young and needs to prove he is healthy. However, he is a lottery pick when he is on the court and would provide the Bulls with someone to play well at the four when Patrick Williams is off the court.

They have some intriguing options with Jalen Smith and Noa Essengue also under contract for the 2026-27 season already, but this gives the Bulls a chance to move some more players and shape the roster to be a competitive team right away in the Eastern Conference. It will be intriguing to see who the Bulls take with their two top-15 picks in the actual NBA draft.

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The Chicago Bulls completed their first step of a very important offseason when they hired Bryson Graham to head the front office. That move happened on Monday as the franchise is moving in a new direction. Now, they are turning their attention to more hires.

Chicago has more positions to fill in that front office as well as finding a new head coach. With the NBA Draft Lottery next week and the actual draft just over a month away, the Bulls want to move quickly. And it appears as if they have a target for the assistant general manager role.

The latest reports suggest that the Bulls are looking at another Eastern Conference team to fill that need for the assistant general manager spot.

Chicago Bulls targeting Boston’s Dave Lewin

With Graham being introduced on Wednesday, Chicago is expected to act fast with other hires. In Joe Cowley’s latest for the Chicago Sun-Times, he mentions Boston’s Dave Lewin as someone who could fill the assistant spot:

A person who could help Graham and that process along? Well, the Bulls already interviewed him as well. While Boston Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin did not get the Bulls’ EVP job, that doesn’t mean the Bulls are done pursuing him. There will be a push to get him in the front office, and if not him, “we need to find someone very much like Dave Lewin.”

That’s how impressive his presentation was from an analytics and strategy standpoint.

Chicago did interview Lewin, so they are familiar with his plan. He’s been in Boston for nearly a decade, starting as a scout and working his way up the chain.

Currently, he’s behind both Brad Stevens and Mike Zarren so this move would be an upgrade for him if the Bulls choose to go that route. While the Celtics blew a lead this year in the playoffs, they found success a few years back winning it all. They also had another NBA Finals appearance, despite losing to the Golden State Warriors.

Lewin appears to be a top candidate and someone who could be a beneficial addition.

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The Chicago Bulls are in the midst of a lot of changes this offseason. They have recently filled a major front office role, but the talks have transitioned to who will be coaching the team. There are a lot of intriguing names who are available, but one name has seemingly be in the mix that could be of great intrigue to Bulls fans. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what a reunion would mean for the organization.

Tom Thibodeau reportedly is interested in a Chicago Bulls return

The Athletic’s Sam Amick wrote an article and discussed some news about coach Tom Thibodeau. Ears are perked up as there has been some interest in a potential reunion with the Bulls from his side.

“League sources say Tom Thibodeau is also very interested in a comeback. The 68-year-old was fired from his Knicks post last suer but is looking for the right fit for his coaching future again. And yes, league sources say, that includes the prospect of a Bulls reunion if the Reinsdorfs and new executive vice president of basketbal operations Bryson Graham, who was hired away from the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, had interest.”

Thibodeau got his start as a head coach with the Bulls ahead of the 2010-11 season. He would coach the franchise for five seasons and go 255-139 (.647) while making the postseason all five years. There are obviously some drawbacks to hiring Thibodeau with a young team as he tends to not use his bench as much and play his starters a significant amount of minutes. However, after the departure of Billy Donovan, this would make Chicago even more attractive to some stars.

After his tenure with the New York Knicks, the team did not talk badly about him and it seemed like he had a good relationship with star players like Jalen Brunson. Could this help attract some pivotal free agents and/or players to demand trades to the Windy City? Chicago is still searching for a coach and hhave not interviewed anyone for that role as of yet, but it will be interesting if Graham brings Thibodeau for an interview to at least pick his brain.

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The Chicago Bulls made a questionable decision to draft Noa Essengue with the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Essengue, a power forward, essentially plays the same position on the court as Matas Buzelis, who figures to be in the Bulls’ plans for a long time.

On Dec. 3, Essengue suffered a season-ending shoulder injury that required surgery. It was a major setback for the Bulls, because the rookie needed to spend his first season getting into NBA shape.

Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Essengue grew a couple of inches. He’s close to seven feet tall.

The NBA lists Essengue at 6-foot-8, so a “couple” of inches would put him at 6-foot-10, whereas a few or several inches would put him closer to seven feet.

Regardless, Essengue will be a different player when he returns to the Bulls under a new head coach. Chicago drafted him at 18, hoping he could develop into a star player. His new height could help the forward be more of a presence in the paint, something he struggled with last season.

Chicago Bulls PF Noa Essengue will be a big presence

Following the draft, Essengue was blunt about the work he needed to put in to becoming an elite player at the NBA level. He struggles with perimeter shooting, making just 24 percent of his three-point attempts in league play last year in Germany.

“More defensively I gotta improve myself,” Essengue said, via the Bulls. “I’m gonna do all those little details that help the team to win,” Essengue said. “I can do pretty much everything, shooting, passing the ball and attacking the rim.

“I think my biggest strength right now is the open court game. My biggest strength is finishing close to the basket, dunks, layups, all that stuff. I need to work on being more consistent in my shooting skills.”

The new height should help Essengue attack the rim and dunk. The shooting will be something else altogether for him to master.

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The first step in the Chicago Bulls offseason plan is complete. On Monday, the franchise announced that they are hiring Bryson Graham as executive Vice President of Basketball Operations. It’s the first hire in this offseason rebuild as the Bulls finally picked their direction.

With Graham hired, the franchise can now focus on the rest of the offseason. That includes hiring a new head coach. He will have the task of finding the right head coach for a franchise that’s in a rebuild but also has valuable assets. The Bulls have two lottery picks as well as a healthy cap situation to work with this offseason.

And now, a new name is surfacing in connection with the Bulls’ open job.

Chicago Bulls insider reveals ‘hot coaching candidate’ for franchise

Right after the hire, Bulls’ insider K.C. Johnson of CHSN offered his thoughts on the Graham hire and what’s next. He then dropped a name that could be intriguing for the Bulls in terms of their head coach search.

Johnson pointed to Sean Sweeney as a ‘hot coaching candidate’ for the team.

“I asked for that list, but I was not given that list, so I’m still working on that. I can’t tell you one name, but one name that is a hot coaching candidate throughout the league for a lot of openings is Sean Sweeney,” Johnson said.

“I don’t know if San Antonio would let him out of his contract because he was a big hire for them last offseason as a lead assistant there. That’s one name I would keep an eye on, but there’s a lot of information coming.”

"One name that is a hot coaching candidate throughout the league…is Sean Sweeney."@KCJHoop gives a bit of insight as to who could be the next head coach of the Bulls: pic.twitter.com/3IUe3VBzr1

— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) May 4, 2026

Sweeney is serving as associate head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. He’s been Mitch Johnson’s right hand man, helping get the team the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference for the playoffs.

His expertise is defense and he’s helped develop the Spurs into one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. He’s also worked with phenom Victor Wembanyama as the former No. 1 pick was the first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year winner. Sweeney feels like a guy who could come in and turn this thing around in a hurry.

But as Johnson stated, would the Spurs allow that to happen? It feels like there’s a good thing going on in San Antonio right now and risking messing that up could be dangerous for that franchise.

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Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has become the squad’s offensive cornerstone after his impressive season last year. 

The 24-year-old QB broke the franchise record for passing yards last season with 3,942. He finished his second NFL season with 330 completions for 27 touchdowns. Williams led the Bears to their first NFC North title and their best finish since 2018 with an 11-6 record.

Aside from Williams, Chicago has another young athlete to look out for — Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls failed to qualify for the playoffs this year, but a young star emerged amongst their struggles.

Chicago Bears: Matas Buzelis spotted with Caleb Williams at a Cubs game

Buzelis just finished his second year in the NBA. The Bulls finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 31-51. 

Despite that, the 6-foot-8 Illinois native had a career year. In his first season, he averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and one assist per game. Buzelis almost doubled his scoring output from his rookie year, finishing with 16.3 points per game in 2025-26. He also had 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks.

On Friday, the pair of young Chicago stars watched and supported the city’s MLB squad, the Chicago Cubs. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by CALEB WILLIAMS (@ayeeecaleb)

Williams posted this on his Instagram account with the caption, “Ws in the Chiiii.”

Buzelis had words for the Bears’ quarterback, leaving a simple comment.

“The one and only,” reacted the Bulls forward

The Cubs impressed with Buzelis and Williams in attendance. They defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6-5.

Chicago has a bright future ahead for their NFL and NBA teams. The Bears are coming off a successful season, and they have Super Bowl aspirations this year.

As for Buzelis and the Bulls, they are currently in the middle of their rebuild. They have a young core led by the likes of Buzelis, Josh Giddey and Rob Dillingham. 

It might still be a while before the Bulls can be a serious contender in the East, but hopes are high for this young squad.

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The Chicago Bulls are going in a whole new direction this offseason, ushering in the next rebuild. That direction includes moving on from front office members Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley as well as head coach Billy Donovan.

While the Bulls were hoping to keep Donovan for the next regime, the head coach decided it was time to move on. That signaled that Donovan didn’t want to be a part of another rebuild and the team went in a different direction. But now, just a few weeks after that, he’s already being connected to other open jobs.

On Monday, the Orlando Magic fired Jamahl Mosley after blowing a series lead to the Detroit Pistons. Mosley was already in hot water and the blown lead cemented it for his fate.

Now, Orlando could make a move on Donovan and all indications are that he’s the front runner.

Will Billy Donovan head back to Florida to coach the Magic?

It didn’t take long for Donovan to be connected to the Magic, in fact it was mere minutes. Josh Robbins of The Athletic mentioned Donovan, citing league sources that he could be interested in the job:

League sources have speculated since late October that Taylor Jenkins, former Memphis Grizzlies coach, would be the preferred candidate to replace Mosley if the Magic coaching job opened, but the Milwaukee Bucks hired Jenkins in late April. In recent days, league sources have speculated that former University of Florida, Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan could emerge as a candidate for the Magic. Donovan famously accepted the Magic coaching job during the 2007 offseason, after he won back-to-back NCAA titles at Florida, then got cold feet and decided to return to college.

It makes sense. Donovan is one of the best, if not the best, available head coach in the NBA right now. He didn’t commit to North Carolina when the Tar Heels showed interest in him and instead waited it out. This could be the best job available for him as he would take over a young roster that has already been to the playoffs multiple years.

But it may not be that easy.

There’s a history between the two sides as Donovan famously accepted the job in 2007. However, he turned his back and opted to head back to the college game. Will the Magic remember that? Or will they let bygones be bygones?

We could find out soon.

The post Former Chicago Bulls head coach rumored to be front runner for this open job appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls have been searching for someone to lead the franchise, and they have finally found their guy.

After the team decided to let go of Executive VP of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas and General Manager Marc Eversley before the conclusion of the regular season, there were many names suggested as options to lead the team.

The Bulls have locked in who they hope will take the team out of the rut they have been in for a handful of seasons, so let’s take a deeper dive into who it is the team has hired.

The Chicago Bulls hire Bryson Graham as Executive Vice President – Basketball Operations

The Bulls have made a decision regarding the front office, as they have signed Bryson Graham to lead the front office as the executive vice president of basketball operations. He was most recently the senior vice president of the Atlanta Hawks, joining last season.

Prior to that, he was part of the New Orleans Pelicans from 2010-25 and rose from an intern to the general manager. Graham will now have the top role in the front office for the Bulls in a pivotal offseason.

Graham has been someone across the league who is known for having the ability to scout. Over his time in the league, he drafted Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Trey Murphy III. Graham was also able to help the Hawks land the 2026 Pelicans first-round pick, one of the most coveted draft picks in the league.

The Bulls issued a statement announcing the hire:

“He has worked his way up through basketball operations from the ground level, and that experience has given him a deep understanding of how to build an dsustain a successful organization. He is an effective communicator, a disciplined and thoughtful decision-maker, and someone who truly connects with players and people. He understands today’s league, today’s players, and what it takes to develop talent and build a winning culture.”

Graham was chosen over Detroit Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lundsey and Minnesota Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd. All three had in-person interviews over the weeked before the Bulls made their choice. Now, it will be intriguing to see how Graham leads the team and who will be coaching the team.

The post Chicago Bulls announce new Vice President of Basketball Operations appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls were reportedly showing interest in Minnesota Timberwolves executive Matt Lloyd to become the next executive vice president of basketball operations.

The hire would have made sense for Chicago, as Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori could have been the top target to replace Billy Donovan as head coach.

Instead, the Bulls announced on Tuesday they were hiring Bryson Graham as executive vice president. He was the general manager for New Orleans Pelicans in 2024-25 before becoming the senior vice president for the Atlanta Hawks before the 2025-26 campaign.

Per ESPN, the Bulls conducted in-person interviews with Graham, Detroit Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey and Lloyd over the weekend. Chicago passed over Lindsey and Lloyd for Graham.

Graham has been credited for finding quality draft picks like Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Dyson Daniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. If that amounts to a stellar scouting eye is well, in the eye of the beholder.

Needless to say, Bulls fans weren’t excited about the prospects of getting a former front office person for the Pelicans to launch the rebuild in Chicago.

Chicago Bulls criticized for hiring Bryson Graham

“Bargain shopping. As fans, we just need to come to a realization, that this franchise will be a laughing stock, til Reinsdorf is out. Pretty sad for a major market team,” wrote a fan.

“No fan club this time. lessons were learned. ownership, please just let this man cook and don’t get in his way,” wrote another.

“Yeah the pelicans and hawks are really successful organizations that have won playoff series in the past 5 years let’s take their guy,” believes a poster.

“Matt Lloyd was right there and this is who you hire? Never underestimate the Bulls ability to screw things up. This franchise is doomed,” argued another.

“Wouldn’t pay Matt Lloyd. And/or wouldn’t give Matt Lloyd the control he wanted. And/or Matt couldn’t hire the new head coach he wanted? Matt Lloyd said ‘not interested’ in that type of leadership role. Sell the Bulls!…also sell the White Sox,” wrote another.

The Bulls should have gone with Lloyd, which would have brought some alignment with a coach like Nori. Instead, Chicago is hoping Graham can use his talent for young players to build the roster.

If you like what the Pelicans have done in recent years, you should be excited.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Bulls have one of the better salary cap situations in basketball heading into the offseason, so they are expected to be major players in NBA free agency.

The Bulls have made just one playoff appearance in the last nine years and went 31-51 this past season, so they may not exactly look like a marquee destination, but it’s a big market, and Chicago now has a new regime coming in which could change things.

As a result, the Bulls may comprise a surprisingly attractive landing spot, and one name that has surfaced as a potential option for the team is Austin Reaves.

Reaves has become a very popular player over the last several years, establishing himself as a versatile, All-Star-caliber wing for the Los Angeles Lakers. During the 2025-26 regular season, he averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds over 34.5 minutes per game on 49.0/36.0/87.1 shooting splits, so you can see why he is garnering so much attention.

But would Chicago be making a mistake if it pursued him on the open market? Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes seems to think so.

The Chicago Bulls have been warned about Austin Reaves

While Hughes appreciates how well Reaves has performed, he feels the 27-year-old will get overpaid thanks to his blistering start this year.

“Potential suitors will include the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls and Reaves’ own Los Angeles Lakers. All three should be wary of viewing this year’s 51-game sample as a production baseline going forward,” Hughes wrote. “Reaves performed like a superstar through the end of November, thriving in an upsized role while Luka Dončić and LeBron James missed time with injury. After that, his numbers were much more in line with what he did in 2024-25, when he posted 20.2 points and 5.8 assists on a 61.6 true shooting percentage. Those are still stellar stats, but it’s hard to argue they’re worth a potential five-year max with the Lakers, which would check in at a total of $241 million.”

As Hughes noted, those are obviously still very good numbers, but the Bulls absolutely need to be cautious with how they spend their money. If they ultimately sign Reaves to a max deal in free agency, it would severely inhibit their chances of improving the roster elsewhere, and the last thing Chicago needs is to be saddled with an albatross.

To be fair, Reaves has shown steady improvement each and every season, and he’s still relatively young. But is he worth being your highest-paid player? It’s a question the Bulls will need to ask themselves, and the answer is almost certainly “no.”

There will be plenty of other options for Chicago to consider this summer, so we’ll see if the Bulls end up going in a different direction than blowing all of their cash on Reaves.

The post Bulls receive strong Austin Reaves warning amid growing free agent buzz appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago isn’t part of the 2026 playoff bracket. That reality settled in weeks ago, long before the postseason tipped off. A 31–51 record in a competitive Eastern Conference tends to do that. Still, April basketball has a way of revealing more than standings ever could.

Watching the first round unfold, you start to notice patterns, habits, really, that separate teams still playing from those already planning for October when the margins become unforgiving. For the Bulls, those patterns feel less like observations and more like instructions.

Defense Isn’t Optional Anymore, It’s the Foundation

Some teams score. Others defend. The best ones manage both, yet the playoffs keep reinforcing a simple truth: defense travels better when the game tightens. It holds up when everything else becomes unpredictable.

Oklahoma City swarms ball handlers. Detroit crowds shooters without hesitation. San Antonio turns the paint into a no-fly zone whenever Wembanyama is nearby. None of it feels accidental. It’s structured, repeatable, and exhausting to deal with over the course of a series.

Chicago never found that edge. Opponents got comfortable, especially from deep. Games slipped away not because scoring dried up, but because stops came too rarely when they mattered most. That gap is hard to hide in a seven-game series.

Building a defensive identity goes beyond adding a single stopper. It requires commitment, communication, and the understanding that every possession matters, even in January. Playoff teams embraced that early. Chicago didn’t. Not yet.

The Importance of Identity Over Experimentation

Watch enough playoff games in a row and something becomes clear. Every team knows exactly who it is. There’s no searching this time of year, only execution. That clarity shows up in how quickly decisions get made.

Boston moves the ball until the defense cracks. New York leans into physicality. Denver runs through Jokić like a steady pulse. There’s rhythm to it. No hesitation, no second-guessing, just repetition sharpened over months.

Chicago never found that kind of clarity. Rotations shifted. Roles blurred. February became a reset, and not the helpful kind. Around the league, teams surged or stalled, and even the way sportsbook odds shift across player props and multi-game parlays reflected how quickly perception changed as identities locked in.

The Bulls never had that late push. Nothing clicked long enough to hold. That absence matters. Identity isn’t just strategy, it’s confidence. It shows up in small moments, a quick pass, a clean switch, a decision made without doubt.

Star Power Still Wins in the Biggest Moments

There’s a point in every playoff game where structure fades and instinct takes over. Shot clock winding down. Defense tight. No clean options left. It’s where possessions slow and decisions carry more weight.

That’s when the stars step in. Luka Doncic controls the pace like he’s playing chess against shifting playoff defenses late. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander waits, then strikes. Nikola Jokić reads the floor a step ahead. These aren’t just scorers. They shape everything around them.

Chicago doesn’t have that player. Not yet. There are pieces, Giddey’s creativity, Buzelis’ length and upside. You can see where it might go. Still, the gap between promising and dependable under pressure remains wide.

Playoff basketball doesn’t hide that. A team can survive without depth for stretches, even cover up flaws here and there. It can’t function without someone who takes over when everything stalls. That’s the part Chicago still needs to solve.

Depth, Fit, and the Shape of a Modern Roster

Depth gets talked about like it’s a luxury. In the playoffs, it feels closer to a requirement. Rotations tighten, but the need for reliable contributions doesn’t disappear. Injuries, foul trouble, and fatigue tend to surface quickly.

Look at the teams still playing. Scoring comes in waves, not from a single source. A role player heats up for a few minutes and shifts momentum in critical stretches late. A bench group steadies things just long enough. None of it feels random.

Chicago, for the first time in a while, has flexibility. Draft picks. Cap space. Options that didn’t exist a year ago. That creates opportunity, but not direction on its own in a critical rebuilding phase. Fit matters as much as talent now.

Roster building now centers on alignment. Versatile defenders. Shooters who hold up on both ends. The league keeps evolving, and following NBA team news and analysis helps track injuries and performance trends. Chicago’s challenge is turning that awareness into action.

Coaching Is the Hidden Playoff Advantage

The games slow down in the playoffs. Not always in pace, but in clarity. Every possession gets examined. Every mismatch becomes a target. The margin for error narrows with each possession.

That’s where coaching starts to show when opponents begin exploiting every small weakness. Rotations tighten. Adjustments happen between quarters, not just between games. One small change, a coverage tweak, a different lineup, can shift a series.

Billy Donovan did what he could with what he had. That part feels fair. The roster limitations were difficult to work around. Still, the next phase for the Bulls calls for something more defined. Not just a manager of games, but a shaper of them. Someone who builds a system that players can grow into. Flexible, but steady. That kind of structure tends to outlast short-term fixes. The league is moving that way. Chicago needs to follow.

A Defining Offseason for Chicago Basketball

Missing the playoffs stings. It should. Still, there’s a certain clarity that comes with it for a team entering a reset. No illusions. No half-measures. The path forward isn’t hard to find. It’s on display every night, defense that holds up, stars who deliver, rosters that fit, coaching that adapts without losing direction.

Chicago has pieces. Not all the right ones, not yet. But enough to begin shaping something new. The next few months will matter more than the last few years combined.

The post What Chicago Bulls Can Learn From This Year’s NBA Playoff Teams appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The next few weeks will be important for the Chicago Bulls in terms of what direction the franchise will be heading in. Chicago needs to hire some front office roles as well as a new head coach ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft.

With the lottery and draft combine approaching, the Bulls need to have their hires lined up as it’s a crucial time for the franchise. And now, it sounds like they are zeroing in on their target.

Chicago Bulls zeroing in on Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd

It was reported earlier in the week that the Bulls had moved forward with the next round of interviews. They cut the list of finalists down to just four and were set to do in-person interviews. Among the finalists is Minnesota Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd.

Now, it appears as if he’s the favorite.

In Joe Cowley’s latest piece in the Chicago Sun-Times, he reports that Lloyd could be named the Bulls’ president of basketball operations job:

A source told the Sun-Times that although there was no clear-cut favorite for the job as of last Monday, Lloyd has taken the lead and could be named to the position in the next several days. That makes sense considering his long stint with the Bulls under former basketball operations chief John Paxson, who remains with the organization as an adviser and is said to be a strong Lloyd supporter.

Cowley has been on top of things this offseason for the Bulls. He was correct in all of his reporting in terms of the front office shakeup as well as the Billy Donovan situation. So he’s to be trusted with this.

Lloyd got his start in Chicago and has served a number of jobs. He’s worked in scouting as well as media relations, moving into a front office role in Minnesota. The experience is there.

The other thing to note in this situation is that if Lloyd is hired, he would likely bring in Micah Nori as head coach. Nori is currently an assistant in Minnesota.

This situation should escalate even more this week. There’s a need to get this done and move on to the next phase of the offseason.

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The Josh Giddey Chicago Bulls experiment stopped being a trade footnote once Chicago made him its main connector, not just another guard in Billy Donovan’s pace-heavy system. Across the 2025-26 NBA season, Giddey averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists, pushing the Bulls offensive structure toward size, early passing and secondary-break decisions rather than pure half-court shot creation. The wider NBA season structure made that shift easy to track because Chicago’s late-season data separated Giddey’s value from the team’s poor win total.

This was not cosmetic. Giddey’s move from Oklahoma City to Chicago changed his job description: from fifth-option passer beside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams to point forward at United Center. The statistical jump is clear: 12.3 PPG and 4.8 APG with Oklahoma City in 2023-24, then 14.6 PPG and 7.2 APG with Chicago in 2024-25, then 17.0 PPG and 9.1 APG in 2025-26.

Giddey’s Role Defined — What the Bulls Actually Need From Him

Ball Distribution and Assist Mapping

Giddey’s value starts before the defense gets set. Chicago used him as a rebounding guard who could grab-and-go, hit Coby White or Matas Buzelis early, and turn the secondary break into one of the cleaner routes inside the Bulls offensive structure.

His 9.1 assists per game showed elite playmaking volume, but the map mattered more: hit-ahead passes, elbow handoffs, weak-side skips, pocket feeds and quick DHO reversals. The risk came with it. Giddey averaged 3.6 turnovers, giving him an assist-to-turnover ratio near 2.5, solid but not flawless for a high-usage creator.

His Usage Rate vs Previous Season

The usage jump explains the system shift. Giddey went from 21.6% usage in 2024-25 to 24.4% in 2025-26, while his assists rose from 7.2 to 9.1 per game.

Compared with Oklahoma City, the change is sharper. In 2023-24, he averaged 12.3 points in 25.2 minutes for a Thunder team that did not need him to own late-clock possessions. In Chicago, he had to run DHO actions, trigger horns, control transition and initiate pick-and-roll reads against loaded help.

Pick-and-Roll Mechanics and Defensive Reads

How Giddey Operates in Half-Court Sets

Giddey is not a burst guard. He wins in pick-and-roll with height, timing and passing angles, which is why Chicago often paired him with Nikola Vučević in high actions that flowed into elbow touches.

The DHO game gave him cleaner reads. From horns, the Bulls could place two bigs or a big-wing pair near the elbows, then let Giddey choose between a handoff, backdoor feed or second-side swing pass. Rebound, push, hit Buzelis early. Reset through Vučević.

Where the System Creates Vulnerabilities

The first issue is shooting gravity. Defenses still prefer Giddey taking pull-up threes over bending the paint, which lets them duck under screens and protect the roller.

The second issue is defense. His size helps on the glass, but quicker guards can turn the corner, and playoff-level offenses will hunt him in empty-side pick-and-rolls. If Chicago pairs him with another weak point-of-attack defender, the back line has too much cleanup work.

Statistical Footprint in the 2025-26 Bulls

Chicago played faster with Giddey, with the Bulls logged at a 102.62 pace when he was on the floor. That matched the eye test: fewer walk-up possessions, more hit-ahead passes and earlier decisions before the defense loaded up.

The trade-off is clear. Giddey created more offense in 2025-26, but the heavier role raised his turnovers and lowered his field-goal percentage. Chicago must decide whether he is the primary initiator or a high-end secondary creator beside a more direct scorer.

Market Perception — How Oddsmakers Price Bulls With Giddey Active

Bulls markets with Giddey active should start with assists, pace and turnover risk, not just points. When he plays, Chicago’s ball movement improves, but his presence can also increase volatility because the offense leans on difficult passing windows, early-clock reads and defensive rebounding triggers. For Ghana-based NBA followers tracking Bulls games overnight, current market movement on the best betting site Ghana should be checked against confirmed lineups, injury tags and Chicago’s opponent profile before tip-off.

The cleanest prop angle is usually not “Giddey points.” It is assists plus rebounds, especially when the opponent gives up transition chances or plays drop coverage against DHO actions. Even then, bankroll control matters because a cold Bulls shooting night can damage an assist projection even when Giddey makes the correct pass.

Mobile Tracking and Live-Score Timing

Live tracking matters with Giddey because his game can swing within two rotations. A first-quarter stretch with Vučević can produce four assists quickly; a second unit spell without spacing can turn into two turnovers and a stalled half-court offense. Fans using an online betting app to follow Bulls movement should watch substitution patterns, not just the scoreboard.

The Ghana angle is practical. NBA tip-offs often land late in Accra and Kumasi, so mobile live-score behavior becomes part of the viewing routine rather than a side habit. Giddey’s impact shows up in small changes: Chicago’s pace after defensive rebounds, the number of early passes before the first screen, and whether opponents put a smaller guard on him or hide that player on a weaker shooter.

For Chicago, the roster question is sharp. Giddey can organize a modern offense from the point forward spot, but the Bulls still need downhill pressure, cleaner point-of-attack defense and enough shooting around him to stop teams from shrinking the floor. Without those pieces, the Bulls offensive structure becomes readable: DHO into horns, horns into swing, swing into late-clock recovery shot.

The post Josh Giddey Chicago Bulls Analysis: How His Playmaking Rewires the Bulls Offensive Structure appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls made a few moves at the trade deadline that helped other teams that played basketball after the regular season.

More News: Bulls linked to sudden sign-and-trade deal that could net surprising haul

Coby White played a key role for the Charlotte Hornets, which made the Play-In Tournament. Ayo Dosunmu is set to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs.

Nikola Vucevic watched as the Boston Celtics were defeated 109-100 by the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 on Saturday night.

The former Bulls big man did not play a single second for Boston, despite 76ers center Joel Embiid playing through an injury. The Celtics were also shorthanded with forward Jayson Tatum ruled out for Game 7 due to a knee injury.

Vucevic played in all of the first six games of the first round series. He recorded 37 points, 26 rebounds, and 14 assists for Boston in the playoffs.

Former Chicago Bulls C Nikola Vucevic didn’t help Celtics

As Mark Schanowski of ABC 7 Chicago noted, Boston’s decision not to play Vucevic in a critical Game 7 could spell the end of his career.

“Joe Mazzula basically decided that Nikola Vucevic is unplayable in Game 7, going with 6’6” rookie Hugo Gonzalez & Jaylen Brown to try to guard Joel Embiid in the post,” Schanowski posted on X. “Have to wonder about Vuc’s future in the league. He’s an unrestricted free agent this summer.”

The Bulls received Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick for Vucevic. Chicago had wanted to trade Vucevic before this season, but could never strike a price that seemed good enough for the former regime.

For once, it appears like the Bulls won a trade.

The fact that Chicago wanted to keep Vucevic a core player on a playoff contender now seems absurd after he could play a minute on Saturday night.

Immediately following the trade, Vucevic was hopeful he’d be a part of a deep playoff run, something he knew the Bulls weren’t ready to do last season.

“It just comes with the culture of having done it so much and having done it recently, having the players, coaching staff, and the front office, everything,” Vucevic said. “They’re really focused on winning now and going deep in the postseason, and you can really tell.”

The Celtics didn’t make it past the first round, and former Bulls player wound up being a key contribution to that effort on the bench.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Back at the NBA trade deadline, the Chicago Bulls traded guard Coby White to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng and a pair of second-round picks. Dieng was then re-routed to the Milwaukee Bucks, so with Sexton headed toward free agency, the Bulls’ haul was basically just two second-rounders.

Or was it?

Sexton should draw considerable interest on the open market this summer, and while Chicago is not expected to re-sign the floor general, it could still extract some value out of him even if he departs via free agency.

Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz has pitched a rather intriguing idea as far as Sexton is concerned, stating that the Bulls could potentially send him elsewhere in a sign-and-trade deal. That way, Chicago would still be able to net something in return for him.

Could the Chicago Bulls pull off a sign-and-trade with Collin Sexton?

Typically, sign-and-trades occur when a contender cannot afford to sign the player outright, so the team then turns to a trade to make the acquisition come to fruition.

There will surely be some contending ballclubs interested in Sexton this offseason, as he averaged 15.4 points, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals over 23.7 minutes per game on 48.5/40.1/85.5 shooting splits during the 2025-26 campaign. He managed a true-shooting percentage of 61.5 percent and registered 23.4 points per 36 minutes, displaying his microwave scoring ability.

You would also think Sexton would prefer to land with a contender at this stage given that he is now eight years into his NBA career and has never made the playoffs, so the Bulls may be able to find a deal that would make all parties happy.

When Chicago moved White in the Hornets trade, some criticized the Bulls for not reaping any real value in return given Sexton’s impending free agency, but if Chicago brass — whoever becomes the new decision-maker — is able to swing a sign-and-trade in July, it would definitely change things.

The Bulls could land some draft capital or perhaps a trade exception in return for Sexton, or perhaps they would be able to nab some young talent.

Whatever the case may be, Chicago stands a chance of building upon the White trade that, at this point, has looked like a complete failure.

The post Bulls linked to sudden sign-and-trade deal that could net surprising haul appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls have a very important offseason ahead, one that will determine the future of the franchise once again. With the franchise pushing the reset button again, they now are seeking a new league executive and a head coach.

They are also heading into a rebuild.

Whoever comes in and takes over for the franchise will have the task of getting this thing back on track. Now, the team does have a few pieces to build around with Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey. They will also get 2025 first-round pick Noa Essengue healthy too. Add in two first round picks for the 2026 NBA Draft, and the situation isn’t the worse to get in.

There’s also the salary cap situation for the Bulls, which is actually a strong one.

Chicago Bulls cap situation is a good one

The Bulls don’t have a lot of pieces to really build around with this roster outside of Buzelis and Giddey. There’s pieces for the Bulls to hold on to but they really need to find more key contributors. The free agency period could be a big part of that for the next man in charge.

While cap space won’t be finalized for a bit, Keith Smith of Spotrac put out his early projections with a healthy number for the Bulls:

I'm continuing to tweak my cap space projections for this summer as we gather more intel and plans for the offseason become clearer. Now, I'm projecting only four cap space teams in July:

1 Bulls: $58.4M
2 Lakers: $48.1M
3 Nets: $44.6M
4 Pistons: $26.9M

ATL & LAC could be cap…

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) May 1, 2026

The Bulls are going to have a healthy cap situation and already we have seen reports of centers targeting the franchise in terms of interest. Guys like Walker Kessler, Mark Williams and Jalen Duran could fit what the Bulls want to do. They could also go after other projected free agents, even on the restricted side to make a big offer.

This could be a pretty fun offseason for Bulls fans in terms of getting the roster back on track. But first, they need to make sure they have the right hire for the front office and head coach.

The post Chicago Bulls projected to have healthy cap space this offseason appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The greatest of all-time debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James continues to go on. With James still in the league and in the playoffs, he continues to make his case when being compared to Jordan.

The debate has been going on decades now, with Jordan’s career wrapped up including six NBA titles, five MVP’s, 10 scoring times and nine All-Defense selections. For James, he doesn’t have those numbers at the moment but his career is boosted by four rings, four MVPS and 21 All-NBA selections.

While the public continues to debate, there’s mutual respect between the two behind the scenes. James doesn’t even compare himself to Jordan and opes that he at least has earned the respect of Jordan.

LeBron James hopes he’s earned Michael Jordan’s respect

In a recent interview with ESPN, James brushed off the comparisons between him in Jordan. Instead, he took the high road by complimenting Jordan and himself.

“I never have compared myself to MJ because our games are totally different,” James said. “I have been a point-forward/forward-point my whole life. I have always looked for the pass. MJ kind of looked for the shot. Not kind of, he did. He looked for the shot. There are a lot of things where I would say my game is a lot different and a little better than his, but shit, he was f—ing great. We’re both great. We’re both great basketball players.”

He respects Jordan and hopes that he’s made the legend proud.

“You can look at both of us and say that you love both of us without trying to shit on the other person. And usually, it’s shitting on me,” James said. “But I know for sure that I’ve done my part in this journey.”

“I hope I made him proud at least, wearing that No. 23,” James said.

James has the chance to add to his accolades this season. The Lakers are currently leading the Houston Rockets in the playoffs and close to advancing on. But the debate will always be between the fans.

The post LeBron James says he hopes he’s made Michael Jordan ‘proud’ appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls are in another rebuild as they enter the 2026 offseason. The Bulls are searching for a new lead executive, and a head coach as they have hit the ‘reset’ button once again.

There’s also the roster that needs to take shape.

As it stands now, there’s not a whole lot to be happy about with the Bulls roster outside of Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey. They do have two first-round picks and should get Noa Essengue back healthy. But they will need more than that and could fill some needs with a healthy cap situation that they have.

It certainly sounds like they could be the preferred destination of a few center options as well.

Centers could target Chicago Bulls in free agency

The Bulls really need to find a long-term center as that is arguably the biggest need on the roster at the moment. They opted to move on from Nikola Vucevic and there’s really no solution on the roster as of now. But that could change and the latest report suggests that there’s three centers who could be targeting the Bulls in free agency.

Per The Stein Line, there is some anticipation that Mark Williams, Walker Kessler and Jalen Duren could all attempt to generate interest from the Bulls this offseason:

There is an anticipation that Mark Williams, like Detroit’s Jalen Duren and Utah’s Walker Kessler, will attempt to generate interest from Chicago in restricted free agency since the Bulls are projected to wield some $65 million in salary cap space. Projecting the Bulls’ offseason intentions with certitude will naturally be easier once they’ve installed a new head of basketball operations, but Chicago’s lack of a proven center on the current roster is undeniable.

All three are intriguing options for the Bulls. Duren is still in the playoffs as the Pistons are battling the Magic in the first round. Meanwhile, Williams and the Suns were eliminated by the Thunder.

Walker is intriguing as he’s shown promise but has already been on three teams in four seasons. He was drafted by Minnesota before being traded on draft day to Memphis. Walker then went to Utah in a trade where he’s thrived so far.  He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team back in 2023.

Landing one of the three could be a nice start for a rebuild. They certainly will have the cap space to do so, as well.

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The Chicago Bulls are entering a very important offseason with some big decisions to be made. Chicago needs to find a new lead executive and a head coach this offseason and from there, they need to re-work the roster.

As they enter a rebuild, the roster should look totally different within the next two seasons. It has to. Chicago cannot roll out anything remotely close to what they did at the end of this season. While it won’t be pretty early next year, they could set the foundation for what’s to come.

The Bulls will have two first-round picks to their disposal and also enough cap space to go out and make some big moves. And already they are being connected to a rising guard who is likely going to be in for a big payday.

Chicago Bulls named potential suitor for Peyton Watson

Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson is enjoying a breakout campaign here in the 2025-26 season. With that, he’s in line to have a big payday in the free agent market. And the suitors could be lining up for him.

Among them, the Bulls according to an NBA expert.

Per The Stein Line, the Bulls were named a team to watch in terms of Watson’s free agency:

“League sources have already identified the Lakers, Bulls and Nets as potential suitors that are likely to have the requisite spending power to present an offer sheet that causes angst in the Rocky Mountains. The Stein Line has learned, in fact, that both the Lakers and Bulls registered trade interest in Watson leading up to the in-season deadline for deals on Feb. 5, although it must be noted that Chicago’s front office will soon have a new lead voice after the recent ouster of former Nuggets executive Artūras Karnišovas.”

It’s not only the free agency part that is interesting but also the fact that he drops a note saying the Bulls showed interest in him at the trade deadline. Now, Denver wasn’t going to part ways with him. But it didn’t hurt for the Bulls to try.

Watson is averaging 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks a game this season. He appeared in 54 games for the Nuggets.

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This year marks 30 years since the iconic movie “Space Jam” hit theaters, featuring a cast of Michael Jordan, Bill Murray, Charles Barkley, the Looney Tunes and more.

It was an instant classic not only for kids but basketball fans as well as they got to see Jordan on the big screen. Now, 30 years later the movie is returning to theaters.

On Wednesday, AMC Theaters revealed that Space Jam will return to theaters in May for special showings to celebrate 30 years.

 

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A post shared by Looney Tunes (@looneytunes)

The movie will be shown exclusively at Dolby Cinema at AMC Theatres, with tickets available now at AMC.

Throughout 2026, the movie has celebrated its 30th anniversary. That included featuring a Pizza Hut promotion, trading cards, apparel collection and much more. In addition to the movie being released, AMC has also shown images of a new collectable cup and popcorn bucket for the movie:

We’ve got hoops, do you? Practice free throws with the Game Time Popcorn Collectible or dribble the Basketball Cup and see SPACE JAM in theaters for one day only! Available 5/20, while supplies last. https://t.co/T5MPmnkVDV pic.twitter.com/LIeBiMOdtW

— AMC Theatres (@AMCTheatres) April 29, 2026

Making its debut in 1996, the movie became a success. It grossed  $250.2 million worldwide against an $80 million budget, becoming the highest-grossing basketball film of all time until 2022, and the tenth highest-grossing film of 1996.

To this day, it’s still a fan favorite due to the Nostalgia factor. Now, a new generation will get to witness it in theaters just like we all did 30 years ago.

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The search for a new lead executive in the Chicago Bulls front office continues on. After the initial round of interviews, the Bulls have narrowed the list down to four candidates.

Chicago will now move forward with Minnesota Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd, Atlanta Hawks Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham, Boston Celtics assistant general manager Dave Lewin and Detroit Pistons Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations Dennis Lindsey. The next step is in-person interviews with the candidates.

With Chicago wanting to get this done quick, this should be a a fast moving process. However, a new report out suggests that there is already a favorite emerging to land the job.

Will Chicago Bulls bring back a familiar face?

Just a day after the finalists were announced, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto wrote on the current situation for the Bulls. He noted that Matt Lloyd is the presumed favorite to get the job:

Elsewhere, Connelly’s right-hand man and Minnesota’s general manager, Matt Lloyd, is considered arguably the front runner for the lead executive role with the Chicago Bulls. If Lloyd indeed is hired by the Bulls, Timberwolves lead assistant coach Micah Nori will be a strong candidate for Chicago’s head coaching position.

There’s a few things in there that are important. Lloyd obviously being the favorite is the big one. He got his start in Chicago as a scout and worked his way up the ranks. He’s been instrumental in the building of the Timberwolves roster.

Getting someone in here to build this thing up through the draft and free agency should be important for the Bulls.

The other note is a potential coaching connection.

As Scotto mentions, if Lloyd does get the job it would make sense for him to bring in assistant coach Micah Nori as the head coach. He’s been an assistant in the league since 2009, spending time with Toronto, Sacramento, Denver, Detroit and most recently Minnesota.

He’s been the lead assistant in Minnesota since 2021 and even conducts the in-game interviews for the staff. Nori has a lot of experience and it might be the perfect time for his shot at being a head coach.

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With the NBA Playoffs rolling on, the Chicago Bulls are in the middle of a search for a new lead executive in the front office. That search has now advanced to the next stage.

After the Bulls opted to fire both Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, it created two needs in the front office. Before they can find Billy Donovan’s replacement, they need to make a few hires. Now, we have some names we can point to in terms of who made it to the next round of interviews.

Chicago Bulls moving forward with executive candidates

With the Bulls completing the first round of interviews, we knew of a few names the team had on their list of candidates. Now, we know another name that was part of the interviews.

Per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Boston Celtics assistant general manager Dave Lewin has also been interviewed in the process. Lewin along with Matt Lloyd, Dennis Lindsey and Bryson Graham have advanced to the next round of in-person interviews.

The Bulls also interviewed Celtics assistant general manager Dave Lewin as part of their search for a new lead executive, sources tell @TheSteinLine, and Lewin has advanced to the next round of in-person interviews along with Matt Lloyd, Dennis Lindsey and Bryson Graham.

More on… https://t.co/aapO84n2xh

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) April 28, 2026

This is pretty significant news for the Bulls as they move forward with the executive search. Ideally, the Bulls want to have this wrapped up in early May especially with the NBA Draft lottery taking place within a few weeks. Getting a lead executive in opens up the door to hiring more front office members as well as a new coaching staff.

The process should move quicker now that the Bulls have their targets essentially finalized at this point.

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With the NBA playoffs now in full swing, Chicago has been forced to watch from the sidelines. Much of the offseason so far has been devoted to Chicago’s coaching staff being dismantled, but with the draft lottery just around the corner, the Bulls scouting and management team need to start focusing on draft night.

The Bulls are in dire need of a new star to kick-start the stuttering franchise, but with one of the lowest wage bills in the NBA to play with, and some reasonable draft capital to play with, fans, and those that bet on sports, might have to start looking at the Bulls as a team to watch in the coming seasons if they build right this offseason.

Chicago Bulls now confirmed to have two 1st round draft picks

Since the lottery tie-breakers were decided earlier this month, and since the Portland Trailblazers have made it through the play-in and dropped out of the draft lottery, the Chicago Bulls now have two confirmed picks in the first round. The first, the 9th pick, is still subject to the lottery and could rise or drop. It’s very unlikely to drop below the 11th pick, and has a 20.3% chance of jumping into the top 4, which is one of the best selections of talent the draft has had in years, and a 4.5% chance of jumping all the way to the #1 pick. It’s more than twice the chance that the Dallas Mavericks had before they jumped to the #1 pick in the 2025 that led to the drafting of Cooper Flagg

Their second pick of the first round comes courtesy of the Portland Trailblazers, which comes from the trade that sent Lauri Markinnen to the Utah Jazz. It gives the Chicago Bulls the best-case scenario, as they hold the first pick beyond the draft.

Who will the Chicago Bulls draft?

The Chicago Bulls have plenty of holes to fill in their roster, but they have two major issues that need to be addressed. The first is a primary facilitator to assist Josh Giddey in the backcourt ideally a guard with strong shooting and good defensive skills. Darryn Peterson is the best guard in the class, but the Bulls will miss out on him unless they jump up in the draft. Players in the mid-lottery range to target include Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr., and Brayden Burries of Arizona.

Their second issue to fill is a quality rim protector. Again, the best in the class at this skill is probably Caleb Wilson of UNC, but he’ll likely be off the board by the time Chicago pick, unless they jump up the lottery. Aday Mara is likely to be picked somewhere in the mid-to-low lottery, and is arguably the best rim protector in the draft with his 7’7” wingspan. Allen Graves is a great defensive piece, currently going in the low lottery on most mock drafts, and then there’s Jayden Quitance, who’s ACL injury has stopped him from going high in the draft but has arguably the best defensive skillset in the draft.

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The Chicago Bulls are cleaning house after moving on from executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas  and then-general manager Marc Eversley.

Head coach Billy Donovan chose to resign his post after a disappointing stint with Chicago for the Basketball Hall of Fame coach.

One draft pick from the former regime is busy in the playoffs this spring, but he could come back to the Bulls in different circumstances. Chicago traded Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Philips to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second-round picks.

The Timberwolves are up 3-1 on the Denver Nuggets in the first round, but their star Anthony Edwards is expected to miss the next few weeks with a bone bruise.

Ayo Dosunmu could return to the Chicago Bulls

Dosunmu, a native of Chicago, told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times that he could rejoin the Bulls in free agency this offseason.

“Everything is on the table when you’re a free agent,” Dosunmu said. “That’s the main thing about being a free agent — you listen. You have conversations with whoever is interested. I’ll sit down with my family, and you have those conversations about where the next duration of my career will be, but Minnesota has shown me love here.

I love the love I’ve been getting from the coaching staff, the fans, the players. So of course Minnesota will have the first dibs to do right and make me feel at home where I won’t even have to go out and entertain [other offers]. This is what free agency is all about, sitting down and talking to teams, so I wouldn’t rule out no team. But that’s down the road.”

Dosunmu played basketball for Illinois before the Bulls took him in the second round of the 2021 draft. He’s averaged 14.4 points, 3.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds for Minnesota in 24 games played and nine starts.

Many questioned the decision to trade Dosunmu in February. The Bulls would certainly welcome him home if he returned in July.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick is having the best start to his career this season, winning five of the first nine races. That included the Daytona 500 to open the year as well as last week’s race in Kansas.

Reddick won the pole for Sunday’s race at Talladega and before the race begins, he dropped some very important news about his future. On the pre-race show on FOX, Reddick revealed that he has signed a contract extension with 23XI Racing, keeping him there for the long term.

Per FOX’s Chris Myers, is a multi-year deal and worth $8 to $9 million annually.

Tyler Reddick just announced on Fox Sports that he has signed his contract extension with 23XI Racing.

— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) April 26, 2026

Tyler Reddick’s success leads to contract extension

The 23XI Racing team is having a lot of success this season, not only with Reddick but other drivers as well. But with Reddick winning five of the first nine races, all the attention is on him. Now, he’s locked in to a new deal and 23XI is ready to continue to dominate this season.

“We got the deal done,” Reddick said on the FOX telecast. “I’m going to be continuing my future here at 23XI Racing. Excited to have all that done and continue building on what we’ve done. Just really glad that myself and 23XI were able to get to a good place and get the deal done. I’ll be at 23XI, hopefully, for a long time.”

Reddick is in his fourth season with the team, signing with them and finding success early. He has 10 total wins in his career and 35 top 10 finishes so far.

He’s looking to win his sixth race of the season on Sunday.

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Certain magazine covers capture an athlete just before everything changes. At the time it looked like another college basketball preview issue. More than forty years later that same cover has become one of the most valuable magazines ever sold.

That is more or less what happened in November 1983. A young North Carolina guard appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated alongside teammate Sam Perkins. The issue was the magazine’s annual college basketball preview, and it confidently declared the Tar Heels the No. 1 team in the country.

More than four decades later, that same magazine has just sold for $229,360, setting a public record for a graded magazine.

And the athlete on that cover, the six-time NBA champion who would go on to define the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 1990s, still sits at the centre of the story.

What makes a graded magazine so valuable

When you see a record price like $229,360, the natural question is simple. Why would a magazine sell for that much in the first place?

The answer starts with the idea of grading.

A graded magazine is professionally examined, assigned a condition score and sealed in a protective case to preserve it. The process verifies authenticity and gives collectors a clear understanding of the item’s condition.

How expert comparisons help explain value

A useful way to understand grading is to think about how expert evaluation works in other areas. When you find the best selection of real money casinos here, for instance, you are not simply looking at a random list of sites. The guide compares platforms across factors that matter to players such as payout rates, withdrawal speeds, licensing, game libraries, payment methods and bonuses.

It highlights expert-tested picks for different priorities and explains why certain platforms stand out.

In other words, specialists have already done the work of evaluating what is in front of you.

Grading works in a similar spirit for collectibles. Instead of comparing many items, the grader carefully examines a single magazine and assigns a condition score that tells buyers exactly how well preserved it is.

Why the Jordan issue stands apart

That is what makes the Jordan issue so unusual.

The copy that sold was graded 9.6 by PSA, which sits near the top of the condition scale and signals extremely minimal wear. For a magazine printed in 1983 that level of preservation is rare.

The issue originally sold for $1.75, and most copies were treated like any other weekly publication. They were read, folded, stacked or eventually thrown away. Few people at the time imagined that anything connected to the future Bulls legend might one day dominate the sports collectibles market.

The design of the magazine also makes pristine copies harder to find. The 1983 college basketball preview used a fold-out cover which means the extra panel is easily creased or damaged over time.

That is why a pristine graded version of Jordan’s first Sports Illustrated cover can command a six-figure price while an ungraded copy might change hands online for less than $200.

Why the 1983 cover still carries so much weight

In 1983 the basketball world was only beginning to understand what Michael Jordan would become.

He had already hit the famous game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA championship for North Carolina.

But the wider sporting public had not yet seen the full scale of his talent. The Bulls had not drafted him. The six championships had not happened. The signature sneakers that would transform sports marketing had not yet appeared.

What that Sports Illustrated cover captured was something more subtle.

It captured anticipation.

When you look at the issue now, you are seeing one of the earliest national snapshots of a career that would eventually transform the NBA.

Why Jordan still dominates the collectibles world

The reality is that Jordan memorabilia rarely behaves like ordinary sports collectibles.

His name continues to dominate auctions across multiple categories. Trading cards, sneakers, jerseys and signed items tied to the Bulls dynasty regularly appear near the top of record sale lists.

One striking example came in 2025 when an autographed Upper Deck card featuring Jordan and Kobe Bryant sold for $12.9 million, setting a record for a basketball card.

Game-worn equipment also attracts enormous attention. A jersey worn during Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals sold for roughly $10 million, while the Air Jordan 13 sneakers worn during the same series reached more than $2 million at auction.

Each sale reinforces the same point. When collectors chase basketball history, Jordan still sits at the centre of the market.

A legacy that still fuels debate

Jordan memorabilia continues to attract attention largely because his name never drifts very far from the focus of basketball conversation.

Even now, decades after the final Bulls championship run, debates about the greatest player in NBA history almost always circle back to him. That influence is strong enough that modern arguments, including discussion around LeBron James’ agent shooting down a Jordan take, still bring the former Chicago star into the spotlight.

Few athletes manage to hold that kind of cultural weight across multiple generations of fans.

Why collectors keep returning to that first cover

In the end, the record-breaking magazine sale is about more than a rare issue of Sports Illustrated.

It reflects the durability of Jordan’s story, from the bleachers all the way into NASCAR.

A single cover from 1983 can still trigger nostalgia among older fans, curiosity among younger collectors and fierce bidding among investors who understand the moment it represents.

Look at that magazine today and you are not simply seeing paper sealed inside a plastic case.

For a brief second in November 1983, the future still looked uncertain. And somehow that uncertainty has become one of the most valuable snapshots in sports history.

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Michael Jordan’s love for golf hasn’t gone unnoticed in his post-basketball career. Jordan has shown up at big golf events and even has his own course down in Florida, Grove XXIII. As Jordan continues to show his love for the sport, Jordan Brand is rolling out some awesome colorways of their golf shoes.

That includes the Air Jordan I low.

The iconic shoe released in 1985 has since been made into a low version. From there, it was added to the golf collection where it features a model with and without cleats. But the upcoming version is something that golfers will need.

Air Jordan I Golf Low to release in two more colors with spikes

Adding to the collection will be two colorways of the low version featuring spikes. The shoe will get dressed in a “concord” colorway as well as a classic “Chicago” colorway. Both pairs will have the spikes.

Check out each pair below:

Air Jordan 1 Low Golf Spiked "Concord" is releasing on May 1 👀 pic.twitter.com/XvqOiRLLym

— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) April 24, 2026

Air Jordan 1 Low Golf Spiked "Chicago" is releasing on May 1 ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/Xkz29sBqtt

— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) April 24, 2026

The spiked version of the golf show has seen some awesome colorways as of late. But these two releasing on the same day will be a problem. They are expected to be available on Nike.com holding a retail price tag of $170 plus tax.

Let us know if you’re trying to score these.

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For weeks, the Chicago Bulls insisted they wanted continuity. They fired Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley, promising a “fresh direction”. Yet, in the next sentence, they immediately undercut the entire premise. They did this by signaling that Billy Donovan would remain the head coach. This was going to happen no matter who took over the front office.

It was classic Bulls logic: Demand change, then handcuff the very person hired to deliver it.

But on Tuesday, the organization got the kind of break it never earns nor deserves: Donovan announced his resignation. This spared the franchise from the awkward scenario of forcing a new general manager to inherit a coach he didn’t pick.

And make no mistake: This was a gifted bailout from Donovan.

The ownership made it clear that any incoming executive would have to accept him as part of the job description. That stance already scared off candidates around the league. These candidates saw it as yet another example of Chicago’s long‑running structural dysfunction. What serious GM wants to walk into a job? Especially a job where the head coach is predetermined by ownership loyalty rather than basketball logic?

Billy Donovan did the Chicago Bulls a huge favor

Yet Donovan, the very coach the Bulls were clinging to, understood something the organization refused to acknowledge: You cannot sell a clean slate with him being around.

Donovan’s resignation was an act of realism. The Bulls reshuffled the roster at the deadline. However, Jaden Ivey’s strange behavior stole the headlines and hastened the exits of Karnišovas and Eversley. Yet even then, ownership clung to the illusion of progress. Furthermore, they refused to admit their roster was mired in mediocrity. They also would not admit that years of dodging a full rebuild had dragged the franchise into stagnation.

The Bulls organization did not dare to make that decision because they were too comfortable embracing mediocrity. Rather than being the obstacle, he removed himself from the equation. Ironically, the coach the Bulls were desperate to keep is the one who finally gave them the clean break they needed.

For once, the Bulls’ next executive walks into a job without someone else’s fingerprints all over it. They are not forced to sell themselves to an already skeptical fanbase about an awkward partnership in which a GM has to sell the idea that he’s excited about a coach he didn’t choose.

Sometimes, even incompetent organizations get lucky. Just look at the Chicago Bears today with Ben Johnson.

Donovan leaves with his reputation intact — maybe even enhanced. He recognized the franchise needed a full reset before it did. And by stepping aside, he gave the Bulls a genuine chance to start over.

Whether the Bulls actually take advantage of that chance is another story entirely.

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The Chicago Bulls will be searching for a new head coach once the offseason begins, as Billy Donovan has stepped down after six seasons at the helm. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Donovan didn’t want to be a holdover as the Bulls search for new basketball executives. Donovan had an option in his contract for the 2026-27 season, but chose to step down after meetings with ownership.

“After a series of thoughtful and extensive discussions with ownership regarding the future of the organization, I have decided to step away as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, to allow the search process to unfold,” Donovan said in a statement released by the team. “I believe it is in the best interest of the Bulls, to allow the new leader to build out the staff as they see fit.”

More News: Initial list of Chicago Bulls’ front office targets emerge as search begins

The Bulls had fired president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley after they failed to turn the roster around.

Billy Donovan’s tenure with the Chicago Bulls wasn’t like his success in college

Donovan spent six seasons as the Bulls’ head coach (2020-26). During his tenure, Donovan had a record of 226-256 and made the playoffs once. The Bulls lost in the Eastern Conference first round to the Milwaukee Bucks (4-1) in 2021-22.

The Bulls have played in the NBA Play-In Tournament for three straight seasons (2023-2025).

Donovan’s tenure at the University of Florida was more successful. Spending nearly 20 years with the Gators (1996-2015). While the head coach at Florida, Donovan’s record was 467-186, winning the 2006 and 2007 NCAA National Championships, and six SEC Championships.

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The Chicago Bulls are entering another very important offseason. But this time, they are looking for a new head of basketball operations as well as a general manager. They could also be looking for a new head coach as well.

After making the decision to fire both Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley, Chicago will have to replace both. It’s important that they get this right as they need to rebuild the roster and get this franchise back on track. But easier said than done.

As Chicago enters this offseason, the search for a new head of basketball operations has officially begun and there’s some interesting names involved.

The first names of Chicago Bulls coaching search revealed

On Monday morning, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the search has officially begun and the Bulls have received permission to interview some candidates:

“The Chicago Bulls have started the search process for their new head of basketball operations, receiving permission to interview Minnesota’s Matt Lloyd, Detroit’s Dennis Lindsey, Atlanta’s Bryson Graham, Cleveland’s Mike Gansey and San Antonio’s Dave Telep, per ESPN sources. The Bulls are also expected to speak with the co-head of CAA’s basketball division, Austin Brown, regarding the vacancy, sources said.”

A few of those names have been mentioned before as the coaching search had yet to begin. Most notably is Minnesota’s Matt Lloyd.

He has a connection with the franchise, getting his start as a scout. He then worked his way up and earned promotions, leading him to where he is right now with the Timberwolves.

The other interesting name is co-head of CAA basketball division, Austin Brown. Teams are exploring the route of agencies more now, due to the connections they have established across the league.

Chicago will certainly move quickly to find their guy as the draft and then free agency looms.

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The 23XI Racing team celebrated another victory lane on Sunday, winning the AdventHealth 400 in Kansas. It was the fifth win for d for most wins in the first nine races of the season.

After the race went to overtime, Reddick was able to make a push and beat out Kyle Larson to win the checkered flag. As the previous wins have been, it was a party for 23XI Racing, including owner Michael Jordan. And again, the former basketball great had something to celebrate.

Michael Jordan speaks on Tyler Reddick’s win

Checkered flag #5 goes to the Bossman pic.twitter.com/Po3Oqhj5qC

— Tyler Reddick (@TylerReddick) April 19, 2026

Following the race, Jordan caught up with the TV crew for another post-race interview. He had nothing but praise for Reddick after his fifth win of the 2026 NASCAR season.

“Well, look I mean, I’m racing against Denny [Hamlin],” Jordan said. “I really wanted to beat him because I know he was going to talk a little trash later. It was a good race, when we started running out of fuel, I didn’t know what was happening. But 23XI, all the guys drove well today, I think all four games in then top 15. That tells a lot about the program. This kid is on fire. I don’t even know what to say, I don’t know if I can cool him down. He’s unbelievable. That was an unbelievable last couple of laps. I’m proud of him. I’m proud of the whole team.”

Jordan went on to say how much fun this has been this season especially for all of the 23XI team. He knows a lot about winning and how fun it can be on the basketball court and now he’s getting a taste of that on the track.

It doesn’t look like 23XI is slowing down anytime soon, either.

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Throughout their NBA careers, Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley had a fun rivalry but a level of respect as well. The two were friends in their playing days but since then, they had a fallout.

The rumored beef between the two is when Barkley criticized Jordan’s general manager skills with the Hornets over the years. Barkley stated that Jordan went ‘ballistic’ on him at one point for the criticism.

While both share the love of golf in their post-NBA careers, the two often played rounds together. Now, they are reportedly heading back to the golf course once this season is done to re-kindle the friendship. And that’s good news for basketball fans both young and old.

Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan will rekindle friendship

During a recent appearance on Chris Russo’s SiriusXM radio show, Barkley says he’s been in touch with Jordan — a surprising revelation.

“We had a conversation,” Barkley told Russo. “We’re going to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over.”

Barkley made it known that he always “had a lot of love” for Jordan.

“We’re not like Prince William and Prince Harry. We always had a lot of love for each other. But we talked, actually, in the last probably 72 hours. We decided to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over.”

That’s great news that the two are not only talking but planning to get together on the golf course. The only bad news for Barkley is that Jordan takes his golf game serious, often betting.

We will see soon if the two actually do meet up for a round.

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The Chicago Bulls will welcome in a new regime this offseason, moving on from Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley. They still have a decision to make with Billy Donovan, but enough was enough for the franchise in terms of roster construction under this regime.

Over the past few years, there have been some bad decisions that they have made. Missing on draft picks, giving out bad contracts and extensions and even waiting too long to move on from guys. That all set the Bulls back. But one move that gets a lot of attention is the 2020 NBA Draft where the Bulls selected Patrick Williams out of Florida State at No. 4 overall.

The Bulls liked the potential of Williams, however, the entire wasn’t officially sold. Now, more reports are coming out about that draft and the players they could have had.

Chicago Bulls scouts, front office were split on Tyrese Haliburton

In his latest piece for the Chicago Sun-Times, Bulls beat writer Joe Cowley wrote on the Williams’ draft. He noted that there were multiple scouts and other personnel in the draft room who wanted to draft Haliburton.

But Karnisovas was sold on Williams.

“Holding No. 4, Karnisovas settled on Patrick Williams,” Cowley wrote on Wednesday. “There were multiple scouts and other personnel in the draft room, however, that wanted Tyrese Haliburton. Now, the entire draft process was messed up because of Covid, but Karnisovas specifically was not only fixated on Williams, but didn’t even consider Haliburton a serious prospect.”

That’s not the only player the Bulls passed on at No. 4 either. Portland standout Deni Avdija recently revealed that many believed he would be the No. 4 overall pick to the Bulls in that draft.

He went No. 9 to the Washington Wizards before being traded to Portland a few years later. Williams has struggled in his time with the Bulls but he did earn a big contract extension. The pick was a miss and when you’re picking at No. 4, you have to make sure you get it right or it could set you back. And that’s what’s happening in Chicago.

The post Chicago Bulls Rumors: Organization was split on drafting Patrick Williams appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls picked a direction for the franchise this year, beginning with their moves at the NBA Trade Deadline. Chicago dealt a handful of players including Nikola Vucevic, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu.

In return, the Bulls received a handful of players as well as some second-round picks to help with the rebuild. But those weren’t the only moves the Bulls at least attempted to make. In fact, they tried to acquire a key player to build around for the future, even after those moves.

And they had their eyes on Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro according to the latest reports.

Chicago Bulls made trade offer for Tyler Herro?

As the NBA Playoffs will officially begin this weekend, the Bulls are on the outside looking in again. But now we are starting to find out some potential plans the previous regime of Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley had.

Per NBA insider Brett Siegal, there were two teams attempting to trade for Herro at the deadline. One of them? The Bulls:

“Going back to Tyler Herro, real quick. Other piece of intel we had in our intel story that I did not mention when we were talking about Tyler Herro before… two teams did reach out to the Miami Heat at the trade deadline,” Siegel said.

“Two teams: one in the Eastern Conference and one in the Western Conference reached out to the Heat while they were actively talking to the Bucks about a potential Giannis trade, whether or not they would’ve been an extension of it to get Tyler Herro and include other pieces,” Siegel added.

“But those two teams: one in the East was the Chicago Bulls. A team that was going through a rebuild and looking at buy low opportunities. I’m told they were looking to flip the expiring contracts of Anfernee Simons and Collin Sexton along with some protected picks to get Tyler Herro.”

That’s interesting.

Was it a big chance that the previous regime was going to take to maybe prolong their time here? It doesn’t appear that Miami was actually series in moving Herro for any package despite reported talks to land Giannis. But landing Herro would have helped the Bulls in terms of getting another key scorer.

Will this new regime make a push for another scorer this offseason? Looks like we will have to wait and see.

The post Chicago Bulls rumored to offer trade package for Miami Heat standout appeared first on ChiCitySports.

.The Chicago Bulls officially picked a direction this past Febuary when they made several trades. Among the players that Chicago moved on from was former lottery pick Coby White.

Chicago sent White to Charlotte and his home state of North Carolina. In the end of the deal, the Bulls only got two second-round picks for him, a little bit of a disappointing return. But Chicago waited too long to move on from White and likely would have gotten more if they traded him last season.

White is finding success in Charlotte, helping the team advance in the play-in round to face off against the Orlando Magic with the winner moving to the Playoffs as the No. 8 seed. He hit the game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation and had a big game. After the game, The Ringer podcast had nothing but praise for White while criticizing their former teams.

Bill Simmons says Coby White was trade of year

Did the Bulls give up too early on Coby White? They only got that second-round pick and it may not have been worth it in the end.

“Can I give you guys my theme of the night…Bad teams give away good players too soon…Coby White was f%cking awesome, man. And I was electric watching him..Coby hit some big boy shots down the stretch for Charlotte to save their season.”

Simmons then chimed in: “That was the trade of the year.”

“Can I give you guys my theme of the night…Bad teams give away good players too soon…Coby White was f%cking awesome, man. And I was electric watching him..Coby hit some big boy shots down the stretch for Charlotte to save their season.” Simmons: “That was the trade of the year” pic.twitter.com/QFlyhrnH2l

— See Red Fred (@cbefred) April 15, 2026

They have a point.

White was one of three players on Tuesday night that really made an impact for their new team and helping them advance on. We saw the flashes of what White can do here in Chicago. And it’s a shame they couldn’t hold onto him to build around for the future.

The post Bill Simmons bashes Bulls for Coby White trade appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls actually got good news on Wednesday night for the first time in a while. Entering an offseason in which they will need to find a new executive and general manager, the Bulls have to find a way to get this roster right.

Thanks to the Portland Trail Blazers, they have a better chance.

With Tuesday’s Trail Blazers’ win over the Phoenix Suns, they officially make the playoffs as the No. 7 seed. That means Chicago will now get their draft pick at No. 15 overall. A big reason why was a career night from guard Deni Avdija who scored 41 points including the game-winning basket which went for an and-one, to seal the deal at the end.

Avdija was on fire for the game, introducing himself on a big stage. While he helped the Bulls on Tuesday, he recently hinted that he thought he would actually end up with the Chicago Bulls.

Deni Avdija on Chicago Bulls passing on him

Before Tuesdsay’s game, Avdija appeared on a podcast to talk about his draft process. The 2020 NBA Draft was an odd one due to the COVID-19 pandemic, throwing a wrinkle into team’s evaluations. But many back then had the Bulls taking Avdija as they needed a guard, and he even admitted that as well.

Here is what Avdija said on the latest episode of the “Old Man and The Three” Podcast on Tuesday:

“The whole world thought Chicago will take me at 4 (draft pick). Like, it made the most sense, and when Chicago drafted Patrick Williams it was a surprise. Because.. I don’t know, nobody really thought about him going four… nobody really knew his name.”

Deni Avdija: "The whole world thought Chicago will take me at 4 (draft pick). Like, it made the most sense, and when Chicago drafted Patrick Williams it was a surprise. Because.. I don't know, nobody really thought about him going four… nobody really knew his name."

Via… pic.twitter.com/SHvx3zCSKF

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) April 14, 2026

That hurts to hear.

The Wizards ended up drafting him and then trading him away in 2024. But seeing what he’s become in Portland, it’s a tough one for Bulls fans to see as they could have had a legit player here. Instead, they are re-shaping the roster again.

The post Portland Trail Blazers star speaks out on Chicago Bulls passing on him appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls’ season is in the books as the franchise is making big changes ahead of the offseason. For the Bulls, they will enter the offseason holding the ninth-best lottery odds in a loaded draft.

Following Sunday’s results, the Bulls finished in that ninth spot which gives them a 20.3 percent chance at a top four pick and a 4.5 percent chance at the No. 1 overall pick. Those odds are certainly better than if they finished tenth, which they were in danger of doing. While Chicago has one lottery pick already, there’s the chance they could have another.

But they don’t have control of that situation. Instead, they will have their eyes on the Portland Trail Blazers.

How Portland Trail Blazers could lead Chicago Bulls to another lottery pick

On Tuesday night, the Trail Blazers will face off against the Phoenix Suns in the 7-8 play-in game. The winner earns the No. 7 seed and will face off against the San Antonio Spurs. The loser? They head to the next play-in game where they will face the winner of the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers matchup.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting for the Bulls. If the Trail Blazers win tonight, they will make the playoffs meaning their first-round pick would go to the Chicago Bulls. If they lose on Tuesday and win the next game, it would qualify them for the playoffs and the pick would go to the Bulls.

The Bulls could be conveyed a lottery-protected 1st round pick from the Trail Blazers if Portland (currently in 8th place) makes it out of the play-in this week

The pick originated from a 2021 deal that sent Larry Nance Jr. to the Blazers and is lottery protected until 2028

The… pic.twitter.com/Kf2VgDXtBs

— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) April 13, 2026

So any win in the play-in round gives the Bulls the pick and it will end up in the lottery. Bulls fans really should be cheering for the Trail Blazers here the next few days in order for that first-round pick to move to them.

The post Chicago Bulls could have two lottery picks in 2026 NBA Draft appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls are one of the teams that are looking to take that next step after missing the playoffs once again. They have to figure out who will be leading the franchise in the front office, but they can make an immediate splash. One of the biggest potential available names this offseason is Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Bulls could make a play to trade for him. Let’s take a deeper dive into what one outlet believes is the team’s best trade package and what it would mean for Chicago to make the deal.

The Chicago Bulls mortgage their future for Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Bulls could take advantage of the dissolving relationship between the Bucks and Antetokounmpo and get him in the Windy City. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report wrote an article about some potential landing spots for the superstar following the departure of Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers. Chicago would land on the list as a possible suitor and it would involve a major trade return to Milwaukee for the team to consider it. Below is what Bailey believes a trade would cost the Bulls:

• Josh Giddey
• Patrick Williams
• Matas Buzelis
• 2026 first-round pick
• 2028 first-round pick
• 2030 first-round pick
• 2032 first-round pick

Antetokounmpo just finished the first year of his three-year, $175 million contract. However, the third year is a player option, meaning the 2026-27 season is the final season he does not have control of his future. Chicago would be easier for him to attract stars, but it would be difficult to envision a core around him that can be competitive right away. The Bulls have significant cap space, and it will be intriguing to see if the team wants to be that aggressive right out of the gates with a new front office.

The post Chicago Bulls potential package for Giannis Antetokounmpo revealed appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The 2025-26 NBA regular season is in the books and for the Chicago Bulls, they enter another crucial offseason. After firing Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, the search for a new vice president and general manager are underway.

We know that the Bulls prefer to have Billy Donovan back but these two hires just might be the most important in a long time for the franchise. Chicago has already been connected to former players in Kyle Korver, Mike Dunleavy Jr, and Jordan Farmar so far. However, another name that is very intriguing is making the rounds in terms of a candidate for the Bulls.

Will Chicago Bulls bring back Matt Lloyd?

The lead executive position in Chicago will be in focus this offseason and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype already has a name to keep an eye on. Scotto mentions current Minnesota Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd as a prime candidate:

Minnesota Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd, who began his career working for the Bulls, is a rising executive who’s been on the radar of several teams over the years. One factor to consider is whether the Bulls would want to hire another one of Tim Connelly’s right-hand executives after hiring Karnisoves, who worked for Connelly in Denver. Ironically, Tim’s brother, Pat, also remains on staff as Chicago’s assistant general manager.

Lloyd worked in Chicago early in his career getting his start as a media coordinator. He worked his way up the ranks including being the director of college scouting for the franchise. He then was named the assistant general manager of the Orlando Magic.

While with the Timberwolves, he’s helped build one of the best rosters in the Western Conference. He has the Timberwolves in the playoffs once again as they seek to make a run in a tough west. Lloyd feels like a home run hire and has multiple connections to the team already.

Another thing to consider is the status of Billy Donovan. It sounds like the Bulls want to have him back, based on comments Michael Reisndorf said about the search for a new general manager. That will be the first domino to fall in terms of what to expect this offseason moving forward.

The post Western Conference GM emerging as a candidate for Chicago Bulls executive job appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls have some questions the franchise needs to answer quickly. With the front office getting changed, they have little time to figure out what they can do. However, there is one decision that is pressing at the moment in Chicago. Let’s take a closer look at what one outlet believes it to be.

The Chicago Bulls need to figure out what to do with Billy Donovan

Sam Quinn of CBS Sports’ wrote an article highlighting what each non-playoff team needs to do first. For the Bulls, Quinn made it that the franchise needs to figure out what they are doing with coach Billy Donovan. Below is the snippet regarding the Bulls:

“The Bulls fired their top two basketball executives on Monday. Before they can figure out what comes next, they have to settle Billy Donovan’s future. The Bulls have said they want Donovan back as coach. If he’s not the coach, he could be elevated to the front office as Brad Stevens was in Boston. He may also decide he’d simply prefer to coach another team — he left Oklahoma City right before a rebuild, and if the Bulls wind up going in that direction, he’d likely have options on more competitive teams.”

Donovan has one more game left this season to complete his sixth year with the Bulls. He has gone 226-255 (.470) since taking the job ahead of the 2020-21 season. In that time, he also has made the playoffs once, losing in five games. Donovan has the support from his bosses and could be more involved with the front office if he stays in Chicago.

Figuring out either way what Donovan is doing is paramount for the franchise. It allows the team to know what they have in the offseason and plan if they need to replace the coach. It will be intriguing as it appears to be Donovan’s sole decision on whether he is returning to Chicago for the 2026-27 season.

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The 2025-26 NBA regular season will wrap up on Sunday as the league prepares for the play-in round and then the playoffs next weekend. For the Chicago Bulls, they won’t return to the play-in round and will now turn their attention to the offseason.

Last week, the Bulls opted to move on from both Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley, going in a new direction. It was a ‘bold’ move for the franchise after years of the same result. But now, they have to get things right.

With the search beginning for two front office members, the Bulls will enter this offseason with a good amount of cap space and a lottery pick, potentially two depending on the Portland pick and where they finish. But for the Bulls pick, Sunday’s finale against the Dallas Mavericks has some implications on their lottery position.

Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks battling for lottery odds

The Bulls enter the season finale sitting in ninth in the lottery standings. They can’t get to eighth and they can’t finish worse than tenth as the Milwaukee Bucks are there just one game better than the Bulls. And while it may not seem like a big deal between the two spots, the odds say different.

Bulls’ beat writer K.C. Johnson broke down the odds depending on the finishes from Sunday. The difference between finishing at No. 9 and No. 10 is close to seven percent getting into the top four. It’s one percent difference to get the No. 1 pick:

9th-best odds: 20.3% for top 4, 4.5% for No. 1 pick
10th-best odds: 13.9% for top-4, 3.5 for No. 1 pick

Bucks beat Nets. If this Bulls' deficit holds, they'll enter Sunday finale with 9th-best lottery odds but only 1 game "lead" over Bucks

Sunday: Bucks at 76ers. Bulls at Mavs

9th-best odds: 20.3% for top 4, 4.5% for No. 1 pick
10th-best odds: 13.9% for top-4, 3.5 for No. 1

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 11, 2026

All the Bulls need is a loss to the Mavericks or a Bucks win over the 76ers to get that No. 9 pick in the draft. If they tie, it will go to a tie-breaking coin flip, similar to last year when the Mavericks won it and then eventually got the No. 1 pick.

This could be an important game for the Bulls’ rebuild.

The post Chicago Bulls lottery odds revealed going into season finale appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Few debates in basketball history generate as much discussion as the comparison between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Both players dominated their eras, won multiple championships, and built legacies defined by relentless competitiveness and unmatched work ethic.

Bryant openly modeled much of his game after Jordan, while Jordan respected Kobe as one of the few players who truly mirrored his mindset. Their connection went far beyond statistics, creating one of the most fascinating mentor inspired rivalries the NBA has ever seen.

Michael Jordan’s Legendary Career

Michael Jordan’s resume remains one of the most dominant in sports history. Over 15 NBA seasons, he led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships and never lost in the NBA Finals, finishing with a perfect 6-0 record in championship series. Jordan also earned five NBA Most Valuable Player awards and six NBA Finals MVP awards during his career.

Jordan’s impact went far beyond championships. He captured 10 scoring titles, won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award once, and was selected to the All-NBA First Team 10 times. His ability to dominate both offensively and defensively helped redefine what a superstar guard could be.

Statistically, Jordan’s numbers were extraordinary. He averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game during his career, while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. In the playoffs, he raised his level even further, averaging 33.4 points per game across his playoff career.

Jordan’s legacy rests not only on his achievements but on the aura he created around the game. He brought global attention to basketball, turning the NBA into a worldwide spectacle. His clutch performances, leadership, and relentless competitive nature established him as the standard against which all future stars would be measured.

Kobe Bryant’s Incredible Legacy

Kobe Bryant entered the NBA as a teenager in 1996 and spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. During that time, he won five NBA championships and two NBA Finals MVP awards, becoming one of the defining players of his generation.

Bryant also earned one regular season MVP award and was selected to 18 All-Star teams, reflecting both his longevity and his consistent excellence. He was named to the All-NBA First Team 11 times and to the All-Defensive First Team nine times, demonstrating his ability to impact the game on both ends of the court.

Over his career, Bryant averaged 25 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, finishing with 33,643 career points. His scoring ability was legendary, highlighted by explosive performances and an unmatched willingness to take difficult shots in high pressure moments.

Bryant’s influence on the game was also defined by what became known as the “Mamba Mentality.” The phrase described his obsessive work ethic, constant pursuit of improvement, and refusal to back down from any challenge. That mentality inspired an entire generation of players and fans.

According to RotoWire—widely regarded as a trusted authority in fantasy sports news, rankings, and analysis—Kobe Bryant remains one of the defining figures of the modern basketball era. His enduring legacy, deeply connected to the Los Angeles Lakers, continues to be referenced across sports media and even in broader conversations tied to promotions like the bet365 bonus. As one RotoWire contributor notes, “Kobe’s impact goes far beyond his championships—his influence still shapes how fans, analysts, and brands engage with the game today, even in discussions around offers like the bet365 bonus”.

How Jordan Inspired Kobe

Kobe Bryant never hid the fact that Michael Jordan was his basketball idol. As a young player, Bryant studied Jordan’s footwork, mid-range scoring, and competitive demeanor. Many of Kobe’s signature moves, including the fadeaway jumper and post footwork, were heavily inspired by Jordan’s style.

Their similarities extended beyond technique. Both players shared a relentless desire to win and a willingness to push teammates to their limits. Jordan’s influence helped shape Kobe’s approach to preparation, practice, and competition.

Jordan himself acknowledged the connection between their games and personalities. In interviews over the years, he often praised Bryant’s dedication and competitive drive, recognizing that Kobe carried forward many of the traits that defined Jordan’s own career.

What They Meant to Each Other

Despite constant comparisons between them, Jordan and Bryant maintained deep mutual respect. Kobe frequently described Jordan as a mentor figure who offered advice and guidance throughout his career. When Bryant faced difficult moments or needed perspective, Jordan was someone he could call.

Jordan appreciated Bryant’s dedication to mastering the craft of basketball. Among the many players who attempted to emulate him, Kobe was the one who came closest in terms of mentality and playing style. That connection created a bond that went beyond competition.

Jordan’s Reaction to Kobe’s Passing

When Kobe Bryant tragically died in a helicopter crash in January 2020, Jordan delivered one of the most emotional tributes of his life. Speaking publicly about Bryant, Jordan said he felt like he had lost a little brother.

Jordan described the relationship as one built on constant conversations about basketball, strategy, and life. He revealed that Bryant would often text him late at night asking questions about moves, leadership, or preparation.

The loss deeply affected Jordan because he saw Kobe not just as a fellow legend but as family within the basketball community.

Who Was the Better Player?

Statistically and historically, Michael Jordan often holds the edge in the greatest of all time debate. His six championships, five MVP awards, 10 scoring titles, and perfect Finals record create a legacy that many analysts consider unmatched.

Kobe Bryant’s career, however, remains one of the most influential in NBA history. His five championships, legendary scoring ability, and iconic mentality made him one of the most respected competitors the sport has ever seen.

Ultimately, the comparison between Jordan and Bryant reflects two generations connected by inspiration. Jordan set the standard for greatness. Kobe carried that standard forward, building his own legendary legacy while honoring the player who inspired him.

The post Michael Jordan vs. Kobe Bryant: Who Was the Better Player and the True GOAT? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls finally picked a direction. Since February, the Bulls decided to become sellers at the NBA trade deadline, moving key pieces. From there, they fired both Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley, making some big changes ahead of the offseason.

With the rebuild all but officially initiated, it will be a VERY important next few offseasons for the Bulls. This year, they are going to finish either 9th or 10th in the lottery, giving them slim odds at a top pick. It’s clear this team needs a superstar and the fastest way to finding that is through the draft. While this 2026 draft is considered to be a strong one, the same cannot be said for 2027.

At least this early.

Is the 2027 NBA Draft considered weak for the Chicago Bulls?

The 2026 NBA Draft class is headlined by AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson, and Darius Acuff among others. All have that feel of being a potential superstar. But for 2027? Early indications are that this could be a ‘weak class’:

NBA executives view the 2027 draft class as the weakest in over a decade.

A lot of contending teams will be active in trade talks this offseason attempting to flip their 2027 1st for a win-now veteran instead. pic.twitter.com/pMRuN16aXt

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) April 9, 2026

There will still be talent at the top, obviously. But looking overall, in terms of the landscape of this draft it might not be strong at all. That’s not great news for a team like the Bulls who have two picks in that draft. With the team likely not being very good again next year, they have to hope they can find a superstar if they get a top lottery pick.

Duke’s Cameron Williams and uncommitted recruit Tyran Stokes lead the way in most mock drafts. After that, it’s a crap shoot it feels like right now.

The post Will Chicago Bulls rebuild hit bump in 2027 NBA Draft? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls finally made a move that will usher in a new era for the franchise after years of disappointment. On Monday, the team announced they were moving on from Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley after another bad year in the Windy City.

With those moves, a search for those positions will open up and get underway as the season winds down. You would think Chicago would be an attractive destination as they have some cap space and potentially two lottery picks to work with. But this thing needs to be torn down once again and rebuilt.

There’s another another big factor that could steer top candidates away. At least, according to another report out this week.

Is Jerry Reinsdorf costing the Chicago Bulls again?!

National NBA reporter Zach Lowe touched on the Chicago Bulls’ situation going into this offseason and had some concerning things to say about it. Lowe believes a ‘lack of trust’ in ownership could steer top candidates away from the job:

“I talked to a front office free agent who would have his pick of any job if they came open, and he said to me ‘What would you do if you’re me?’ I said whoever saves the Bulls will be a legend in the NBA forever… and he said to me ‘That sounds great in theory. I don’t trust the ownership.’”

That’s not a good thing you want to hear if you’re a Bulls fan. Chicago has already been connected to some targets who are rising candidates in the league.  That includes Kyle Korver and Mike Dunleavy Jr. 

However, it’s pretty well known how messy this situation is around the league. The hope is that a historic franchise like this is enough to land a top candidate. This is a huge hire for the Bulls and it’s crucial they get it right.

Time will tell if they did and if they finally get this on track.

The post Ownership could steer top Chicago Bulls’ general manager targets away per report appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Now that the NCAA Tournament is officially over, the Chicago Bulls have all the available tape on the players in the 2026 NBA Draft. While players still have to decide what their future holds, the Bulls are preparing for the draft with the people still in the front office. One outlet has them selecting a player who was in the national championship game. Let’s take a closer look at who that is and what it would mean for Chicago.

The Chicago Bulls select Braylon Mullins in Bleacher Report’s mock draft

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report created a mock draft following the 2026 National Championship Game. For the Bulls, he had them receiving the ninth pick and selecting UConn guard Braylon Mullins. Wasserman had his NBA comparison to Aaron Nesmith and wrote the following about Mullins:

“One shot won’t change a player’s draft stock, but on Braylon Mullins’ game-winning three against Duke that came from well beyond the arc, his effortles range and confidence was evident. He took and buried a 40-footer in rhythm without altering his mechanics for a heave. Mullins went on to have a strong Final Four, delivering his signature mix of shotmaking and athletic/hustle plays that separate him from off-ball shooting specialists. He’s trending upward entering a predraft process that he can excel in with his stroke and athleticism.”

Mullins had a strong freshman season for the UConn Huskies. He recorded 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.6 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game. His shooting stroke looked strong as well, posting a 42.1/33.5/88.9 shooting split throughout the year. The 6-foot-6 guard would be an excellent player to be a two-guard for Chicago if he lands with the Bulls. With the team having a lot of decisions to make regarding the backcourt, this would be intriguing to see right away.

Mullins has the size to shift to a small forward position as well, so this could be a way to alleviate that. The Bulls have a lot of decisions to make and the new front office will likely be a major factor into this decision.

The post Chicago Bulls select March Madness star in Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Billy Donovan has been one of the names who have been linked to the North Carolina Tar Heels coaching job. With the Chicago Bulls being in a position where they may decide to hit the reset button, there is a chance these are the final games of the Donovan tenure. One college basketball analyst believes this is the final hour for a decision to be made on both sides. Let’s take a look at what has been said to understand where things stand for UNC and Donovan right now.

Billy Donovan to North Carolina rumors heat up ahead of the national championship game

College basketball analyst Jeff Goodman appeared on ‘The Field of 68’ podcast and gave an update on the Donovan to North Carolina rumors.

“North Carolina is now solely focusing its efforts on Billy Donovan. They’re going to go hard after him, per sources. They expect to know more in the next 24 hours.”

Donovan is one of the top college basketball coaches, winning back-to-back national championships with the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times had an article come out during the weekend, highlighting how Donovan could be out as the Bulls coach. If that were to happen, this could give a lot of smoke to the North Carolina rumors. The Tar Heels have also been rumored to be involved with Arizona Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd; however, he signed an extension with the program last week.

For Chicago, they could see a massive change in the front office this offseason to change things up. If that were to happen, Donovan could also be retained to head the program, but it seems like things may go down to how the Bulls play in the final handful of games. Last offseason, it was announced that Donovan signed a multiyear extension, so he is under contract with Chicago following this year. It will be intriguing to see if the Bulls are able to keep Donovan for next season.

The post Basketball analyst believes the next 24 hours could be major for Billy Donovan to UNC rumors appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls picked a direction on Monday afternoon when they fired vice president Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley. After years of being in the play-in round and not improving, the Bulls had to make the decision to move on. And it was the right one.

It also showed their faith in head coach Billy Donovan.

Despite rumored interest with North Carolina, Donovan wanted to wait until the season was over to make a decision on that job. North Carolina went a different direction and hired Michael Malone. A few minutes later, the Bulls fired Karnisovas and Eversley to pick their direction. It showed just how much faith they have in Donovan and on Tuesday, Michael Reinsdorf reiterated that during a press conference.

Billy Donovan will play role in Chicago Bulls general manager search

There’s going to be a decision to make for Billy Donovan by the end of next week. Does he want to stay in Chicago and continue on coaching the Bulls? Or is he going to leave and try to take a new job?

But during Reinsdorf’s presser on Tuesday, it feels like the Bulls are operating with the notion that Donovan will be back. Not only did he mention it should be a ‘quick’ decision for Donovan but he also told the media that the head coach will be a BIG factor in the general manager search.

“If we’re interviewing someone and they’re not sold on Billy and a Hall of Fame coach and person who has won championships in college and gone deep in playoffs in OKC and, given teams he was given, achieved good results in Chicago, then they’re not right candidate for us.”

Michael Reinsdorf on the future of the Front Office as it relates to Billy Donovan:

“If we're interviewing someone and they're not sold on Billy and a Hall of Fame coach and person who has won championships in college and gone deep in playoffs in OKC and, given teams he was… pic.twitter.com/WY39cVHKpY

— SleeperBulls (@SleeperChicago) April 7, 2026

Wow. That really sounds like they believe Donovan will stay and a big reason why is the decision they made with Karnisovas and Eversley.

Of course, Donovan could change his mind. But it would be a big change for the Bulls’ process in this general manager search.

The post Billy Donovan will be key factor in general manager search for Chicago Bulls appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Despite having only played professionally for two years, Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark is already regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of women’s basketball.

Clark made all sorts of history even before turning pro. The 6-foot guard cemented her legacy as an all-time great during his four-year stint with the Iowa Hawkeyes. This includes setting the all-time scoring record in NCAA Division I history, for both men’s and women’s basketball.

Clark made an immediate impact in the WNBA, winning Rookie of the Year honors in 2024. Her second second, however, was marred by injuries. Clark was limited to just 13 games in 2025, and she is now eager to make amends.

Clark shone the spotlight on someone else on Monday, though. The two-time All-Star came across an NBA post featuring a prominent member of the Indiana Pacers organization. The post highlighted the role of Pacers athletic trainer Ayami Sato for the organization.

The NBA has featured coaches and team staff across the league throughout the offseason. On Monday, it was Indiana’s unsung hero’s turn to take center stage.

 

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The Pacers and the Fever are owned by the Simon family and operate under the same company. Clark has had the opportunity to work with Sato throughout the former’s time with the Fever. Clark made her opinion of the trainer extremely clear using just one word.

“GOAT,” Clark commented.

Clark has encountered and worked with many people throughout her career as a professional basketball player. She has also had the opportunity to play with and against some of the best players the sport has produced. Nevertheless, she did not hesitate to name Sato as her GOAT.

The post Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark names her GOAT appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Monday was hopefully a step in the right direction for the Chicago Bulls. With under a week to go in the regular season, the franchise announced they have fired both Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley, ushering in a new era for the franchise.

It was much needed as well.

Chicago will miss the playoffs again this season and is headed for another lottery pick as the rebuild continues. It was clear that the franchise was struggling under this leadership, missing out on draft picks and failing to land any big players in free agency. It’s a mess to put it simple. But now, this offseason gets interesting.

The Bulls will have to hire a new vice president as well as general manager. They may also have to hire a new coach depending on what they do with Billy Donovan. And already, the rumors are starting to swirl regarding potential general manager candidates.

Former players connected to Chicago Bulls general manager job

It’s very important that the Bulls get this next set of hires right. The last regime has set them back already and this won’t be an easy rebuild to complete. Chicago does have some resources to work with, however.

On Monday, hours after the news of the firings, the Bulls were connected to three candidates — Kyler Korver, Mike Dunleavy Jr., and Landry Fields. Here is what Kurt Helin of NBC Sports wrote on the candidates:

Former Bulls sharpshooter Kyle Korver, currently an assistant general manager with the Hawks, is one of the names league sources told NBC Sports is connected to the job. Other names that sources said were connected to the job early on include former Atlanta Hawks GM Landry Fields, current Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy (this may be more of a wish list play by the Bulls, it is highly unlikely Dunleavy leaves Golden State), current Minnesota GM Matt Lloyd (a Chicago native who worked for the Bulls for 13 years), and CAA agent Austin Brown (this would be following in the footsteps of the Lakers and Knicks, who hired former agents as GMs and had some success with them).

All three options, as well as Matt Lloyd would be intriguing candidates. Fields and Korver have helped turn around the Atlanta Hawks as they are headed to the playoffs this year.

Meanwhile, Dunleavy has been working in the Warriors’ organization since 2018 and took over as general manager. But that does feel like a long shot at this stage.

Whatever the Bulls do, they need to make sure they get this right.

The post Former players among those linked to Chicago Bulls GM job appeared first on ChiCitySports.

After the failed Jaden Ivey trade, the Chicago Bulls were headed for the crossroads at the end of the season.

More News: Likely Chicago Bulls replacement for Billy Donovan identified

Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan was making it clear to ownership that Jerry Reinsdorf had a decision to make.

Chicago would have to decide between Donovan choosing to return or moving on from executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley. Amid questions about Donovan’s future with the team, it appeared Donovan was a leading candidate for the North Carolina job.

On Monday, things took a drastic turn in both areas.

UNC hired former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone as its next head coach, per multiple reports. Malone won the 2023 NBA Finals with the Nuggets.

With the Tar Heels no longer an option, the Bulls quickly made a decision on their front office, firing Karnisovas and Eversley.

Does that mean Donovan will return as the head coach for Chicago next season?

Not necessarily.

Chicago Bulls sent a message to Billy Donovan

Cowley noted that Donovan could make a pivot much like Brad Stevens did in 2021 with the Boston Celtics. Donovan could decide to take a job in the front office to help Chicago manage its rebuild while the team hires another head coach to develop the roster.

Bulls assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. could be in line for a promotion if Donovan leaves for the front office.

The timing of the firing for Karnisovas and Eversley is key here. The Bulls fired both just hours after reports surfaced that UNC was hiring Malone.

The Bulls sent a clear message to Donovan that they were making the necessary moves to keep him with the organization after the conclusion of the NBA regular season.

Now it’s up to Donovan to decide how the Basketball Hall of Fame coach wants to proceed with Chicago.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

The post Chicago Bulls send big message to Billy Donovan amid UNC news appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls are going through a lot of changes in the organization. After not seeing coach Billy Donovan leave to become the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, the franchise is still heading into a new direction. Let’s take a closer look at what happened and what it means for the Bulls going forward.

The Chicago Bulls fire their GM and vice president of basketball operations

For the fourth consecutive season, the Bulls are going to miss the playoffs. As a result, changes are happening for the organization. ESPN’s Shams Charania is reporting that both executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley are being dismissed. With only a handful of games remaining in the regular season, it appears that this could be a way for the franchise to hit the reset button.

Since the team hired Karnisovas in 2020, the Bulls are 224-254 and made the playoffs just one time. Now, the search for a new front office regime is underway and there are a few different options the franchise can go. Below is the statement that CEO and president Michael Reinsdorf released regarding the decision:

“Arturas and Marc have led with a deep commitment to the Chicago Bulls. These decisions are never easy, especially when they involve people we respect both personally and professionally. We are grateful for their dedication and the work they’ve put in over the past six years. At the same time, we have not had the success our fans deserve, and it’s my responsibility to go in a new direction. This move is about positioning our team for sustained success moving ahead.

“I want our fans to know that I hear you and understand your frustration. I feel it as well. I know this will take time, and I am fully committed ot getting this right. At the Chicago Bulls, our focus remains on building a team that can compete at the highest level and ultimately contend for championships. We are committed to taking the necessary steps to move the Bulls forward in a way that makes our fans proud.”

The front office decision that the Bulls make will be significant for the next handful of years. With so many options, it will be intriguing to see who is the next general manager and president of basketball operations. The new front office has a lottery pick and a projected league-leading $65 million in cap space.

The post Chicago Bulls fire Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley before end of 2026 season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

There appears to be significant turbulence between Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and the front office after the fallout from the failed Jaden Ivey experiment.

More News: Bulls owner appears to receive ultimatum from Billy Donovan

There has been growing speculation that Donovan could leave the Bulls this offseason as the team begins a new rebuild.

Donovan, who won two national titles as a college basketball head coach with Florida, has been heavily linked to North Carolina after the Tar Heels parted ways with Hubert Davis.

Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, ownership is weighing making significant changes with leadership this spring. Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley could be out.

Donovan could move to Chapel Hill or take a job in the front office with the Bulls. If Donovan is no longer the head coach, Chicago could promote assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. to head coach.

“Either way, there is a real likelihood that the Bulls are conducting a coaching search in less than two weeks or simply promoting Wes Unseld Jr. since the coaching staff is all under contract through at least next season,” Cowley wrote.

Chicago Bulls could promote Wes Unseld Jr.

Unseld was the head coach of the Washington Wizards from 2021 to 2024, going 77-130 in his three seasons. He was fired in 2024 amid a 7-36 start.

Unseld would be a cheap option for the Bulls as they begin their rebuild. Frankly, this team won’t be competitive for a few seasons, so it wouldn’t make sense for the team to bring in an elite coach this offseason.

With Donovan taking on a role similar to what Brad Stevens did with the Boston Celtics, the Bulls would have a strong brain trust to develop younger talent.

Of course, Donovan could leave for the Tar Heels if the Basketball Hall of Fame coach has more to give in his current profession.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

The post Likely Chicago Bulls replacement for Billy Donovan identified appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Windy City Bulls have gotten some hardware this season with Mac McClung. He is one of the more famous players in the league, winning three consecutive NBA Slam Dunk Contests. On Friday, he continued to made history for his play. Let’s take a deeper dive into what McClung did and what it means going forward.

Mac McClung becomes the first player to win multiple G League MVP Awards

McClung has been able to showcase his abilities while playing basketball, as he won the 2025-26 G League Most Valuable Player Award on Friday. He put up incredible stats for the Windy City Bulls this season to lock up the award. McClung averaged a league-leading 31.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 7.9 assists over 40 games. However, his shooting stroke was the most impressive thing as he shot 51.5% from the floor and 38.1% from beyond the arc.

This is the second time in his career he won the G League MVP, also winning in 2023-24 with the Osceola Magic. McClung had a memorable season as he also became the G League’s all-time leading scorer, passing Renaldo Major in March. Below is what he said back in March about the record:

“I think it’s a product of good coaches and good teammates putting you in situations like this, and also a product of making the most out of whatever your opportunity is, killing your ego and getting better each year.”

McClung played a handful of games in the NBA this season as well. McClung was still part of All-Star Weekend, playing in the Rising Stars Game. He played a pair of games for the Chicago Bulls and three for the Indiana Pacers. The Windy City Bulls still managed to miss the playoffs, finishing 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 15-21 record. It will be intriguing to see if he is able to compete for a third G League MVP or if an NBA team will call him up for next season.

The post Mac McClung makes history winning the G League MVP Award appeared first on ChiCitySports.