The Chicago Bulls aren’t hiding their intentions. The franchise's eyes are on the 2026 offseason. More than a year in the making, the plan is simple—enter free agency with maximum flexibility. By next summer, the Bulls project to have just five guaranteed contracts on the books, with team options remaining for young prospects Matas Buzelis and Julian Phillips.
Chicago set its long-term plan in motion by trading veterans Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine, all within a single year. Caruso, in the final season of his contract, signed an eye-popping four-year, $81 million deal with Oklahoma City, keeping him there into his mid-30s.