The Chicago Bulls have arrived. A promising second half to this season brings optimism for next season in a weak Eastern Conference that desperately needs more teams to emerge from the flock of mediocrity hovering around the Play-In. With Chicago's talented young core, the Bulls are freshly in the mix moving forward; they've emerged as a sleeper for the foreseeable future within the league.
That, combined with Chicago's veterans Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, Zach Collins, and Kevin Huerter, gives the Bulls the depth they need to make moves this offseason and restructure their roster around their core. Part of that core includes upcoming restricted free agent Josh Giddey, Coby White (2026 free agent), and rookie lottery pick Matas Buzelis. Together, its core poses a serious threat in the East.
Top offseason priority: Retain Josh Giddey on a long-term contract
Despite Chicago's promising season, the organization will have its work cut out this offseason. The Bulls' current cap situation is tricky, but the agenda in the coming months is clear: Sign Josh Giddey. Riding the Giddey train, the Bulls won six of their final seven games. The pending free agent finished his season with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists in the 109-90 play-In game loss to Miami.
Since the beginning of February, the switch has flipped for Giddey, averaging a near triple-double. Over the final three months, Giddey amassed averages of (or over) 20 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and nearly one block. During that stretch, the versatile guard shot 49 percent (45 percent from three and 80 percent on free throws) in 33 minutes across 25 games.
Giddey proved this three-month stretch was no fluke, sustaining it over a lengthy period. He nearly doubled his scoring output from the first four months of the season and improved every other statistical category (the lone exception being turnovers). Chicago leaned heavily on their core guard, and will need to re-sign him or risk falling off the map again.
Potential Coby White extension looms large next offseason
Josh Giddey isn't the only Bulls' offseason priority lingering for Chicago. Amid a career year, Coby White is soon due for free agency. The former 2019 lottery selection will hit unrestricted free agency in 2026, looking for a massive payday. White has proven to be a core piece for the Bulls as they assemble their future core. If the team can re-sign its backcourt over the next two offseasons, an ascension to playoff status feels legit.
White can explode on any given night as the primary scorer alongside Nikola Vucevic, while Giddey continues to play the role of lead facilitator. White offers enough value as a playmaker (nearly five assists per game) to counteract his 15 shots per game (eight of which come from beyond the arc). The guard has found a home with the Bulls, who are better off retaining the uber-talented White than seeing him depart in 2026. Unless Chicago strikes gold in the lottery or elsewhere, expect him back.
Chicago continues to stockpile various assets for future
Speaking of assets, the Bulls have quietly generated a nice collection of future picks. After regaining their 2025 pick from San Antonio in the Zach LaVine trade, the Bulls' current stash consists of at least one first-round pick in each draft through 2031, including two in 2026. With the increased flexibility Chicago has, it can make a splash in the upcoming offseasons or trade deadlines to improve.
The team also sports a few coveted veterans that contending teams may swing at the fences for. Namely, Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, and Patrick Williams. Vucevic is making over $20 million per season through 2025-26, while Williams will make $18 million each year through 2027-28 (player option in 2028-29). Ball recently signed a contract extension, ensuring him $10 million per season through 2025-26 (team option in 2026-27).
With each player's market and availability unknown, Chicago should entertain offers for all three vets. The opportunity to strike gold remains, but the team must show a willingness to test the market. The future is here, and the time is now for Chicago. But can they put all the pieces together as the NBA's next 'new kid on the block,' or will the pursuit of contention overwhelm and conquer the franchise?