4 Very Tradable Bulls Contracts for Bryson Graham to Work His Magic

While the Chicago Bulls have one more roster spot to fill before October, the chance of that being a particularly eventful one is low. The organization has already used up its cap space, leaving itself with the modest $9.4 million room exception.

Of course, new lead executive Bryson Graham could try to get frisky and fill that vacancy via trade. But the much more likely outcome is that he goes into the season with this current group. Most new front offices like to evaluate their pre-existing pieces before fully blowing things up.

But, make no mistake, that stick of dynamite is surely coming.

Graham has positioned himself pretty darn well for the future. He may not have accomplished anything too flashy this summer, but the absence of big moves felt intentional. Instead, the new front office leader seemingly focused on optionality as his rebuild gets underway. The telltale sign was the contracts he sought out over the last handful of weeks.

Graham now has a long list of tradable deals – ones that could help add more young talent or future draft capital as soon as this upcoming deadline. With that in mind, let's go over four specific contracts that might come in handy the most down the road.

Norman Powell – $22.5 million

Mar 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When the Chicago Bulls were first connected to Norman Powell, it was easy to express concern. Going after the 33-year-old reigning All-Star felt like the kind of short-sighted, mediocrity-promoting move that the previous regime would be all over. But then the contract terms were announced.

The Bulls locked in the talented sharpshooter on a two-year, $45.0 million deal. The contract also includes a team option in the second year. In other words, the Bulls landed one of the NBA's best perimeter shooters for a modest $22.5 million and did so in a way that gave them total control moving forward.

Why did they do this? Powell will undoubtedly fill an important primary scoring role, but he also offers the kind of floor spacing and leadership that could help a lot in the development of Chicago's many young players. On top of that, it gives the Bulls a potentially highly desirable contract to dangle on the market in the very near future.

While only time will tell, it's not hard to imagine a slew of contenders showing interest in a career 40.0 percent shooter who has only gotten better with age. Powell also has plenty of winning experience in a variety of roles. He's gone to the postseason as a primary scorer, dependable starter, coveted Sixth Man, and crafty role player.

Any team that trades for him this season would also add some meaningful flexibility thanks to the team option, making him all the more valuable. Heck, even if he wasn't traded this season and the team option was picked up by Chicago, then he would still hold a lot of value as an expiring contract.

At the end of the day, it was a really solid piece of business by Graham that will continue to give him tons of options moving forward.

Zach Collins – $8.5 million

Dec 19, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bulls forward-center Zach Collins (12) keeps the ball away from Cleveland Cavaliers forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin (35) during the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Zach Collins contract doesn't warrant nearly as much praise as the one above. A big man who has certainly adopted the injury-prone label, Bryson Graham surprisingly rewarded him with a two-year, $17.0 million deal. While the Bulls may have been in need of depth at the center position, investing further in Collins came as a head-scratcher.

Nevertheless, this is another move that feels largely about what could happen in the future. The truth is that $8.5 million a year isn't all that much for a backup five. Likewise, similar to Norman Powell, Graham was able to slap a team option onto the second year. This means that the front office can tout Collins as an expiring as soon as this season.

Would anyone take him for that price right now? Probably not, especially after playing only ten games in 2025-26. But what happens if he stays healthy over the first half of the season? Could he become an attractive and cost-effective target for winning teams, or possibly a good sweetener in a bigger deal?

When Collins is on the floor, he is a pretty productive player. A sturdy five with a seven-foot-one wingspan, he plays a physical game and offers some real versatility. You have to at least respect his jumper from behind the arc and always be prepared for him to set strong screens and roll hard to the rim. The best version of him belongs on a winning team, and the Bulls are going to try to prove that over the course of this season.

Nic Claxton – $23.3 million

Apr 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) dunks the ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Considering the Chicago Bulls just acquired Nic Claxton for absolutely nothing, it may seem like he doesn't belong on this list. But I'd beg to differ.

First of all, fans and analysts alike seemed impressed with the Bulls' ability to pull off this deal (which should become official on July 9). While Claxton hasn't been the same elite rim protector and skillful rebounder that he was a few years ago, he still felt like a player who was above a salary dump. In other words, it wouldn't have generated a shocking reaction if a team gave up something of real value to bring Claxton in.

We should also consider that Claxton is on a rare, depreciating deal. After making his $23.3 million this season, he will see his payday drop to $21.1 million in 2027-28. Which team doesn't love to have that kind of contract on their cap sheet?

Look, it's possible that the Bulls brought Claxton in to see if he can be a long-term piece. He is still 27 years old and was among the most exciting young centers in the NBA only a handful of years ago. There is also no denying that he fits Bryson Graham's SLAP profile, and his fit with Josh Giddey has the potential to be dynamite. All things considered, Giddey has never played with a rim roller and lob threat like Claxton.

If I had to guess, however, Bryson Graham likely knows that Claxton's fit in this system could go a long way toward boosting his value. Tiago Splitter even worked closely with him during his best days in Brooklyn. Does that mean we should expect him to be on the move in the very near future? Not necessarily, but it makes him feel like a pretty tradable piece.

There is also something to be said about simply having mid-value contracts on the books. Teams are often looking for players in this $20 million range, as they're easier mid-season fits or great ways to round out bigger deals. Look no further than Brooklyn moving Claxton in order to pull off the Julius Randle acquisition. With Powell and Claxton now on the cap sheet, the Bulls have two of those contracts to work with moving forward.

Tre Jones – $8.0 million

Apr 3, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones (30) drives past New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) in the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Bulls' new brain trust may not be responsible for adding Tre Jones, but they are likely very happy with the fact that he's on this roster.

The guard had the best season of his career in 2025-26, averaging 14.1 points, 5.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Even more encouraging, he did that while scoring at a 55.3 percent clip. Jones may not be the most athletically gifted player or most dependable shooter, but he is a high-IQ playmaker who knows how to efficiently play his role. Which team couldn't use that?

Indeed, Jones became one of the hottest names at last year's trade deadline, so much so that it was actually pretty surprising that he didn't end up on a new squad. It may have worked in the Bulls' favor, though, as his value only continued to rise over the final month and a half of the season.

The Bulls can and will use Jones, especially with a roster stuffed with freakish wings who can fly in transition and pound the paint. However, it's important to consider that he is now on an expiring contract and making an extremely reasonable $8.0 million. Unless Bryson Graham plans to keep Jones around, the smart thing to do will be to hear out any and all offers. The right guard-needy team could give up a pretty generous sum.

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