Bulls Named as Team to Watch for Top Restricted Free Agent, And It's Easy to See Why

The Chicago Bulls have a lot of questions to answer before they can start thinking about free agency, but that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from turning!

Marc Stein of The Stein Line recently name-dropped the Bulls as a team folks around the NBA believe will have interest in one of the top free agents. The Denver Nuggets' Peyton Watson is expected to hit the market after his breakout 2025-26 campaign.

To be sure, Watson is only a restricted free agent, which means the Nuggets will have a say in what his future holds. How so? They will retain the right to match any offer sheet that comes Watson's way. Whether they will do that, however, feels genuinely up in the air due to their crammed cap sheet. If a team swoops in with a steep enough offer, Denver may have no choice but to let Watson walk.

Speaking of which, the Bulls are one of the teams more than capable of putting honest pressure on the Nuggets. They are expected to enter free agency with $60+ million in spending power. In fact, this looming flexibility is a big reason why we have singled out Watson as a potential offseason target in the past.

The only problem with this recent report is that it comes after the Bulls' front office firings. The truth is that it's impossible to know whether Watson will be an offseason target without a lead decision-maker in the mix. Stein did note that the Bulls expressed interest in trading for Watson at the deadline, and that normally would be very telling. Alas, the man who held those phone calls is now powerless.

Nevertheless, it's not difficult to envision a world where a new front office hire still considers pursuing Watson in a couple of months. The new lead executive is going to have to spend his loads of money somehow, and Watson could make a lot of sense as a key piece on a rebuilding team.

Peyton Watson Might be Perfect Fit for the Bulls

Mar 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) after making a basket during the second half against the Utah Jazz at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

No matter which direction a new front office wants to go with this roster, Peyton Watson is the kind of player who could fit in perfectly. He already has experience suiting up for a win-now squad in the Denver Nuggets, becoming an essential 3-and-D role player over his first four seasons in the league. He took a significant step forward during his 54 games this year, averaging 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks a night.

Watson's defense has long been his bread-and-butter. He has true All-Defensive team upside with his six-foot-eight frame and seven-foot wingspan. We watched him repeatedly take on some of the toughest assignments, no matter where they stood on the court. Indeed, Watson is a pest both along the perimeter and inside the paint. He can stay locked onto opposing ball-handlers thanks to his twitchy quickness while also protecting the rim with his elite length.

Particularly when we consider Josh Giddey's defensive woes, the Bulls are going to have to find a lockdown defender in the backcourt. Watson undoubtedly has the tools to be that guy. He would also provide the Bulls with a pretty deadly one-two defensive punch at the wing, as Matas Buzelis has been an excellent shot blocker to begin his career.

The main reason Watson could make sense for a rebuilding squad, however, is the flashes we saw on the other side of the ball this season. He posted career-highs across the board, looking significantly more confident using his size to attack the basket and get to the free throw line. Even more notably, Watson's three-point shooting took a significant step forward. He knocked down 41.1 percent of his triples after shooting just 35.3 percent on lower volume in 2024-25.

A young Bulls team could give Watson even more of a runway to grow his offensive game. Is he ever going to transform into a primary scoring hub? Probably not. There is also little doubt that the playmaking ability of Nikola Jokic helped bring out the best in Watson. However, he still showed that there is plenty more to his game, and why wouldn't the Bulls take a chance on a player like that? Did I mention he's only 23 years old!?

At the end of the day, I have a feeling this will not be the last time we discuss Watson. Between him, Tari Eason, Walker Kessler, and Bennedict Mathurin, this is a far more attractive restricted free agent class than normal. That could be great news for a new front office that is hoping to immediately make this roster its own.

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