Bulls' Tie to Bennedict Mathurin Just Got Stronger, Tells Us A Lot About Front Office

Just as the NBA news cycle started to drag, the Chicago Bulls were thrown into quite the unexpected report.

Multiple intriguing restricted free agents remain on the market as we head toward August. To be sure, this part shouldn't come as a surprise. Bulls fans are well aware of how long restricted free agency can drag on, as Josh Giddey did not reach his new deal with the franchise last offseason until early September.

What did come out of left field, however, is that the Bulls are said to have their eye on one of the top remaining names. While it once felt as if they could throw an offer sheet out into the market, they used up all their cap space to bring in players like Nic Claxton and Norman Powell.

These moves coincided with Bryson Graham's more patient approach. Yes, both were veterans with meaningful playoff experience, but they were brought in to help the long list of developing young players – not significantly impact the win-loss column.

In other words, any signs of a big splash had disappeared. But things tend to change fast in the NBA!

The Stein Line reported this week that the Bulls have joined the New Orleans Pelicans as a suitor for Bennedict Mathurin. The former No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft started his career with the Indiana Pacers, reaching the NBA Finals with them two seasons ago. They proceeded to trade him to the Los Angeles Clippers in the Ivica Zubac trade in February.

Marc Stein joined the guys over at CHGO Bulls to elaborate on his Substack's recent reporting. He didn't just confirm that the Bulls had a level of interest in the young guard but suggested that the interest was strong.

“I think it’s way too soon to say such and such team is in the lead or whatever," Stein said. "But basically I’ve been told that, in Bryson Graham, Bennedict Mathurin has a significant fan ... Definitely interesting and notable that your Bulls were probably presumed in some corners to be done, and clearly they are not done with the offseason."

Are the Bulls Actually Ready to Go After Mathurin?

Mar 25, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin (9) reacts after scoring a basket and drawing the foul against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As we mentioned before, it's possible that this is simply a leverage play by Bennedict Mathurin's camp. The Bulls are a rebuilding team with a pretty clear hole in the backcourt for long-term help. If they are trying to put some pressure on the Clippers, the Bulls could be a believable landing spot for them to bring up.

At the same time, Marc Stein seems certain that the Bulls are legitimately open to the idea of adding Mathurin into the mix. He even went as far as to say that Bryson Graham is a big fan, which isn't that difficult to envision. Mathurin is a powerful guard with great transition speed and physicality. A priority for this new-look Bulls organization early on has seemingly been leveling up the toughness and downhill aggressiveness. Mathurin can certainly help with that.

The former lottery pick is fresh off averaging 6.2 free throw attempts per game. The foul-drawing has arguably been his most impressive skill set, and there is no doubt the Bulls are currently limited when it comes to off-the-dribble scoring in the backcourt.

The Bulls are also extremely limited when it comes to shooting, however. Mathurin has yet to prove that he can be an efficient long-range threat, which makes him a pretty odd fit for this current young roster. The defense can leave a lot to be desired, as well. Mathurin can try hard at times, but he doesn't look like some kind of difference-maker on that side of the ball.

On the one hand, Chicago probably shouldn't be all that concerned about fit. They want to add as much talent to this roster as possible. On the other hand, Mathurin has some obvious flaws to his game, and the last thing a new front office wants to do is immediately overpay to bring someone in. They could run the risk of doing just that in this situation, especially if they have to go the sign-and-trade route and give up additional assets to bring in Mathurin.

Is it possible, though, that the only reason the Bulls have even emerged is because thay have learned the price tag may be more reasonable than originally thought? If Graham were truly a massive fan of Mathurin, he would have used his cap space to make him an offer earlier this summer. This is why it's hard to believe the Bulls will go down this road if the Clippers or Mathurin's camp attempts to drive a hard bargain.

Regardless, the real takeaway here might be what Stein said at the end of his comment. It was previously thought the Bulls were done making waves for the summer. The mere fact that they have emerged in this Mathurin discussion opens the door for other moves to arise. It tells us that Graham is actively looking for moves to make. And, as basic as that may sound, it's something we were never quite sure about with the last front office.

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