Chicago Bulls Notes: Boys Back in Town, A Knicks Trade Idea? Matas Buzelis' Future

While many sports fans know September as the official start of football season, it also means the NBA is lurking!

A new era of Chicago Bulls basketball is right around the corner. The media day and training camp schedule has yet to be released, but we know for a fact that it's only a few weeks out. After all, the Bulls are now exactly a month away from their first preseason contest against the Phoenix Suns.

Speaking of which, it looks like the preparation for some has already begun! Let's discuss that, as well as a couple of other fun storylines as the NBA festivities ramp up!

Training Camp Inches Closer

"Hey Siri, play The Boys Are Back In Town by Thin Lizzy."

It's a tradition like no other: Social media departments sharing photos of a busy gym in early September! The Chicago Bulls may be a handful of weeks away from the official start of training camp, but this franchise has consistently seen players arrive early over the years.

Of course, rookie Caleb Wilson has been acclimating himself to Chicago for essentially the entire summer. He has consistently been spotted in the gym and has even pulled up at a couple of local basketball events. The 19-year-old most recently appeared at the Macronomics Summit at Whitney M Young High School, where he supposedly dropped 60+ points.

Matas Buzelis, a Chicagoland native, has also spent his offseason in the city. The Bulls' other marquee building block, it appears that he and Wilson have been able to spend plenty of time with one another on the court. Not only was Buzelis suiting up at the same Summit, but he also played in a Pro-AM with the former UNC Tar Heel.

Nevertheless, the Bulls shared images of several others back at the Advocate Center this week. Josh Giddey, Tre Jones, Jalen Smith, Dailyn Swain, and Tobe Awaka could all be spotted in workout clothes.

While it can help any group to get in the gym this early, there is no question that it can make the biggest difference for such a young squad. All things considered, there is little crossover with last year's team, and there is a good chance that the Bulls' style of play will also experience a drastic change. To be sure, establishing that style will have to wait until Tiago Splitter is leading camp, but it can be made a whole lot easier by building relationships now.

For what it's worth, it's also nice to see Josh Giddey on the hardwood. Let's not forget that Giddey underwent ankle surgery at the conclusion of the regular season. The Bulls did initially state that he was expected to be a full go by the start of training camp, but you never know how the rehab process will play out. If one thing is for sure, there is no doubt this significantly impacted his normal offseason routine, so any extra time he can put into his craft before camp could go a long way.

Are the Knicks a Good Trade Partner?

The Chicago Bulls trade talk isn't going anywhere. When you're a rebuilding team, anything and everything is on the table. The next handful of months are going to be a strict evaluation period for this new front office, and it's only a matter of time before Bryson Graham continues to make this roster their own.

Indeed, that's why it was hard to ignore something our friends over at Knicks On SI wrote about this week. Isaiah De Los Santos questioned whether the Bulls could be a worthwhile landing spot for a pair of New York reserves. The franchise is in a bit of a roster crunch and could likely benefit from some added veteran help. De Los Santos specifically mentioned opening up room for another big man. I recommend giving it a read!

Tyler Kolek and Pacôme Dadiet were the two youngsters thrown out as a possible fit for the rebuilding Bulls. De Los Santos even suggested tying a second-rounder to one of them in order to make the move.

Of course, Chicago currently has an open roster spot, as well as the financial flexibility to absorb either one into their cap sheet. Kolek is owed $2.3 million this season with a club option for 2027-28. Dadiet is owed slightly more at $2.9 million and also has a team option next year. The Bulls still have a $9.4 million room exception at their disposal.

Jun 18, 2026; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek smiles at the New York Knicks fans during the New York Knicks Championship Parade through the Canyon of Heroes. Mandatory Credit: Brenden Willsch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The biggest reason De Los Santos made this connection is the Bulls' recent addition of Jordan Brink. The team inked the former Knicks coach to be their head of player development. If anyone knew what those two young players could do if given a larger role, it would be Brink. And, hey, it also doesn't hurt that the Bulls are somewhat limited in the backcourt behind Josh Giddey and Tre Jones.

Do I actually think the Bulls would go down this road? No. Graham has preached immense patience, and he would have to LOVE either Kolek or Dadiet to hand them the final roster spot at this juncture. Now, Dadiet does offer the kind of positional size that this new-look front office seems to covet. There is also a case to make that Kolek could be a strong fit alongside the Bulls' two young wings, as he's an excellent true facilitator.

With that in mind, I certainly wouldn't be opposed to seeing the Bulls pursue a move like this. They are in a perfect position to welcome in young players in need of more opportunity. Especially in this case, worst comes to worst, Graham cuts either player loose next summer.

I'm not against bringing the open roster spot into the regular season and seeing if a salary dump opportunity presents itself. One can easily argue that this is the right move. At the same time, now is a great time to evaluate talent. If the Bulls have any interest in what Kolek or Dadiet could bring to the table – and the Knicks are willing to give them up for free – why not give it a shot?

Matas Buzelis' Future

It might not be at the front of Bryson Graham's mind, but it's only a matter of time before he will have to make a decision on Matas Buzelis.

The forward will be searching for an extension as soon as next offseason. Could the Bulls punt things and plan to deal with Buzelis in the summer of 2027? Sure, and we can't necessarily rule out this new front office doing just that. After all, they didn't draft Buzelis. If they aren't confident about his long-term fit alongside new building block Caleb Wilson, they may be hesitate to talk business.

Nevertheless, assuming his steady ascension continues in the coming months, Buzelis will be the kind of player who deserves a hefty extension. The last thing the Bulls want to do is risk losing him in restricted free agency. It could prove to be a major blow to their rebuilding efforts.

What it will take to extend Buzelis, however, remains a pretty big question. How he performs in the coming months will have the biggest impact on that number. However, we also can't ignore where the market currently stands. Amen Thompson is fresh off getting a five-year, $208 million deal with the Houston Rockets. Might he be viewed as a better player than Buzelis? Yes ... but it still sets a ridiculously high bar for a talented two-way wing!

At the end of the day, all we know right now is that this new brain trust values financial flexibility. This will undoubtedly have to change as the talent on the team improves, but it does make it impossible to know how they hope to handle Buzelis down the road. Again, as long as he takes another step in the right direction this season, the price to lock him into their core long-term is going to be steep.

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