The Chicago Bulls Offseason Expected to be Even Busier Than the Trade Deadline

Don't get used to this Chicago Bulls roster.

Arturas Karnisovas finally swallowed the tough pill at this season's trade deadline. Chicago showed seven different players the door over the last handful of days, including Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter, Julian Phillips, Dalen Terry, and Jevon Carter. The move signaled a drastic change in philosophy for the organization as a whole, particularly when we consider their aggressiveness in targeting draft capital.

Indeed, the Bulls had previously prioritized immediate roster upgrades in the majority of their transactions. But they have now added a staggering nine second-round picks to their arsenal since January 31, bringing their total number of seconds to 14. They are also one of the few teams that currently control all of their f uture first-round picks, only further underscoring the immense flexibility they have moving forward.

To be clear, Karnisovas still acquired a handful of immediate contributors. He also continued his approach of trying to become the ideal change-of-scenery team, as he took a chance on former lottery picks Jaden Ivey and Rob Dillingham. There is undoubtedly a hope that at least one of those two youngsters can reach their potential in a Bulls uniform and become a core piece.

Nevertheless, for all the new talent that this team added over the last few days, the expectation is that very few players stick around. This week was only the beginning of a potentially major change in Chicago, and K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network said as much following Arturas Karnisovas' conversation with the media after the deadline.

“This is only one part of it. This is not the roster they’re going to be going into next season with. They’re obviously going to have a lot of flexibility going into this offseason. You mention all the second-round picks, that is the grease to make trades happen in today’s NBA," Johnson said during The Chicago Lead.

"They obviously have moves at least they want to try to get down in the offseason. Whether that’s signing restricted free agents to offer sheets or taking one of these expiring and adding second-round draft capital to make a trade that way. We’ll see where this goes. This will be one part of their deconstruction phase they’re taking.”

All things considered, a simple look at the roster suggests that plenty more work must be done. Not only do the sheer number of expiring contracts make that clear, but also the heavy number of guards and the apparent lack of a long-term option at center.

Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls — Feb 5, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) dribbles against Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles (12) in the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Still, it can often be hard to know what this front office is thinking, and we have seen them do everything in their power to dodge a more traditional teardown in the past. Re-signing a handful of these additions would coincide with that previous mindset, so it's at least encouraging to hear that doesn't appear to be the set plan.

Even Karnisovas painted a very uncharacteristic picture during his conversations with reporters. Instead of raving about his new additions and saying he expects competitive basketball over the next month and a half, he focused heavily on the future. He recognized the team's unacceptable positioning in the middle and underscored the flexibility they have to make more changes moving forward.

So, what exactly might those changes look like? It's hard to say right now, but there is no question that the Bulls have options with their draft capital and seven open roster spots. They could play the extra-long game and give three rookies immediate playing time. The Bulls could very well be in a position to have three picks inside the Top 32, as they have their own, a lottery-protected Trail Blazers pick, and the most favorable second-round of Minnesota, New York, Portland, and New Orleans. Right now, that looks to be the Pelicans' pick, who sit as the second-worst team in the NBA.

Another option for Chicago would be hit the restricted free agency market hard. While signing high-impact names outright in free agency has become far less common, putting pressure on teams with restricted free agency remains a popular trend. The Bulls can try to do that with guys like Tari Eason, Bennedict Mathurin, Peyton Watson, or even Jalen Duren.

A third – and less likely – avenue is for the Bulls to push their chips in. Rebuilds can end far faster than they used to, thanks to the player movement of today's era. While the unrestricted free agent class may be underwhelming, what happens if a disgruntled star asks out? It happens all the time, and the Bulls could use both their cap space and trade assets to pursue a star. They might even have enough left over to bolster the supporting cast.

The simple fact that the Bulls have this many options is what matters most. And, if the last few weeks are any indication, Karnisovas is finally ready to embrace that and shake things up in a meaningful way. There is no better time to do that than in the offseason!