Door Still Sounds Open for the Bulls to Take Max Strus Off the Cavaliers' Hands

The Chicago Bulls have been quiet ... too quiet.

Bryson Graham's first offseason at the helm of the organization has been modest. To be clear, that is seemingly by design. For the first time in forever, the Bulls have actually embraced a full-blown rebuild. The plan appears to be to take things slowly and emphasize player development, particularly with wings like Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis in mind.

Did the Bulls still make a couple of doggy-paddle-sized splashes? Sure. The decision to trade for Nic Claxton should help defensively and make for a fun fit with Josh Giddey. Norman Powell was also a very savvy free-agent target, as his professionalism will help off the court as much as his long-range shooting will help on the court.

Regardless, from a purely roster construction standpoint, this can be classified as a somewhat underwhelming offseason. But the offseason also isn't over yet.

We've already talked about the Bulls' chance to still pull off a restricted free agency signing. However, we've also made clear that the likelihood of this happening remains pretty low. Anything that involves the Bulls giving up future assets or committing long-term money to a player feels largely off the table for the time being.

What if the Bulls can make a roster move that nets them future assets, though? Conversely, wouldn't this make a ton of sense with where the organization is at? Heck, Graham has already said in multiple interviews that he is open to salary-dump situations, which is something we always saw the previous front office ignore. There is even a chance that this is the exact reason why the franchise still has a roster open as training camp looms.

You never know what opportunities may present themselves as teams finalize their rosters. In fact, one recent report just opened the door to a potential salary-dump match for Chicago, as the Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to do business.

Can the Cubs Help Out the Cavaliers?

May 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (2) reacts after a basket during the second quarter of the eastern conference finals of the 2026 NBA playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First of all, this isn't the first time someone has connected the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason. Rumors swirled that the Ohio franchise could be looking to move off Max Strus for months, and the Bulls were a widely speculated fit.

Those rumors died down over the last handful of weeks, however, and it seemed like the door may be shut for a potential move. Think again!

According to The Stein Line, the Cavaliers are still actively searching for a team to take on the final year of Max Strus' salary. They continue to find themselves in a financial bind, particularly as they look to re-sign James Harden to a new deal and possibly pursue another impact talent like Peyton Watson or Jonathan Kuminga. We even saw them trade Dennis Schroder to the Charlotte Hornets just last week to increase their financial flexibility.

Max Strus is owed a generous $16.7 million next season after appearing in only 12 games in 2025-26. It's not the easiest salary for a team to take on, but the Bulls undoubtedly have the wiggle room to make it work. They are still well below the luxury tax line with only $163.0 million in total owed salary (luxury tax set at $200.4 million).

Likewise, we're not talking about some kind of long-term commitment here, which Graham has obviously been trying to avoid. He would simply be adding another expiring deal – one that could help him have even more salary cap space next summer, should he choose to go that route and not pick up options on guys like Norman Powell and Zach Collins.

Strus could also legitimately help this Bulls team! They remain very thin on outside shooting, and Strus is a 37.0 percent marksman over his career on high volume. As far as final roster additions go, he's actually someone who would help this young group quite a bit.

The big question, of course, is how might the Cavaliers incentivize the Bulls? They're likely trying pretty hard not to give up anything of real value to move Strus' deal, especially considering he is a capable rotation player. But that's not how these things work. If you want some help, you're going to have to give something up.

The Cavaliers currently own their first-rounders through 2030-2032. Would they consider moving a protected version? Unfortunately for them, they are incredibly thin on second-rounders, so they may have to go this route if they want to find a suitor.

This is ultimately why the deal may never get done. Giving up any kind of first to move a capable player like Strus is a tough pill to swallow, particularly for just one season. But, hey, that's why it would just be all the more impressive if Graham could make it happen! You never know what a team is willing to do when they're desperate, and the Bulls continue to be in a perfect position to take advantage.

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