The Bulls Should Try to Strike a Trade with the Nuggets

Another article about a trade or signing that probably won't happen? What's going on with this guy!

Look, I'll be the first to admit that it's getting a little overplayed. We can all agree it's more than likely that the Chicago Bulls are done for the summer and prepared to head into training camp with their 14 current roster members. Having an open seat at the end of the bench isn't the worst thing in the world, especially for a franchise currently prioritizing flexibility.

At the same time, it's August! We're in the dog days of the summer, and the mind tends to wander for an NBA-obsessor like me. Not to mention, with the Bulls having so much flexibility on their hands, it's just too darn easy to come up with potential moves to make!

So ... you know what that means!

Let's go over two trades – coincidentally with the same team – that could still make sense for the Bulls before the 2026-27 season tips off. Each follows the same concept: Using current financial and roster flexibility to take on an unwanted asset. In other words, what the savvy rebuilding front offices do!

Cameron Johnson

Some Chicago Bulls fans have prayed to the basketball gods that Peyton Watson would somehow find his way onto Bryson Graham's roster. He undoubtedly fits the model that this new front office likes, and he's coming off a really strong season that showed off his tantalizing 3-and-D potential. Still only 23-years-old, he could undoubtedly fit long-term with the Bulls' plans.

With that said, pulling off the sign-and-trade would likely force this young Bulls to fork over too many assets. The payday is also expected to be generous, and Graham has clearly tried to keep his books clean early on. But what about striking a different deal with Denver, one where the Bulls end up as the team getting a future asset or two back?

Most signs do point toward the Nuggets wanting to bring back Watson. However, they find themselves in a pretty big financial bind, which is part of the reason why this has dragged out as long as it has. One way to fix that is to offload a player like Cameron Johnson to a team with plenty of financial wiggle room. And we all know one of those!

Cameron Johnson is owed a generous $23.0 million this upcoming season, but it's also on an expiring deal. This would make him a pretty intriguing add for a Bulls team that seemingly hopes to have significant spending power again next summer. Plus, if they can manage to showcase him in the right way, they might have a great trade chip on their hands come the deadline.

Johnson had a tough go in 2025-26, averaging just 12.2 points and appearing in 54 games. However, the reason Denver traded for him in the first place is because of the numbers he put up with a rebuilding Nets team. What if the Bulls could offer him a similar playing field to boost his stock?

It's also not as if Johnson still didn't demonstrate that he had an elite skill last year. The three-point shooting has always been the bread-and-butter, and he drained shots at a 43.0 percent clip. Not only could this help the Bulls' team in the short-term, but it might continue to make him a flippable piece no matter the stats bump.

Now, it's worth noting that this isn't necessarily the easiest trade to get done. The Bulls would presumably still have to move around some salary, perhaps players like Isaac Okoro and Rob Dillingham. But is that reason enough not to shake hands, particularly if Johnson comes alongside a protected future first-rounder? After all, there is a good chance he also proves far more flippable than either of those role players.

To be sure, Denver would likely hesitate to fork over a future first along with Johnson ... but it's also hard to imagine any team doing this deal without that request. Johnson's salary clearly isn't the most straightfoward to move, so they would have to pay the price.

Zeke Nnaji

Speaking of the Denver Nuggets' financial bind, what if the Bulls were instead willing to take Zeke Nnaji off their hands?

To be honest, this could prove even more helpful for the organization, as Nnaji is under contract for each of the next two seasons. This includes a player option for 2027-28 at $7.5 million. The payday isn't nearly as high as Johnson's, but Nnaji isn't nearly as impactful. And, again, for a team as squeezed as the Nuggets financially, even getting off this kind of contract makes a significant difference.

This is why there have been rumors about the Nuggets trying to trade Nnaji for months. Does it make sense that they haven't found a partner? Yes, as Nnaji is fresh off averaging 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 56 games. He is also a very shaky long-range shooter. But the Bulls might as well try to find out just how desperate they are!

Chicago can simply absorb Nnaji into their current room exception, meaning this would be a very easy and clean trade for both sides. Denver would merely have to make it worthwhile for Bryson Graham, and a protected first-rounder would be a great way to do that!

For what it's worth, it seems like there have been some rumblings that Denver prefers to move Nnaji alongside second-rounders, but I'm not sure Graham does that. The Bulls already have enough in their back pocket, so another protected first is what it might take to get this done.

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