Two Recent Trades Give Us First Reason to Question Bulls' New Front Office

Bryson Graham's first handful of moves at the helm of the Chicago Bulls haven't come without some question marks.

To be clear, the new lead executive received plenty of flowers for the first round of the NBA Draft. He secured the organization a potential star in Caleb Wilson at No. 4 before grabbing Dailyn Swain at No. 15, who has seemingly been a favorite of NBA scouts.

The second round of the NBA Draft raised some eyebrows, though. Graham held picks at No. 38 and No. 56, only to trade away both in deals that involved cash considerations. It gave many fans a flashback to darker days, especially after hearing for months that Graham's best attribute was his keen eye for talent.

To Graham's credit, he did go on to immediately explain his thought process. This level of transparency was refreshing after dealing with such a stubborn front office. At the same time, the Bulls have a boatload of second-round picks at their disposal right now, so choosing not to put any to use has started to stand out more and more.

Indeed, plenty of second-round picks have even been on the move over the last handful of days. And, no, not just for cash. We have instead seen multiple teams ship out two or three future seconds for a chance to add a young role player – the kind who could make a lot of sense for a rebuilding Bulls team!

Are Bulls Missing Out On Some Good Additions?

Apr 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) celebrates a shot against the Phoenix Suns in the first half during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Even Bryson Graham admitted after the first round of the NBA Draft that his current roster lacks shooting. He didn't sound all that worried about it, but the void is painfully obvious. It's something that will undoubtedly have to be addressed in the coming weeks via free agency or trade. And that's why it was hard not to pay extra attention to OKC's recent trade with Detroit.

Sam Presti agreed to send sharpshooter Isaiah Joe to the Pistons in exchange for two second-round picks. Looking to offload salary for a roster that is becoming increasingly expensive, they were clearly willing to give Joe up for a low price.

Joe is a career 40.6 percent shooter from long range. He's coming off a career year with the Thunder, where he shot 42.3 percent on 6.0 attempts a night. Even better, the three-point specialist is only 26 years old and on a very team-friendly contract. He's owed a mere $11.3 million this next season before having a team option for the same price in 2027-28.

To be frank, it's challenging to understand why the Bulls would not be interested in a player like that. He could still fit decently well with their current timeline, doesn't need the ball in his hands a lot to be successful, and comes from an organization that has built tremendous habits. Chicago has over ten second-round picks at their disposal, meaning it would have been pretty darn easy for it to match or trump Detroit's offer.

Now, is it possible that OKC wanted to send Joe to a winning environment? Sure. But that's also why you possibly throw in the extra second-rounder to get the deal done. Of course, we have no real clue if Graham ever spoke to the Thunder, but Joe certainly feels like the kind of player he should have had an eye on.

The same can be said about Isaiah Stewart. We saw a similar situation play out in Detroit, where the Pistons were looking to move some money and sent Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies for three future second-rounders.

Making $15.0 million this season with an equivalent team option for 2026-27, Stewart is a very physical and efficient big man who can even space the floor a little. For a Bulls team that has been looking to bolster its frontcourt strength and establish a new hard-nosed identity, Stewart would have made a lot of sense, even if he has been known to be a bit of a wild card.

Seeing this deal come across the desk made it impossible not to rethink the Nic Claxton trade. It's still a very palatable transaction, especially since the Bulls didn't give up anything to add him into the mix. But Claxton is both older and owed more over the next couple of seasons. The Bulls also don't have the luxury of a team option after this upcoming year, which could really stand out if Claxton continues his 2025-26 struggles.

Again, it's not that the Claxton deal was some kind of red flag. He still seems to fit well with how the Bulls team wants to play, and there is some real upside there if they can make the most of his rim-protecting skills again. However, giving up three picks for a player like Stewart would have also been an attractive move and potentially made even more sense when we consider where the Bulls' franchise is at.

Look, none of this is to say that we should be concerned about Bryson Graham or his plans for the future. The Bulls are still on a much better path than they were months ago. But these are the kind of moves – or rather lack thereof – that have to be given some extra thought when evaluating a new (and first-time) front office leader.

Particularly when we consider the sheer number of second-rounders the Bulls currently have, it's difficult not to question these specific decisions. If they don't plan to use them on draft night or in the trade market, what exactly is the plan? I suppose only time will tell.

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