Why the Bulls Might Keep a Roster Spot Open for the Regular Season

While the Chicago Bulls have been connected heavily to Bennedict Mathurin, the much more likely outcome is that they keep a roster spot open with the future in mind.

Jun 17, 2026; Chicago, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham introduces Chicago Bulls new head coach Tiago Splitter during a press conference at Advocate Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chicago Bulls fans will have to hold their horses.

Over the last handful of days, the organization has been increasingly connected to Bennedict Mathurin of the Los Angeles Clippers. Marc Stein of The Stein Line was the first to report the Bulls' interest in adding the young guard, and he proceeded to double down on that message later in the week.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype then dumped some fuel on the fire, reporting that Chicago's coaching staff is also considered to be a fan of Mathurin's game. To be clear, nothing has suggested that an offer sheet or sign-and-trade was imminent, but the smoke was becoming too great to ignore.

Nevertheless, a local source has turned on the air purifier. The Athletic's Joel Lorenzi chimed in on the Mathurin madness, sharing that the Bulls' interest in pursuing the youngster has been "overstated."

The Bulls’ reported interest in Bennedict Mathurin, I’m told, is overstated. More on what I’m hearing, plus what Chicago’s intentions with its last roster spot could be, here: https://t.co/hwDQoziv27

— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) August 1, 2026

Did he completely shut down a scenario where the Bulls add Mathurin into the mix? No. But he did emphasize how important it is to the front office to remain flexible. Adding Mathurin would presumably have to come via team-friendly terms, which might be pretty hard to pull off in a sign-and-trade situation, as these have to be a minimum of three years.

With that in mind, the Bulls could very well have to look elsewhere to make use of their 15th and final full-time roster spot. Lorenzi also commented on that, however, stating that keeping it open could coincide more with this front office's current philosophy.

Will the Bulls Choice to Carry an Open Roster Spot?

Jun 17, 2026; Chicago, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham (R) introduces Chicago Bulls new head coach Tiago Splitter (L) during a press conference at Advocate Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We have gone over the different ways that Chicago could choose to use their final roster spot in the past, and it sure seems like we're leaning closer and closer to option No. 3.

The free agency market is drying up fast. Pursuing one of the remaining restricted free agents would easily be the most impactful move the front office could still make. However, if the Bulls do begin to back off on Mathurin, it's pretty hard to imagine they get involved with anyone else. Peyton Watson and Jalen Duren are technically still up for grabs, but both will come with a far more significant price tag. Not to mention, the Nuggets and Pistons will likely fight a lot harder to keep them.

This makes leaving the roster spot open heading into the Fall a legitimately intriguing option. Bryson Graham has stated multiple times that he is open to helping facilitate deals and taking on salary in exchange for draft capital. What makes that extremely easy to do? Having a free chair open on the bench!

It's possible that a salary dump still presents itself this summer. We likely haven't seen the last trade made before the start of the regular season. At the same time, it is fair to say that the majority of work has been done, and this could mean limited options for the Bulls to try to cash in.

So, what is the harm in waiting it out? It's not like the Bulls plan to care all that much about the win-loss column this season. Could they add another veteran to help in the locker room? Sure, and an argument could be made that this specific roster would still benefit from some shooting help. But, again, the short-term success of this group isn't really at the front of mind.

The upcoming season is going to be all about developing the Bulls' newest youngsters and establishing some kind of identity for the future. And that last word is key! Everything is about the FUTURE.

Adding someone like Mathurin could theoretically satisfy that mindset, but you have to weigh the opportunity cost. An RFA signing might be the kind of move you make further down in your rebuild, when you already have clear roster needs and a culture in place.

Conversely, sitting on a roster spot to accumulate future draft picks coincides more with a franchise that is wholeheartedly starting from the bottom. And isn't that more in line with what Bulls fans truly want? Arturas Karnisovas was allergic to keeping his options open and thinking two or three moves ahead. Graham was brought in to do just that.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on X and Facebook for the latest news