The Chicago Bulls are one of only three NBA franchises projected to have genuine cap room this summer — alongside the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets. That is not a distinction the Bulls have held in years, and it gives general manager Marc Eversley a rare chance to reshape the roster in a single offseason rather than through the slow accumulation of mid-level signings and draft picks. The question is whether Chicago is disciplined enough to use that space wisely rather than filling it with the first available name that fits the budget. The team’s free-agent landscape is crowded with decisions.

The internal free agents come first. Collin Sexton arrived from Charlotte in a mid-season trade for Coby White and averaged 17.5 points per game in 26 games with Chicago while shooting 41 percent from three. He is 27 years old and in the prime of his career as a two-way combo guard. The Bulls should prioritize re-signing Sexton on a deal starting in the $18–20 million range before exploring outside targets.

Anfernee Simons is a more complicated case. The former Portland Trail Blazer and brief Boston Celtic — who came to Chicago in the Nikola Vučević trade — played just six games due to a wrist injury. His $27.7 million salary is almost certainly too rich for what the Bulls need to pay at this stage, but if he is healthy and willing to negotiate, a re-signed Simons at $15 million annually would be a useful perimeter scorer alongside Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis.

The external market is where things get interesting. Luguentz Dort, if the Oklahoma City Thunder opt him out, is exactly the two-way wing Chicago needs. Dort, 27, is a physically punishing defender with legitimate three-point shooting — a profile that is rare on the open market. Andrew Wiggins, currently with Miami, is another option. The 31-year-old two-way wing is a proven contributor who helped Golden State win a title in 2022 and would give Chicago a veteran presence on the perimeter that the young core lacks.

Nick Richards and Guerschon Yabusele are the frontcourt free agents from this roster. Richards, acquired from Phoenix, has averaged 9.4 points and 7.6 rebounds in 20 games and gives the Bulls a physical interior presence. Yabusele, a forward acquired via trade adjustments, averaged 10 points per game in 26 appearances and may return overseas, but Chicago could retain him cheaply if needed.

The Bulls’ spending power is most valuable if directed toward a player who elevates the ceiling of the Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis core rather than patching roster holes. Giddey, 22, is one of the best young playmakers in the league. Buzelis, 21, is a versatile forward with an expanding offensive game. What this team lacks is a proven scorer and a physical, assignment-capable wing defender. Both needs can be addressed this summer — if Chicago resists the temptation to overpay for familiarity.

Player	2025-26 Salary	Rights	Status
Collin Sexton	$19M	Full	Re-sign target
Anfernee Simons	$27.7M	Full	Health-dependent
Nick Richards	$5M	Full	UFA
Guerschon Yabusele	$5.5M	Non-Bird	Likely departs

Chicago should re-sign Sexton, let Simons walk if he wants full salary, and spend aggressively on one high-impact external target — ideally a wing defender like Dort or Wiggins who can protect the perimeter while Giddey and Buzelis run the offense. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build something real in Chicago. The cap room exists. Use it on players who make the ceiling higher, not the floor more comfortable.