The Chicago Bulls won’t be big-game hunting in free agency this year. That is probably a few years away. Right now, VP of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham is trying to piece together a roster that makes sense fit-wise. The idea is to help feature their young players, such as Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson, and Dailyn Swain. They already have Josh Giddey at point guard, which should help. They traded for veteran center Nic Claxton to help in the middle. Only one position has been unaccounted for so far. This is where Norman Powell comes in.
Miami rocked the NBA this offseason with its blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Unfortunately, such moves often come at a cost. Widespread belief is that one of them will be losing the All-Star shooting guard to free agency. According to the Dallas Hoops Journal, the Bulls sit atop the list of teams expected to pursue the 33-year-old.
“The Norman Powell free-agency market is taking shape, and the Chicago Bulls are a team to keep an eye on if he leaves the Miami Heat, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal.
Powell is set to become an unrestricted free agent, and Miami’s path to keeping him has narrowed since the Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo. That deal pushed Miami’s commitment to Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo past $107 million, leaving the front office little room to match a competitive number for Powell. Chicago carries roughly $26 million in projected cap space, enough to put a real offer in front of him.”
It isn’t difficult to decipher why Chicago is interested. Powell presents multiple qualities that appeal directly to their needs as a team.
Norman Powell brings exactly what the Bulls are missing.
By far the biggest criticism coming out of the 2026 draft was that Graham didn’t add more shooting to the roster. Wilson and Swain are tremendous athletes with huge upside, but both need considerable work on their jump shots. Nobody else on the roster provided that ability to space the floor from range. Powell would change that. He has consistently been one of the better three-point shooters in the NBA, averaging 39.6% from the arc over his career. No player the Bulls employed last year who averaged seven or more attempts cracked 35%.
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The best thing about Norman Powell is his adaptability. There is a reason he was one of the best sixth men in the NBA for several years. He understands how to step into any situation and adjust his responsibilities to help the team. If you need him to be the primary scorer? He can do that. If you need him to be a spot-up shooter while others attack the basket? He’ll do that too. This is unquestionably why the Bulls are interested in him. They need somebody like that in the lineup, which eases pressure on the younger guys.
Money shouldn’t be a big issue.
Current projections suggest Powell will command something in the neighborhood of $20-25 million per year. A three-year deal worth $65 million is the most popular framework. Chicago has the cap space to make that work without much trouble. One would imagine an option of some kind would be included for that final year. The big question is whether Powell would be interested. After all, anybody with common sense knows the Bulls are in a rebuilding phase. They won’t compete for a championship this season.
If the 33-year-old is hoping for one last crack at an NBA title, then Chicago won’t be a destination he considers. The good news is that, in this regard, Powell already has a ring. He played on the 2019 Toronto Raptors squad. So there isn’t as much pressure to hoist the trophy. Given his age, Powell might be more interested in chasing one last big payday before retirement comes knocking. If so, then the Bulls might be the best option he’s likely to see this month.
