Chicago Bulls fans were quietly hoping VP of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham might have a big splash in mind to cement what feels like an important offseason. Instead, the team’s top decision-maker opted for something more measured. In this case, it was signing veteran guard Norman Powell to a two-year deal worth $45 million. The 33-year-old is coming off the best season of his career, scoring just under 22 points per game. It landed him his first-ever All-Star nod, validating what had always been a strong career.
Unfortunately, his time with the Miami Heat proved short. Their blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo ensured they no longer had the cap space to make a competitive offer to Powell. Rather than seek out potential contenders across the NBA, he chose to accept the best offer. That isn’t a big surprise. Powell already got his ring with the 2019 Toronto Raptors. At this stage of his career, he’s trying to maximize his financial security before retirement comes knocking. The Bulls were more than willing to oblige.
The Norman Powell deal clearly illustrates the Bulls’ plan.
Graham is under no illusions about the state of this franchise. It needs a rebuild, and doing that in one off-season is impossible. That means his goal must be trying to field a competitive squad without breaking the bank or dealing away future assets. That means preserving his draft picks and maintaining salary cap flexibility. That contract with Powell is a perfect example. It gives him a sizable payday but allows the Bulls to pivot after this season if bigger opportunities arise.
It isn’t surprising they took this approach. As good as Powell was last year, he is 33. There is no telling how much gas in the tank he has left. What we do know is that he checks some critical boxes for this team. The Bulls don’t have any players on the roster capable of averaging 20 or more points per game in a season. Josh Giddey (17) and Matas Buzelis (16.3) are the closest. They needed somebody capable of generating offense. Normal Powell can do that, and he’s also a good shooter from three-point range. He’s averaged 41.1% from downtown over the past three seasons.
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This move makes the Bulls better.
That is what matters. Everybody clamored for the team to find more offense. That is what Powell does best. His ability to space the floor will make life much easier for Buzelis and Caleb Wilson. Having Giddey feed him the ball will also be a major bonus. This is probably the best facilitating point guard the veteran has gotten to play with since Kyle Lowry in Toronto. If he achieved what he did last season with Davion Mitchell, it stands to reason he can at least duplicate it with Giddey.
No, this move does not make the Bulls contenders. Nothing short of a magically forming a Big Three was going to do that. Still, it does make them better. Norman Powell covers two of the team’s most important needs: isolation scoring and shooting from range. If nothing else, it will make the team a little more watchable. If Wilson and Dailyn Swain can progress this coming season quickly, Chicago might be a bigger surprise than people think. Otherwise, it leaves the door wide open for future moves.
