The latest Chicago Bulls updates begin with five major changes to the organization heading into the 2026-27 season. Bryson Graham and Tiago Splitter lead Chicago’s new front office and coaching staff, while Nic Claxton, Norman Powell, and rookie Caleb Wilson reshape the roster. The changes follow a 31-51 season that extended the Bulls’ playoff drought to four consecutive years, a record reflected in the 2025-26 team results.
Chicago averaged 116.3 points per game but allowed 121.5, while its 118.1 defensive rating ranked 22nd in the NBA. The Bulls also posted a 113.0 offensive rating and minus-5.1 net rating, leaving clear areas for Graham and Splitter to address entering training camp through the 2025-26 team stats.
Graham takes over Chicago’s basketball operations after spending the 2025-26 season as the Atlanta Hawks’ senior vice president of basketball operations. Graham spent 15 years in the New Orleans Pelicans’ front office, rising from intern to general manager. That front-office history gives the Bulls an executive with experience in roster construction and organizational development.
Splitter became Graham’s first major coaching decision after replacing Billy Donovan. Splitter went 42-39 as the Portland Trail Blazers’ interim coach, helping the team finish 42-40. Portland posted a 114.7 defensive rating, which ranked 14th in the NBA, in the 2025-26 team stats. The Trail Blazers also produced a 114.4 offensive rating and a -0.3 net rating during Splitter’s interim tenure, providing more context than the record alone. Graham highlighted Splitter’s basketball intellect and ability to connect with and develop players during the Bulls coaching announcement, making player development a central part of the new basketball structure.
Claxton gives Chicago a 6-foot-11 center who can defend in space, protect the rim, and finish around the basket. The addition directly addresses a frontcourt that was part of a Bulls defense that allowed 121.5 points per game last season. Claxton averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 69 games while shooting 57.1% from the field.
Claxton made only three of 19 three-point attempts, producing a 15.8% three-point percentage that creates a clear offensive limitation in the 2025-26 statistics. The projected starting group of Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Powell, Wilson, and Claxton gives the Bulls more perimeter skill around their center. Claxton can focus on screening, rolling, rebounding, and defense while the surrounding forwards and guards provide most of the shooting.
Powell addresses Chicago’s need for established perimeter production after averaging 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists for the Miami Heat last season. Powell also earned his first All-Star selection, giving the Bulls a veteran scorer with recent high-level offensive production through the free-agency agreement. Chicago agreed to a two-year, $45 million deal with Powell that includes a team option for 2027-28.
The Powell contract gives the Bulls immediate scoring while preserving another year of flexibility around a roster that still includes several developing players. Powell’s presence can also reduce the offensive burden on younger players during late-clock possessions. The guard’s ability to create shots gives Splitter another established perimeter option while allowing Giddey to remain focused on playmaking.
Wilson became the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and represents Chicago’s most significant long-term addition. Wilson immediately displayed shooting range in his Las Vegas Summer League debut, scoring 35 points on 12-of-21 shooting while making seven of 11 three-point attempts in the Summer League debut.
Wilson’s seven made threes provide encouraging early evidence but should not be treated as proof of NBA-level shooting development. Wilson averaged 23.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 2.5 blocks across four Summer League games. Those Summer League results earned the rookie All-Summer League First Team honors.
Buzelis enters his third season after averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while starting all 77 games in 2025-26. Buzelis also shot 34.9% from three, giving the Bulls another developing forward whose growth will affect how effectively Wilson fits into the frontcourt through his 2025-26 production. Dailyn Swain, selected No. 15 overall, gives Chicago another first-round developmental piece. Wilson and Swain also represent the first draft class assembled under Graham, giving the new front office two young players to evaluate alongside Giddey and Buzelis.
Giddey’s health remains the most important of the latest Chicago Bulls updates because his playmaking connects many of the Bulls’ new pieces. Giddey averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 9.1 assists in 54 games last season, making his availability especially important for the projected lineup through the 2025-26 statistics. Giddey underwent right ankle arthroscopy in May, with Chicago initially expecting him to begin basketball activities approximately three months later and return for the start of training camp.
The team’s medical update established the recovery timeline, so his progression into camp remains a key roster development. Giddey’s availability affects the balance of the projected starting group because his absence can create opportunities for Claxton, Powell, Wilson, and Buzelis. A healthy Giddey would also reduce the primary ball-handling responsibility placed on Tre Jones and Rob Dillingham.
| Position | Starter | Reserve | Third Option |
| PG | Josh Giddey | Tre Jones | Rob Dillingham |
| SG | Norman Powell | Isaac Okoro | Peter Suder |
| SF | Matas Buzelis | Dailyn Swain | Isaac Okoro |
| PF | Caleb Wilson | Patrick Williams | Noa Essengue |
| C | Nic Claxton | Zach Collins | Jalen Smith |
The projected starting five is Giddey, Powell, Buzelis, Wilson, and Claxton, while the reserve hierarchy remains unsettled. The Bulls’ current roster provides the personnel base for the projection, but Splitter’s rotation decisions will ultimately determine which players earn consistent minutes.
Chicago’s Media Day is scheduled for Sept. 28 at noon ET, with NBA training camps opening Sept. 29. The Bulls then have five preseason games against Phoenix, Memphis, Denver, Milwaukee and Minnesota before opening the regular season Oct. 21 at Toronto through the 2026-27 schedule.
Chicago’s defensive structure also deserves attention after the Bulls finished 22nd in defensive rating last season. Claxton gives Splitter a more mobile defensive anchor, but the coaching staff still must turn those personnel changes into a better team defense. These Chicago Bulls updates give training camp a clear set of roster and coaching storylines to monitor. The biggest questions now involve how the new pieces fit together and whether the changes can address the weaknesses exposed during the 2025-26 season.
What’s your take? Post it in our free sports community at stadiumrant.app, or download Stadium Rant on the App Store.
The Bulls’ reset now has a clear structure. Graham leads basketball operations, Splitter takes over the bench, Claxton changes the center position, Powell adds veteran scoring, and Wilson becomes the newest long-term development priority. Each change addresses a different part of a roster that finished 31-51 while ranking 22nd in defensive rating.
Giddey’s ankle recovery remains the immediate variable connecting those changes because his availability affects the lineup, playmaking structure, and backcourt rotation. Training camp will provide the first meaningful test of whether Chicago’s new leadership, frontcourt personnel and young core can translate the offseason changes into a more functional team.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
