en-us SportSpyder - The Latest Chicago Bulls News https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/news Although most of the NBA’s biggest names have found their new homes over the summer, several key cogs (mostly veterans) remain available. But future Hall of Famer Klay Thompson just made his own free agent decision. Sadly, he’s not joing our Chicago Bulls. Here are our latest Bulls Bullets. The fourth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images August 22, 2026 — Bulls Bullets Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson will face his hometown Atlanta Hawks in front of his family and friends for the first time as a pro on Nov. 13, notes of the Chicago Tribune. The Hawks, meanwhile, sport three fascinating rookies to Chicago’s two. Atlanta selected highly-touted former Houston guard Kingston Flemings with the No. 8 pick. St. Johns forward Zuby Ejiofor (the No. 23 pick) and North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (No. 53) round out the Hawks’ new first-year faces. Former five-time All-Star sharpshooting swingman Klay Thompson has settled on his next team. He agreed to a buyout of his $17.5 million contract for 2026-27 with the Dallas Mavericks, and joined Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Miami Heat, sources inform of NBA TV. ESPN’s reports that Thompson has agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with Miami. Whether or not he even starts over Tim Hardaway Jr. remains to be seen. Last year, Thompson assumed a bench role for the first time since his rookie season. In a career-low 21.7 minutes last year with Dallas, the 36-year-old averaged a career-low 11.7 points while connecting on a dismal 39.3 percent of his field goal takes (although he did go 38.3 percent from distance). A familiar face is now joining Antetokounmpo (and Thompson) in South Beach. reports that former All-Star Vin Baker, who served on the Milwaukee Bucks for the last eight years, is following Antetokounmpo to Eric Spoelstra’s Heat. A surprise contender has emerged in the Jonathan Kuminga sweepstakes. The free agent power forward just might be the most intriguing, high-upside non-Jalen Duren piece left on the board. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently suggested on his podcast that the Minnesota Timberwolves could nab Kuminga on a cheap “prove-it” deal. “Watch the Wolves in the next couple days,” Windhorst said. “It’s still open, there’s still a window for the Lakers to do a Kuminga sign and trade. A sign and trade has to be 3 years. Now that these other doors are closing, the Tiimberwolves can close that deal and sign Kuminga.” Windhorst added that the Los Angeles Lakers’ complicated ownership situation this summer has already held up some summer business. The transition from Mark Walter to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner has yielded a hiring freeze, which has precluded an impending front office hire from a rival team. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images This writer may have clowned the Denver Nuggets for letting forward Peyton Watson depart in , but to their credit, it appears there was a number the team considered. Windhorst reported on the pod that Watson was offered a $70 million, four-year contract by the Nuggets before eventually signing a four-season, $88 million deal. Former Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Phil Handy is ditching the Lone Star State to reteam with LeBron James on the Philadelphia 76ers under Nick Nurse, a source tells of Andscape. Handy won a championship with Nurse’s Toronto Raptors in 2019, and also won titles as an assistant coach to James on the Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Stein Line’s observes that the departure of Handy will leave new Dallas head coach Dusty May with an entirely fresh bench. Embattled Los Angeles Lakers minority owner Jeanie Buss is apparently at war with her own family, as she’s taking drastic legal steps to prevent to a new ownership group publicly fronted by Bob Iger and Josh Kushner (and privately financed by a sovereign wealth fund). of The Athletic indicates the dispute over the Buss family’s 17.8 percent ownership stake isn’t expected to affect Mark Walter’s sale of his majority franchise shares to the new owners. Phoenix Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia forked over $4.6 billion in his own company as collateral after borrowoing cash from JPMorgan to wrap up Ishbia’s $4 billion purchase of the team. Hoops insider writes that the stock has dropped 70 percent. Pompliano wonders if a margin call could compel Ishbia to sell the team. BULLS ON BLEACHER NATION: | Subscribe to the ] Sat, 22 Aug 2026 13:27:21 GMT Alex Kirschenbaum https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57667527 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57667527 false false Could the Chicago Bulls still make one more free-agent swing before training camp?On today’s Chicago Bulls Central, Haize breaks down the top free-agent and ... Sat, 22 Aug 2026 12:33:10 GMT Chicago Bulls Central https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57667159 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57667159 false false During the Chicago Bears' joint practice with the Cincinnati Bengals, Caleb Williams and center Garrett Bradbury had another miscue. That has happened a few ... Sat, 22 Aug 2026 04:45:38 GMT The REKAP® https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57665109 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57665109 false false After signing the veteran guard to a one-year deal, Denver will learn all about DeMar DeRozan — what he can do and what he cannot. Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:22:15 GMT Andrew Hanlon https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57663459 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57663459 false false The Bulls rookie wants to be an all-time great NBA player. Fri, 21 Aug 2026 23:55:00 GMT Gavin Dorsey https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57663207 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57663207 false false The Denver Nuggets will be DeMar DeRozan’s fifth team in his 18th season as the six-time All-Star seeks his first championship. Fri, 21 Aug 2026 23:10:38 GMT Patrick Graham https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57662835 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57662835 false false DENVER — DeMar DeRozan has agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Denver Nuggets worth the veteran minimum of $3.9 million, a person with knowledge of the deal said Friday. It will be DeRozan's... Fri, 21 Aug 2026 22:52:31 GMT PATRICK GRAHAM https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57662658 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57662658 false false As much flack as Josh Giddey may get due to his pitfalls and inefficiencies, he's taken major strides with the Chicago Bulls over the past two seasons. While hi Fri, 21 Aug 2026 22:27:43 GMT G.C. Bellchamber https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57662431 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57662431 false false Former Chicago Bulls All-NBA swingman DeMar DeRozan, fresh off being waived by the Sacramento Kings, is ring-chasing at last for his age-37 season! Unfortunately, he may have picked a sinking ship. Sources inform of NBA TV that the six-time All-Star is inking a new deal with the Denver Nuggets. Haynes reports that DeRozan has spoken with core Denver veterans Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon. Haynes describes DeRozan as being “anxious” to suit up for a contender again. His last realistic shot at a championship was on the also-ran Toronto Raptors. of ESPN reports that the agreement is for a one-year, $3.9 million veteran’s minimum deal. DeRozan is their 14th player on a guaranteed deal. According to ESPN’s , DeRozan’s minimum contract will translate to just a $2.4 million salary cap hit, pushing the Nuggets $3.15 million above the league’s second luxury tax apron. With the Kroenkes clearly hoping to duck a punitive repeater tax, one wonders if another trade is on the way. At present, Denver will owe a $75 million tax penalty on its current contracts. Fresh off a $24.6 million season in 2025-26 with Sacramento, DeRozan had allegedly been hoping to earn something more in the range of a mid-level exception. But with $305.6 million in on-court career earnings through last year, he could afford the haircut. DeMar DeRozan Joining Past-Their-Prime Nuggets After Peyton Watson Debacle Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Signing DeMar DeRozan, of course, represented something of a desperate pivot for Denver. The Nuggets let 23-year-old combo forward Peyton Watson walk in restricted free agency, offloading him to the contending Cleveland Cavaliers in a . Denver ownership clearly was uncomfortable paying the rising young two-way talent the four-year, $88 million deal he ultimately commanded. DeRozan is a good passer and scorer, and has remained remarkably durable throughout his 17-year NBA career. The three-time All-NBA honoree has appeared in an average of 76.6 regular season contests across the last five seasons, all while deep into his 30s. Last year on the 22-win Kings, DeRozan enjoyed a significantly larger role than he’ll presumably have with Denver. He averaged 18.4 points while slashing .497/.320/.868, plus 4.1 dimes (against 1.2 turnovers), 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 steals. This story will be updated… Fri, 21 Aug 2026 21:46:11 GMT Alex Kirschenbaum https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57662017 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57662017 false false #joecowley is BACK with the Bulls REKAP Podcast! Today, Joe dives deeper into the #calebwilson hype train. After he saw him at Summer League, he thinks it's ... Fri, 21 Aug 2026 20:57:12 GMT The REKAP® https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57661439 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57661439 false false The Eastern Conference is loaded, and the rebuilding Bulls are no longer walking into an easy Play-In race. Haize breaks down why Chicago’s real climb starts... Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:50:13 GMT Chicago Bulls Central https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57660665 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57660665 false false Caleb Wilson can help the Chicago Bulls, but they need more. Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:30:29 GMT Anne Erickson https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57660432 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57660432 false false The Chicago Bulls may have a chance to take advantage of another team’s financial pressure — but should they actually help the Denver Nuggets get out of a se... Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:14:11 GMT Locked On Bulls https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57660219 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57660219 false false The NBA never sleeps. On the heels of a very strange , the . It has become readily apparent that sports ownership now is considered more of a portfolio asset by the billionaire class, rather than an opportunity to compete for championships. Will ? For the first time in eons, I’m not sure I want to see the kind of private equity vulture who would invariably disrupt the franchise. But the Reinsdorfs and co. could probably see the team earn a valuation in the $8-10 billion range now. Michael Jordan Bulls Bullets — August 21, 2026 Bulls Rookie of the Year candidate Caleb Wilson remains committed to the bit. The No. 4 pick in the draft out of North Carolina recently took a picture on of all the Chicago Tribune front page stories covering the Bulls’ six ’90s titles, writing “need it man.” The hyper-athletic power forward and third-year forward Matas Buzelis figure to form a tantalizing young core. They may be a few years away from championship contention just yet, however. While few in Chicago would argue that 22-time All-Star Philadelphia 76ers power forward LeBron James is actually historically better than former 15-time All-Star Bulls shooting guard Michael Jordan, the team-hopping four-time MVP has trounced the five-time MVP in one big-money way. Per of The Athletic, James leads Jordan and all other athletes when it comes to the amount of his sports cards that have sold for $1 million or more. James has notched a record 28 publicly known such sales. New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle and New England Patriots/Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady each boast 22. Jordan and former Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant each have 15 apiece, while sharing the current record card sale price of $12,932,000. Hall of Fame former Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Honus Wagner boasts 18 such cards. He retired in 1917, so that’s pretty good staying power. Speaking of uninterested rich owners, the Kroenke family appears to be punting on the NBA’s brutal repeater tax. The first step: an that has netted their Denver Nuggets a couple new draft assets but zero present-day players and an unusable exception. Now, three-time MVP Denver center Nikola Jokic has weighed in on the move, per DNVR Sports’ Miroslav Ćuk. “I’m happy for Peyton, he deserved it, we will miss his energy and skill. I don’t think about season yet, we have to play this, but it’s gonna be okay,” Jokic said. "Nikola, Peyton Watson got traded, what is your reaction and expectations for the next season?" "I'm happy for Peyton, he deserved it, we will miss his energy and skill. I don't think about season yet, we have to play this, but it's gonna be OK". — Miroslav Ćuk (@MiroslavCuk) Denver has now been linked to a washed-up DeMar DeRozan, who would represent a brutal downgrade from Watson’s two-way upside. Jokic’s championship window with the Nuggets may close after just one title. Speaking of cheap rich owners, Dallas Mavericks owners Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont appear to be quietly grifting ticketholders for the 2026-27 season. Per , fans’ pricey 10-game season ticket mini-plans now can include one preseason game! Thus, in practice, fans are paying for only nine actually meaningful games. Tickets for this plan can range from $600 for the most cost-effective seats and $2,500 for lower-level seats. Los Angeles Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who also possesses a 4 percent stake in the Lakers, intends to remain with the team’s new ownership group, publicly led by Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, according to ESPN’s . “Bob Iger and Josh Kushner are good friends, and we will be joining them as supportive, active and engaged partners once they close the transaction with Mr. Walter,” Soon-Shiong’s agent Chuck “Tiger” Kenworthy told McMenamin. “We are extremely excited about the Lakers’ future and look forward to many more championship years.” It appears that soon-to-be-former Lakers majority owner Mark Walter used people’s life insurance payments to illegally loan himself $15-20 billion. Now that the check has come due, he’s selling many of his sports assets. Derek Thompson and Bill Simmons recently unpacked the situation on an infuriating, must-listen episode of for The Ringer. Even Thompson and Simmons suggest that it’s time for local municipalities to be permitted to invest in sports teams. As of True Hoop writes, an Abu Dhabi-based sovereign wealth fund helped finance Walter’s Lakers purchase, and is set to be a covertly massive part of the new ownership group being publicly fronted by Iger and Kushner. BULLS ON BLEACHER NATION: | Subscribe to the Fri, 21 Aug 2026 18:59:36 GMT Alex Kirschenbaum https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57660056 https://sportspyder.com/nba/chicago-bulls/articles/57660056 false false