As Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times explains, this season could have major implications for the Bulls’ future, with as many as eight players headed for free agency next summer.
Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, Coby White, Kevin Huerter, Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter and Dalen Terry are all on expiring contracts, and the team holds a $2.4MM option on Julian Phillips.
Cowley notes that head coach Billy Donovan has stressed since training camp that the roster is connected by shared stakes.
‘‘We’ve got eight guys on expiring contracts,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘They’re all tied together. Their futures and careers are in each other’s hands. You get a player that’s young, that’s in their first or second year, they’re looking down the road and thinking, ‘Fifteen years is forever.’ Vooch is sitting there saying, ‘Hey, this went by like that.’ So I do think that there’s an urgency by Vooch, a mindset, a mentality.’’
That urgency surfaced when Vucevic criticized the team as “very soft” after a narrow win over Washington. Cowley adds that Vucevic and his family enjoy living in Chicago, and the Bulls may consider re-signing the 35-year-old if the season goes well.
Executive VP Arturas Karnisovas has shown loyalty to Donovan and many current players, so strong team performance could lead to multiple multiyear deals.
Donovan wants his players focused on helping one another succeed.
‘‘They have to understand the urgency because they all have something to do with each other’s success and they all have something to do with each other’s future,’’ he said. ‘‘I think the moment you get out of yourself and start thinking, ‘What can I do to help the man next to me?’ … that’s when you find out the guys that are really committed.’’
Bulls Notes: Expiring Contracts, Defensive Issues, Queen, Essengue, Collins https://t.co/nVTBfvMiq2 pic.twitter.com/0pjLQoBhb6
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 27, 2025
