The Chicago Bulls have increasingly built a reputation around giving young players fresh opportunities, earning recognition as one of the NBA’s leading “second draft” teams, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic.
The approach focuses on acquiring talented players who may have struggled to find consistent roles with their original franchises but still possess significant upside.
One example is newly acquired guard Jaden Ivey, who arrived in Chicago as part of a three-team trade that included Kevin Huerter.
Similar to Josh Giddey when he joined the Bulls, Ivey is approaching restricted free agency after experiencing uncertainty about his long-term role with the team that originally drafted him.
In Ivey’s situation, much of that uncertainty stemmed from the broken leg that caused him to miss a large portion of last season.
Katz notes that Ivey is unlikely to immediately take over as the primary offensive leader, particularly given the Bulls’ crowded guard rotation.
However, that doesn’t prevent him from carving out an impactful role within the system. His recent improvement as a three-point shooter since the beginning of last season has been especially encouraging.
With Chicago having moved two point guards on expiring contracts at the trade deadline, the team is projected to enter the offseason with significant salary cap flexibility.
If Ivey can regain his athletic form while maintaining his shooting efficiency, he could ultimately develop into a strong backcourt partner alongside Giddey moving forward.
The Bulls are taking chances on players who needed a change of scenery: https://t.co/ScCv16Nol5
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) February 14, 2026
