DHJ Quick Take: Chicago Bulls a Team to Watch for Norman Powell
Dallas Hoops Journal is told the Chicago Bulls are a team to watch for Norman Powell if he leaves the Miami Heat, while the Heat could shed salary to stay competitive in re-signing him.
- Why are the Bulls a fit for Powell? A projected $26 million in cap space and a clear need for shooting after the draft.
- What is Miami’s counter? The Heat could move Nikola Jovic to clear money and improve their chances of re-signing Powell.
- Why does it matter? Powell is coming off an All-Star season and projects as one of the most efficient shooters set to hit the market.
- What’s next? NBA free agency negotiations can begin on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. CT.
The Norman Powell free-agency market is taking shape, and the Chicago Bulls are a team to keep an eye on if he leaves the Miami Heat, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal.
Powell is set to become an unrestricted free agent, and Miami’s path to keeping him has narrowed since the Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo. That deal pushed Miami’s commitment to Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo past $107 million, leaving the front office little room to match a competitive number for Powell. Chicago carries roughly $26 million in projected cap space, enough to put a real offer in front of him.
Miami could look to clear salary by moving forward Nikola Jović, a step that would make the Heat more competitive in their effort to re-sign Powell, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal. Miami holds Powell’s full Bird rights, so the question is less about ability to pay than about how much tax and apron pain the front office is willing to absorb to keep him.
Why Norman Powell Could Fit the Chicago Bulls
Powell, 33, is coming off the best season of his career and his first All-Star selection. He averaged 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 47.0% from the field and 38.0% from 3-point range on 7.1 attempts a night. He is a career 39.6% shooter from deep, the kind of spacing Chicago has spent the offseason chasing.
The Bulls have been among the busier teams early in the cycle under new head coach Tiago Splitter and executive vice president Bryson Graham. Chicago acquired Nic Claxton in a three-team trade with the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves, then drafted Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain in the first round. Shooting and frontcourt depth ranked high on the team’s list entering free agency.
How Powell Fits Chicago’s Backcourt
A Powell signing would give Chicago a proven scorer next to Josh Giddey, though the Bulls already added backcourt depth at the deadline in Anfernee Simons and Collin Sexton. His age and price relative to Chicago’s younger timeline figure to factor into any decision.
On the Miami side, the Heat are widely expected to move in a different direction as they manage their payroll, and Chicago is not the only suitor circling. Whether the Bulls land him likely comes down to how Powell weighs a bigger role and a larger check against one more title push in Miami, where the cap math no longer works in his favor.
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