The Chicago Bulls are open for business. New lead executive Bryson Graham made it very clear during his introductory press conference that plenty of options will be on the table moving forward. And why wouldn't they be? This is an organization starting from the ground up after years of irrelevance. Even President Michael Reinsdorf stressed the importance of welcoming new leadership into the building this summer, pointing toward the blank canvas the Bulls have to paint a much brighter tomorrow. Of course, the team's two upcoming Top 15 picks are among their most important assets this summer. But their clean cap sheet is a close second. Only nine current players are under contract for 2026-27, with Josh Giddey making the most at $25.0 million. This puts the Bulls in line to have more spending power than any NBA team. Does that mean they will go for a big fish and swim upstream quickly? It's not likely. Instead, Graham did something the last regime never did – open the door to eating bad contracts in return for future assets. It's a strategy many rebuilding teams have used, and one that could be particularly easy to pull off this summer. Let's go over five obvious salary-dump candidates and discuss the likelihood that the Bulls would be willing to pull off a deal this offseason. Spoiler Alert: Two former Bulls are included! Salary Dump Candidates for the Chicago BullsApr 14, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) against the Phoenix Suns during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesDorian Finney-Smith – 3 years, $40.0 millionAssuming the Houston Rockets' plan is to remain in the Western Conference race next season, it feels safe to assume some aggressive roster moves could be on the way. The team fizzled out quickly this season due to a lack of guard play and a late-season injury to Kevin Durant. To add impact talent – or even comfortably re-sign a restricted free agent like Tari Eason – they are going to have to make some room. Could that mean looking for someone to take on Dorian Finney-Smith's ugly deal?The swingman was signed to a four-year deal last offseason, only to become the odd man out of the Rockets' rotation. He only played in 37 games and averaged a mere 3.3 points a night. To be sure, injury issues were part of the equation, but the Rockets don't necessarily have the time to wait around and see if Finney-Smith can return to form. Cue the Bulls! Typically, taking on three years would be a lot to ask, even at this relatively modest price. But the nice thing about Finney-Smith's deal is that it's only guaranteed through next season. If the plan is for the Bulls to take things slow, why not use this time to bring in a veteran like Finney-Smith and see if you can bolster his stock by the deadline? Previously a quintessential 3-and-D guy, his modset salary could draw some interest from a contender down the road. The Bulls could probably get their hands on a couple more second-rounders for taking him on. This may feel silly considering their already loaded arsenal, but when has more picks ever hurt? Plus, if they wanted to try to get more value, they could also offer to take Clint Capela off their hands. He is owed a little over $7.0 million each of the next two years. Cameron Johnson – 1 year, $23.0 millionCameron Johnson initially felt like a big get for the Denver Nuggets. The former Phoenix Suns forward was lighting it up as one of the main sources of offense for a rebuilding Brooklyn Nets squad. Nevertheless, things went sideways fast in the Mile High City. Injuries have long been an issue for Johnson, who only managed to play 54 games for the Western Conference contender. He averaged just 12.2 points a night with 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Especially when we consider that Johnson was playing next to a playmaking master like Jokic, his lack of impact was a tad jarring. The Nuggets will now head into an offseason with some big financial implications. Jamal Murray will officially enter the $50+ million day range, while Aaron Gordon's extension will kick in and put him over $30+ million. If a cost-cutting move is needed, moving off Johnson after his struggles could be the way to go. Is it possible that a team with competitive aspirations wants to give Johnson a chance? Sure. But the easiest move for Denver could be dumping him alongside an asset to a cap space team. The Bulls might as well see what they can get for taking him on. An incredibly efficient long-range shooter, he could be another perfect player to flip at the deadline to a contending team after a strong first few months. With that said, the Nuggets don't have many assets to send alongside him. Would they do some kind of protected first-rounder? Is that too much? Another option could be trying to grab one of their young players, like DaRon Holmes or Jalen Pickett.Nevertheless, if we see any Bulls-Nuggets news this offseason, I expect it to revolve more around restricted free agent Peyton Watson. He fits Bryson Graham's SLAP model to a T and could be a perfect addition to this rebuild. DeMar DeRozan – 1 year, $25.8 millionCome on, don't pretend like you wouldn't be kind of excited. Let's just say the DeMar DeRozan experiment in Sacramento hasn't gone according to plan. The forward left the Chicago Bulls in free agency two seasons ago, joining a Kings team that was surprisingly on the rise. He was going to be another primary scoring option next to De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, but then the Kings did Kings things. In 2024-25, Fox was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in the same deal that brought Zach LaVine to the West Coast. The two former Bulls were now teammates again, and they were back on a fast track to the Play-In Tournament! This past season, however, was downright embarrassing. The Kings won a mere 22 games behind a veteran nucleus that fit extremely poorly together. They are now headed right back to the rebuilding phase ... but they first have to offload salary. Apr 3, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (10) dribbles against New Orleans Pelicans guard Micah Peavy (right) during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn ImagesDeRozan is the epitome of a locker room leader. He had a remarkably positive effect on the Bulls' young talent during his time with the franchise, so would he be willing to play the role of savvy vet again in the Windy City? More importantly, would the Kings give up a first-rounder to make it worthwhile for the Bulls?The main concern here would be DeRozan's play style. He's still a rather ball-dominant scorer who slows down the pace of play. The Bulls will likely want to run a much faster and more equal-opportunity system with their developing young talent. So, as great a locker room leader as DeRozan may be, the on-court fit could be reason enough not to go this route. Jerami Grant – 2 years, $70.6 millionCould the Chicago Bulls get their hands on one of the best tank commanders we've seen in years!? Jerami Grant is heading into Year 4 in Portland. He was initially a pretty big get for the Trail Blazers franchise, hoping to stay in the Western Conference mix. However, quickly after he arrived, everything fell through the cracks. Damian Lillard was traded to the Bucks as the organization embarked on a more traditional rebuild. It left Grant's hefty salary looking like an eyesore. The Trail Blazers finally returned to the playoffs this past season around their young core. Grant was a relatively important part of their success, averaging nearly 19.0 points with some very solid shooting from downtown. Still, whether the Trail Blazers want to keep him around is a fair question. His fit with emerging star Deni Avdija has been a bit strange, and there is no question they could use Grant's cap hit to pursue some other upgrades. It's also worth noting that Grant's 2027-28 salary is a player option, which means he will be able to control his own destiny. To avoid any further roster-building complications, moving him now could make a lot of sense. So ... time to call the Bulls? The Trail Blazers still have their hands on plenty of their future first-round picks. Grant is also very familiar with suiting up for a rebuilding squad in the past, as he spent several dark years in Detroit. To be clear, this would be a lot of money to take on over multiple years, so the Bulls would need to be handsomely compensated. But, hey, who's to say Bryson Graham wouldn't be willing with the right incentive? Zach LaVine – 1 year, $49.0 millionDid someone say handsomely compensated!? We already mentioned DeMar DeRozan, so we might as well throw Zach LaVine into the mix. With a whopping $49.0 million on the table for this next season, the Kings will likely push even harder to move on from the two-time All-Star as he enters the final year of his deal. Look, a reunion with the Bulls would be undeniably hilarious. It would also be quite the crazy story, as the franchise would be adding even more assets for LaVine – this time for agreeing to pay the high salary the previous front office gave him (#ChessNotCheckers). They already got the rights to draft Noa Essengue, as well as found a diamond in the rough in Tre Jones, from the first transaction. The Kings fully control all but one of their future first-round picks. If Bryson Graham could get his hands on one of those, it would feel like a major win. Aside from their one trip to the postseason with De'Aaron Fox, this is a franchise that hasn't been to the playoffs since 2005-06. Nevertheless, this honestly sounds too ridiculous to happen. Unless the Kings were offering up a true haul alongside him to wipe their hands clear, I have to imagine the Bulls are done with being in the LaVine business (even if it is a new front office). Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on X and Facebook for the latest newsAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow