CapmathThe NBA Cap Ledger
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
Chicago Bulls · Salary cap report
Bulls are $15.4M over the cap on payroll.
Chicago Bulls payroll for the 2026-27 season is $180.3M against a $165.0M salary cap.
Payroll, the money committed to the roster, is signed salaries, dead money, and drafted-rookie holds: $180.3M. Counting cap holds for their own free agents, the Bulls' cap number rises to $193.5M, which is why there is no usable cap space until those holds come off the books. Renouncing every free-agent hold would open -$15.4M of room and give up Bird rights. Drafted-rookie holds count against the cap, not the luxury tax.
Run Bulls' offseason yourself→Under the tax on payroll
What the numbers mean
Payroll$180.3M
The salaries actually committed to players right now.
Counts against the cap$193.5M
What the league counts: payroll plus free-agent hold placeholders.
Luxury tax lineUNDERby $20.1M
Cross it and the team pays a penalty on every dollar over.
First apron lineUNDERby $26.4M
A stricter line. Over it, the bigger roster tools freeze. The apron figure counts $2.3M in unlikely bonuses on top of payroll: incentive money a player probably won't earn, which counts against the aprons but not the cap or tax.
Where the Bulls land · payroll against the cap lines
Cap$165.0MTax$200.4MApron 1$209.0MApron 2$221.7M
The solid bar is real payroll. The hatched extension is a free-agent hold crossing the cap line. Renounce it and the room clears.
The apron math · what counts toward the aprons
Payroll (contracts, dead money, drafted rookies)$180.3M
Unlikely bonuses+$2.3M
Apron figure$182.7M
First apron $209.0MUNDERby $26.4M
Second apron $221.7MUNDERby $39.0M
Free-agent cap holds never count toward the aprons. Only payroll (with drafted rookies booked as signed) and unlikely bonuses, incentive money a player probably won't earn, do.
The books
2026-27 focused
| Player | Pos | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signed contracts | ||||
| Josh Giddey | G | $25.0M | $25.0M | $25.0M |
| Nicolas Claxton | F | $23.3M | $21.1M | – |
| Norman Powell | F | $21.5M | $22.6M | – |
| Patrick Williams | F | $18.0M | $18.0M | PO$18.0M |
| Isaac Okoro | F | $11.8M | – | – |
| Caleb Wilson | F | $10.7M | $11.2M | $11.8M |
| Buddy Hield | G | $9.7M | PO$10.1M | – |
| Jalen Smith | F | $9.4M | – | – |
| Zach Collins | F | $8.5M | $8.5M | – |
| Tre Jones | G | $8.0M | TO$8.0M | – |
| Matas Buzelis | F | TO$5.7M | TO$7.6M | – |
| Noa Essengue | F | $5.7M | TO$6.0M | TO$8.2M |
| Dailyn Swain | F | $5.0M | $5.2M | $5.5M |
| Leonard Miller | F | TO$2.4M | – | – |
| Signed subtotal | $164.7M | $143.3M | $68.4M | |
| Draft picks · on roster, rookie-scale hold | ||||
| Caleb Wilson · No. 4ROOKIE | – | $10.7M | – | – |
| Dailyn Swain · No. 15ROOKIE | – | $5.0M | – | – |
| Payroll | $180.3M | $143.3M | $68.4M | |
| Cap holds · placeholders, not paid | ||||
| Brandon Boston Jr.MIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Orlando RobinsonMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Drew PetersonMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Jalen BridgesMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Tobe AwakaMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Jaylin SellersMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Nicolas ClaxtonBIRD 150% | F | – | – | $31.6M |
| Noa EssengueBIRD 300% | F | – | – | – |
| Matas BuzelisBIRD 300% | F | – | – | $22.8M |
| Isaac OkoroBIRD 190% | F | – | $22.4M | – |
| Zach CollinsEARLY BIRD | F | – | – | $11.1M |
| Tre JonesBIRD 190% | G | – | – | $15.2M |
| Leonard MillerBIRD 300% | F | – | $7.2M | – |
| Norman PowellEARLY BIRD | F | – | – | $29.3M |
| Josh GiddeyBIRD 150% | G | – | – | – |
| Jalen SmithBIRD 190% | F | – | $17.9M | – |
| Patrick WilliamsBIRD 150% | F | – | – | – |
| Buddy HieldBIRD 190% | G | – | – | $19.2M |
| Counts against the cap | $193.5M | $190.8M | $199.1M | |
What they can add
Non-Taxpayer MLEup to $15.0M
The full mid-level signing slot for adding an outside free agent. Using it locks their spending at the first apron for the rest of the season.
Bi-Annual Exceptionup to $5.4M
A smaller signing slot, usable every other year. Using it also locks their spending at the first apron.
Bird rightsLets them re-sign their own free agents for more than other teams can offer, up to the max.
Trade exceptions
Trade exception · from the Kevin Huerter tradeup to $18.0M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 3, 2027.
Trade exception · from the Mike Conley tradeup to $10.8M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 4, 2027.
Trade exception · from the Coby White tradeup to $1.2M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 4, 2027.
Trade exception · from the Ousmane Dieng tradeup to $6.7M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 5, 2027.
Trade exception · from the Julian Phillips tradeup to $2.2M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 5, 2027.
A trade exception is a credit from an earlier trade, not money on the books, so it does not count toward the cap, tax, or apron. On file as of Oct 30, 2026; may not be complete.
Decisions ahead
Option calls before 2027-28
Buddy Hield $10.1M player option, Tre Jones $8.0M team option, Matas Buzelis $7.6M team option, Noa Essengue $6.0M team option.
Expiring after 2026-27
Isaac Okoro $11.8M, Jalen Smith $9.4M, Leonard Miller $2.4M come off the books.
Front office
Run the Bulls offseason
Take these exact books into the GM Machine and re-sign, sign, waive, stretch, and draft, with every cap rule checked and explained as you go.
Draft picks through 2033
The Bulls control 9 first-round and 14 second-round picks, 2 carrying swap rights.
2026
2026 1st (own) · No. 4
2026 1st (via POR) · No. 15
Portland's own first conveyed to Chicago, landing at pick 15, from the 2021 Larry Nance Jr. three-team deal once the lottery protection lapsed.
2026 2nd (via DEN) · No. 56
Denver's own second conveyed to Chicago at pick 56, routed via Minnesota, Phoenix, and Charlotte.
2026 2nd (via NOP) · No. 38
New Orleans's own second conveyed to Chicago at pick 38, routed via Boston, Detroit, and Portland.
Their own 2nd, owed to HOU · No. 39
Chicago's own second conveyed to Houston at pick 39, routed via Washington.
2027
2027 1st (own)
2027 2nd (via CLE)
Owed to Chicago; originally tied to the De'Andre Hunter to Sacramento three-team trade, February 2026.
Their own 2nd, owed to DAL
Acquired by Dallas in the February 2026 Anthony Davis trade; CHI's 2027 second had been routed through Washington.
2028
2028 1st (own)
2028 2nd (own, swap rights attached)
Chicago holds the right to the most favorable of the Chicago, Indiana, and Phoenix 2028 seconds, from the June 2026 Braden Smith trade; Chicago's own slot can convey to Indiana as the less favorable of the pair. Chicago retains its slot pending resolution.
2028 2nd (via PHX)
Phoenix's own second sits in a Chicago, Indiana, Phoenix pool from the June 2023 Beal trade: Chicago takes the most favorable of the three 2028 seconds, Indiana the middle, and New York the less favorable of the Indiana and Phoenix picks. Phoenix does not keep it.
2029
2029 1st (own)
2029 2nd (own)
2030
2030 1st (own)
2030 2nd (own, swap rights attached)
Chicago holds the right to swap its 2030 second for Indiana's, from the June 2026 Braden Smith trade. Chicago keeps its slot unless the swap runs against it.
2031
2031 1st (own)
2031 2nd (own)
2031 2nd (via DEN)
Owed to Chicago, unprotected. Denver sent it to Phoenix in June 2024, Phoenix packaged it to Charlotte in the January 2025 Nick Richards trade, and Charlotte flipped the Denver-origin pick to Chicago in February 2026 (keeping Phoenix's own 2031 second).
2031 2nd (via MIN)
Chicago takes the more favorable of the Minnesota and Golden State 2031 seconds and Detroit the less favorable. Minnesota's slot is the one projected more favorable and goes to Chicago.
2031 2nd (via NYK)
Unprotected second routed through Charlotte and terminal in Chicago, from the three-team Karl-Anthony Towns trade.
2032
2032 1st (own)
2032 2nd (own)
2032 2nd (via HOU)
Chicago takes the more favorable of the Houston and Phoenix 2032 seconds; the less favorable goes to Phoenix and then on to Minnesota.
2033
2033 1st (own)
2033 2nd (own)
Protections and swap conditions in plain English. Full story on the Bulls draft picks page.
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