Chicago Bulls Exercise Team Options on Two Former First-Round Forwards

Ahead of the NBA's regular season tipoff on Tuesday night, the Chicago Bulls are exercising team options on two of their promising young forwards.

The Bulls announced that they've picked up 2027-28 team options for forwards Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue.

Buzelis, who turned 22 last week, has emerged as one of the central figures in Chicago's rebuild. Chicago selected him with the No. 11 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and Buzelis improved his play significantly from his rookie year to 2025-26. The team option guarantees him a $7.6 million salary in 2027-28 before setting Buzelis up for restricted free agency in the summer of 2028.

However, it's very likely that Buzelis doesn't get to that point. The Chicago native is eligible to receive a contract extension next summer, and given how he's progressed in his young career, the Bulls would presumably want to lock Buzelis into the team's future long-term. How well Buzelis performs this upcoming season will determine whether his next contract resembles that of a budding star or a young role-player.

Last season, Buzelis averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks per game on 46.3% shooting and 34.9% from three. He was one of four NBA players to record at least 100 three-pointers and 100 blocks, joining Victor Wembanyama, Jay Huff and Myles Turner.

Essengue, meanwhile, is unproven in his career so far. The Frenchman played just six minutes as a rookie before undergoing left shoulder surgery that caused the No. 12 overall draft pick to miss the rest of the year. Essengue doesn't turn 20 years old until December, but many have been quick to label him a bust based on limited NBA, Summer League and preseason action.

The team option guarantees Essengue a third season of his rookie contract, which will pay him just under $6 million in 2027-28. Although Essengue's play hasn't warranted an extension or further options to be picked up, this allows Bryson Graham and the Bulls' front office to get an extra season to evaluate Essengue before making a decision on his future.

If Essengue doesn't pan out, he could be a free agent as soon as the summer of 2028. Otherwise, Graham can pick up his team option again next summer, which would pay Essengue $8.2 million in 2028-29.

The Bulls will begin their 2026-27 regular season on Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors.