Norman Powell has agreed to a two-year, $45 million contract with the Chicago Bulls, with the second season structured as a team option. The move burns through most of the cap space Chicago had been sitting on since free agency opened.

Powell made his first All-Star team last season, averaging 21.7 points, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals while splitting the year between the Clippers and Miami Heat. His 21.8 points per game in 2024-25 was a career high.

A scorer for a team still finding its identity

Chicago has spent the last two seasons leaning on young backcourt pieces like Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, plus this year’s top pick, Caleb Wilson. What that roster hasn’t had is a proven, high-volume scorer who doesn’t need plays run for him to get his shots.

Powell solves that specific problem. He’s shot at an elite clip from mid-range and three over the past two seasons, and he doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective, which matters for a roster built around younger playmakers still figuring out their roles.

The Chicago Sun-Times described the Bulls as having slow-played the start of free agency before landing Powell, suggesting the front office waited out the market rather than rushing into an early deal.

What the deal says about Chicago’s timeline

A two-year contract, with a team option on the back end, is a short-term structure. It gives the Bulls scoring punch now without locking up money long past the point where Wilson and Buzelis are ready to lead.

That’s a deliberate bridge move. Chicago isn’t pretending this roster is a finished product, but it’s also not tanking. Powell gives them a veteran who can keep games competitive while the young core develops.

Where this leaves the Bulls

With Powell in the fold, Chicago’s cap flexibility for this offseason is largely spent. The front office’s bet is that a 21-point scorer alongside Giddey and Buzelis moves the timeline forward without costing them future flexibility.

Powell now joins a rebuild that’s shown flashes of competitiveness but hasn’t broken through. His deal makes clear the Bulls think they’re closer to that breakthrough than outsiders might assume.

Powell isn’t walking into a contender. He’s walking into a team betting that one more proven scorer is what turns flashes into wins.