Collins' Rebuild Extension
Chicago Bulls Extend Zach Collins Despite Injury Concerns, Highlighting Rebuild Strategy
Anonymous
Key Points
1
Bulls owner/basketball operations leadership, led by Bryson Graham, are emphasizing a hands-on, foxhole-style rebuild with coach Tiago Splitter, including a quote about being in the foxhole together as a sign of trust.
2
The Bulls used their draft assets, selecting Caleb Wilson (No. 4) and Dailyn Swain (No. 15), while entering free agency with roughly $31 million in cap space and weighing veteran options like Norman Powell and Max Strus to space the floor for a young frontcourt.
3
New draft lottery rules (the 3-2-1 system) alter odds in the pursuit of top picks, with the sweet spot for best odds now Nos. 4 through 10, influencing how the Bulls and other teams gauge standings.
4
Collins’ health history remains a concern, as he played only 10 games in 2025-26 and later underwent season-ending toe surgery after an initial left wrist fracture, outlining why the extension is paired with caution about reliability.
The Chicago Bulls locked up center Zach Collins on a two-year, $17 million extension before free agency opened July 1, keeping him under contract through the 2027-28 season, according to Hoops Rumors. The deal was filed before midnight on June 30, classifying it as an extension rather than a free-agent signing and preserving certain trade options for the team.
Collins played only 10 games in 2025-26 — missing time with a left wrist fracture and later a right toe injury that required season-ending surgery. Despite the health concerns, Chicago sees him as frontcourt depth with upside as the team builds around a new identity and a new coaching staff, Slippers Still Fits reported.
New Front Office Plants Flag on 'SLAP' Identity
Executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham has wasted no time reshaping Chicago's roster around a simple idea: Size, Length, Athleticism, and Physicality — or "SLAP," according to Daily Herald. Every primary frontcourt player the Bulls now have stands at least 6'9". That list includes rookies Caleb Wilson (6'9") and Dailyn Swain (6'7"), newly acquired center Nic Claxton (6'11"), and Collins (6'11").
Graham hired Tiago Splitter as head coach on June 15. Both men have repeatedly used the phrase "in the foxhole together" to signal a unified front between the bench and the front office, the Mully & Haugh Show reported. The Collins extension fits that tone — a loyalty move designed to reward a player who stuck with the team through a brutal season.
Draft Haul and $23 Million in Cap Space Set Up Free Agency
On draft night, Chicago selected North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson at No. 4 overall and Texas wing Dailyn Swain at No. 15, per CHSN. The Bulls also acquired veteran center Nic Claxton and his $23.3 million salary from Brooklyn in a three-team trade on June 23, according to Bleacher Nation.
After the Collins extension, Chicago's available cap space dropped from a projected $31 million to roughly $23.7 million, according to Newsy Today. The team is still linked to veteran shooters Norman Powell and Max Strus, who would give Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis more room to operate in the paint.
New Lottery Rules Reward Being 'Just Bad Enough'
The NBA's new "3-2-1" draft lottery system, approved in May 2026 and set to take effect in 2027, changes how teams chase top picks. Under the old rules, the worst three teams held the best odds. Under the new system, teams finishing with the 4th through 10th worst records actually get the most lottery balls — three each — while the bottom three teams get only two, according to Hoops Rumors.
That flips the incentive for tanking on its head. By aiming to finish in the "sweet spot" of lottery odds — rather than at the very bottom — Chicago can field a more competitive team without hurting its draft position. Keeping Collins healthy enough to win a few extra games could actually help the Bulls land in the No. 4-to-10 range, which now carries the highest top-pick odds.
Collins' Health History Clouds a Low-Risk Bet
Collins carries real injury risk. Over a nine-year career, he has reached the 70-game mark only once, per Hoops Rumors. In 2025-26 alone, he suffered a left wrist fracture and then a right toe sprain that ended his season after just 10 appearances. His career averages stand at 8.0 points and 4.9 rebounds across 388 games.
Critics at Bleacher Nation argue Collins would have accepted a veteran minimum on the open market, making the $8.5 million per year price tag hard to justify. Supporters point to the team option on year two — which turns Collins into an expiring $8.5 million contract next summer if he struggles — as a built-in safety valve that limits the Bulls' long-term exposure.
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