The312Report Morning Notebook: Free Agency Is Almost Here...And The Bulls Aren't Sitting Quietly

Well Bulls fans...

We've officially made it.

In just a few hours, NBA Free Agency will be underway, and if the rumors are any indication, Bryson Graham isn't planning on spending the night watching everyone else improve.

Chicago continues to get linked to names from every corner of the league, and while some rumors will inevitably fizzle out, there are a few that deserve our attention.

Let's get into it.

👀 Jonathan Kuminga officially enters the conversation

I'll admit it...

This one caught my attention.

According to The Stein Line, the Bulls are viewed as a legitimate destination for Jonathan Kuminga, who enters unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career.

Leading up to the deadline, teams reportedly explored trades involving Kuminga, but nothing ever crossed the finish line. Instead, he'll hit the open market looking for his next opportunity after Atlanta declined his $24.3 million team optioin.

Now...

Is Kuminga a finished product?

Not even close.

But if there's one thing we've seen from this new front office, it's a willingness to bet on upside instead of settling for mediocrity.

That sounds awfully familiar.

🎯 Max Strus? Don't rule it out.

Here's another name worth circling.

According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Bulls fans should "keep an eye" on Max Strus as a potential trade target.

The Cavaliers have reportedly been exploring ways to shake up their roster by cutting costs, and Strus has quietly become one of the more interesting names available.

Would he move the needle by himself?

Hell no.

Would adding one of the league's better movement shooters to a young, athletic roster make a lot of sense?

Absolutely.

Sometimes championship teams aren't built with flashy moves.

Sometimes they're built by stacking smart ones.

🔥 Priority No. 1: Bring back Anfernee Simons.

If you've followed The312Report over the last week, you already know where I stand.

Re-signing Anfernee Simons should be at, or at least very near, the top of BG's offseason checklist.

According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Bulls are interested in running it back after Simons' brief 6 game stint in Chicago.

Of course, there's bad news.

Both the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics are rumored to have interest, meaning this could turn into one of Chicago's first real bidding battles under Bryson Graham.

Personally...

I still think he ends up back in Chicago since we own his bird rights.

The fit makes too much sense.

☕ One more thing...

Maybe the biggest takeaway from the last couple of weeks isn't any individual player.

It's this...

For the first time in what feels like forever, the Bulls actually have options.

Cap flexibility.

Young talent.

Draft capital.

And perhaps most importantly, a front office that doesn't appear afraid to pick up the phone.

Whether tonight ends with Anfernee Simons back in red 🤞🏾, Jonathan Kuminga finally heads to Chicago after years of rumors, Max Strus joining the rotation, or a completely unexpected move nobody saw coming...

One thing feels different.

There's finally a sense that the Bulls are trying to build something instead of simply maintaining the "WE MADE THE PLAY-IN" status quo.

We'll be here covering every rumor, signing, trade and overreaction along the way. Follow @ THE312REPORT on Threads and X for up to the minute updates.

Stay locked in.

It's about to get fun.

I'm Jamor Pearson, founder of The312Report.

By Chicago. For Chicago.

See Red. 🐂