Bulls exercise rookie options for Buzelis, Essengue

The Bulls looked to the future this week by exercising team options on the rookie contracts of Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue shortly before Wednesday’s season opener against the Toronto Raptors.

These two options guarantee the contracts of Buzelis and Essengue through the 2027-28 season. Buzelis will enter restricted free agency at the end of that season, while the Bulls have an additional team option on Essengue’s contract for the 2028-29 season.

A long-term commitment to Buzelis is not a surprise from the Bulls. The third-year forward is a clear building block for this roster after excelling in his first two seasons, starting in 77 games last season while averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

Buzelis’ chemistry with No. 4 draft pick Caleb Wilson will be a crucial piece of the alchemy surrounding this current Bulls rebuild under new executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham.

Essengue’s future with the Bulls is less certain. He played fewer than 10 minutes in his rookie season before undergoing shoulder surgery that held him out for the entirety of his debut year. Coach Tiago Splitter voiced frustration with Essengue during summer league, criticizing his physicality and apparent lack of motor when pursuing the ball on defense. The second-year forward seemed to improve his standing during training camp, but his offense is still a major work in progress.

Buzelis and Essengue have plenty to prove in the 2026-27 season, but exercising a team option is standard business for a team looking to manage the future of its youngest players. Locking in guaranteed salaries through these options also slightly alters the players’ status as potential trade assets, which remains a possibility for every player as the revamped front office assesses the long-term future of the roster.