What happened: The Chicago Bulls have hired Stephen Mervis as Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations. In the role, Mervis will be primarily responsible for salary cap strategy and analytics. The team announced the appointment directly.

Why it matters: The hire continues a reshaping of Chicago's basketball operations department, following the Bulls' addition of Bryson Graham as Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations. Adding a dedicated cap-and-analytics executive signals an emphasis on data-driven roster construction as the franchise works to retool. It deepens the front-office bench ahead of the offseason.

What to watch: Watch how Mervis's cap planning shapes Chicago's moves into the offseason, including free agency and any roster maneuvering around the 2025-26 cap.