Former Bulls executive Arturas Karnisovas was keen on “building from the middle,” a model that has worked for other franchises. In Chicago, though, all it did was muddy the waters. The Bulls struggled to decide between pushing for contention and embracing a rebuild, and it ultimately ended with Karnisovas being fired.
Chicago is now embracing its youth, and Bryson Graham is in charge of all of it. The new President of Basketball Operations has said all the right things about valuing the draft, prioritizing player development, and staying conscious of the cap. For the first time in a while, it feels like the Bulls are in good hands.
Expectations this season are extremely reasonable, but that doesn’t mean Chicago can’t be competitive. New head coach Tiago Splitter did a good job with Portland last season, so he’s an exciting presence on the sideline. The Bulls also seem to have struck gold in the draft, selecting an outrageously gifted wing in Caleb Wilson at No. 4. Wilson and Matas Buzelis should give Chicago a great pair of forwards for a very long time.
Josh Giddey is back after a season in which he averaged 17.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.3 rebounds per game. He also knocked down a career-high 1.9 triples per game. Giddey is an interesting player, as he hasn’t yet proven he can be on the floor late in playoff games. However, he’ll be given every opportunity to prove himself as a long-term piece in Chicago.
The Bulls also brought in some intriguing win-now players this summer. They added one of the most coveted free agents on the market in Norman Powell, who averaged 21.7 points per game last season and fills a major need as a floor-spacing option. He’s a career 39.6% three-point shooter. Chicago also grabbed a starting big man, swooping in on the Julius Randle trade between the Nets and Wolves to acquire Nic Claxton.
I’m not sure Chicago has the makeup of a playoff team, but this is a formidable group. And for the first time in a long time, there are good vibes surrounding the basketball team in the Windy City.
This is a team I mentioned in the Draft Lottery feature for a reason. It’s exactly the type of squad I’d expect to scratch and claw for a few extra wins. So if you’re planning to do anything with them before the season, you might want to consider the Over on 28.5. They’re going to play with speed, energy, and some youthful exuberance, which can throw opponents off over the course of a long season.
BURNING QUESTIONS
Is there enough shooting on the roster?
Chicago brought in Powell, who fills a big need at the two. He has been an awesome shooter throughout his career, and his presence should make life a little easier on the rest of the starters. Outside of Powell, however, the shooting is highly questionable.
Giddey may have made 1.9 threes per game last season, but teams are fine playing way off him and living with a couple of makes. Buzelis shot only 34.9% last season. Wilson’s jumper looked good in Summer League but was a major question mark coming out of UNC. Claxton is nothing but a rim-runner. There’s a real chance this is one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league, and it’s tough to win games when you’re at a nightly mathematical disadvantage.
Which version of Claxton is this porous defensive team getting?
Claxton averaged 2.5 blocks per game in 2022-23. That year, he finished in the NBA’s 98th percentile in Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus (+2.3) and Block Percentage (6.9%). Since then, his numbers as a rim protector have dropped off significantly, and he finished last season in the 47th percentile in DEPM (-0.3).
Chicago is hoping Claxton can anchor the defense and provide consistent resistance when opponents get two feet in the paint. Does he still have that in him?
He probably deserves another chance to prove himself. It’s hard being a defense-first player on a team with zero desire to play winning basketball. Perhaps he’ll be rejuvenated in his new situation.
Who is consistently helping off the bench?
I feel like I’m higher than most on the Bulls’ chances of winning 29+ games, but the bench is extremely concerning. Outside of Tre Jones, one of the better reserve guards in basketball, Chicago is asking a lot of Isaac Okoro, Patrick Williams, and Jalen Smith. Those aren’t exactly players you can trust on a nightly basis.
The Bulls did make late-offseason moves to get Buddy Hield and Jordan Hawkins. That addresses their lack of shooting a bit, but it also potentially adds defensive turnstiles to the rotation.
Dailyn Swain is a player Bulls fans should be very excited about, a 6-foot-7 guard with an intriguing skill set. The issue is that he looks like a player who needs some time to season. Right now, he’s a non-shooter, and Chicago can’t afford to give minutes to many more of those.
WIN TOTAL LEAN: Over 28.5
