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And just like that, it’s time yet again for 82 games of Chicago Bulls basketball!
It was an interesting offseason for Chicago, to say the least. The Bulls finally went the route of getting younger, but they took an interesting path to get there.
First, they let DeMar DeRozan walk in free agency. Even though DeRozan is the man, his return would not have made much sense. But also … we knew that at the last trade deadline. So why didn’t they trade him? Actually, forget I asked. I’m not getting sucked down this path again.
Next, they traded their most valuable asset, Alex Caruso, to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey … and only Josh Giddey. Now, I like Giddey fine and remain intrigued by his ceiling. But also … he’s still unproven and is entering the final year of his rookie deal. One would have thought the Bulls might’ve sought a pick or two for the upcoming (loaded) 2025 Draft. But they opted for the player instead.
Then, in the 2024 Draft, the Bulls caught a break with local product Matas Buzelis falling to them with the 11th overall pick. The Buzelis we saw throughout the Summer League and Preseason is raw. But the flashes of talent are most certainly there, as is the aggression you’d like to see from a rookie.
Of course, Zach LaVine is still here. So far, he’s been nothing but professional since camp and the preseason got underway. He’s saying the right things, he’s playing hard (and well), and he looks healthy. If those things continue, we might not see him in a Bulls uniform much longer, as the market will only grow for his services.
Last but not least, Lonzo Ball is back in the picture! After missing over 1,000 days of NBA action with a knee injury, Ball returned to the NBA this preseason for a pair of games and has looked great (all things considered). He’ll be on a strict minutes limit to start the season and he won’t play back-to-backs, but how he factors into the rotation will be interesting.
So what should we expect from the Chicago Bulls this season? Great question!
I can tell you that I am HOPING to see a commitment to growing and developing the younger players on the roster.
Meanwhile, I love that Zach LaVine is playing better. But I hope by January, he’s not here anymore. I also hope the front office can find a taker for Vooch. I also ALSO hope they let Coby White run the show/be the guy. And while we’re at it, why not let Matas Buzelis sink or swim in an expanded role? Oh, and we MUST find out what the team has in Josh Giddey. Bonus: Can Julian Phillips consistently hit threes like he was in the preseason and take an Ayo Dosunmu-type jump this year?
Scattered, but you get the gist.
Chicago has some exciting young pieces entering the season. It’s time to find out what we have in them. There will be some fun moments and there will be some growing pains, but that’s what rebuilds are about and that’s what the Bulls should be committed to.
And not only do you want to find out what you have in some of these youngsters, but also, next year’s draft is LOADED with talent. Winning 37 games and flirting with a Play-In spot again doesn’t really do any good for anyone. Do your best to make sure you’re in the lottery and get yourself a top-10 pick so we can actually draft in the 1st Round next season (San Antonio owns the Bulls 1st Round pick in 2025 but it is top-10 protected).
Anyway, it will be a tough first week. A 1-2 start with some young players stepping up wouldn’t really be the worst result in the world. So let’s take a look at the opponents.
Meet the Bulls’ Opponents
- 10/23 at Pelicans: Just give me a competitive game on Opening Night, please.
- 10/25 at Bucks: Catching Milwaukee without Khris Middleton would be a nice break
- 10/26 vs Thunder: Alex Caruso revenge game!
Bulls Projected Lineup
- Coby White
- Josh Giddey
- Zach LaVine
- Patrick Williams
- Nikola Vucevic
Opponent Projected Lineups
New Orleans Pelicans
- Dejounte Murray
- CJ McCollum
- Brandon Ingram
- Zion Williamson
- Daniel Theis
Milwaukee Bucks
- Damian Lillard
- Gary Trent Jr
- Taurean Prince
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Brook Lopez
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Alex Caruso
- Lu Dort
- Jalen Williams
- Chet Holmgren
Unavailable/Injured (at the start of the week)
- Bulls: Patrick Williams DAY-TO-DAY (ankle), Dalen Terry DAY-TO-DAY (knee)
- Pelicans: Trey Murphy III (hamstring)
- Bucks: Khris Middleton QUESTIONABLE (ankle)
- Thunder: Jalen Williams DAY-TO-DAY (ankle), Jaylin Williams DAY-TO-DAY (hamstring), Isaiah Hartenstein OUT (hand)
What to Watch For:
- Bulls: Well, there might not be anything to watch if a deal with the new network doesn’t get done before Wednesday! But I won’t get into that again. What we’re looking for this week is a continued commitment to playing faster and shooting more threes like we saw in the preseason. And we are looking for some high points from the younger players. I’m intrigued to see how Billy Donovan handles the guard-heavy rotation. But mostly, let’s look for flashes from the younger players and for another step forward from Coby White as the leader of this team.
- Pelicans: New Orleans made a big splash this summer making a move for Dejounte Murray. Now on paper, their starting lineup should make them competitive again in the West. For the Pelicans though, this year will ultimately come down to the same question they’ve had year after year – can Zion Williamson stay healthy? When he’s healthy they can compete in the West. When he’s not, they have a ceiling. The Play-In Game against the Lakers last year was a perfect example of that. When he’s on the floor, they’re dangerous. When he’s not, they’re limited.
- Bucks: Will Khris Middleton play? Selfishly, I hope not. But also, if his ankles still aren’t totally healthy yet, there really isn’t any point in rushing him back. I think the Bucks will be better and more consistent this year now that they had a full offseason with Doc Rivers. We know what they can do offensively, but if Rivers can get them more consistent defensively then I think Milwaukee will be right there in the East.
- Thunder: Doesn’t this just feel like a game where Alex Caruso has an outstanding night and Josh Giddey struggles? OKC is going to be very good again this year, and Caruso is a better fit on that roster than Giddey was. I think there’s a pretty decent chance that trade ends up working out for both sides, but this matchup so early in the year at the United Center just feels like one that ends up with Bulls fans shaking their heads. Hey, I hope I’m wrong!