The Chicago Bulls are in no man’s land.

Over the past 10 seasons, they have made it to the playoffs twice and fell out of the first round on both occasions. They have neither been good enough to make a deep postseason run nor bad enough to earn good enough lottery odds to get a top draft pick. Their highest pick over this span of time was fourth overall in 2020 which they used to draft Patrick Williams who seems to be nothing more than an eighth man on a winning NBA team. 

Consistent with the past decade, this upcoming season is unlikely to amount to much for these Bulls, but that doesn’t mean that they are not going to be a fun team to watch on a nightly basis.

Chicago is going to unleash a fast-paced attack led by returning guard Josh Giddey who just signed a four-year, $100 million extension. While this team is still closer to the bottom of the standings rather than the playoff race, the foundation of what could be a decent team is in place and this season might just provide a glimpse of what the future holds for the Bulls.

WHAT’S NEW?

Chicago made just one trade this offseason, sending away Lonzo Ball in exchange for Isaac Okoro in a move that is unlikely to mean anything in the grand scheme of things.

Nonetheless, not moving is a form of moving in itself.

The lack of deals suggests that the Bulls’ front office is willing to be patient with this group and see how things play out. Noa Essengue, whom they picked 12th overall in this year’s draft, is an intriguing prospect from France who is likely to get all of the minutes that he can handle this coming season. 

BIGGEST QUESTIONS

Chicago’s handling of two-time NBA All-Star Nikola Vucevic will be one of the most intriguing storylines of the upcoming season. The 34-year-old is still a steady presence on the court and can likely play a supporting role on a contender if given the chance.

By no means does he fit the Bulls’ timeline–his 14 years of experience is double that of the player with the second most years of experience on this roster–and his contract will be expiring after the upcoming season, making him an attractive trade target for teams looking for a boost on the interior. What remains to be seen is what price are other teams willing to pay for a player such as Vucevic who can indeed score the ball at top tier level, yet has become somewhat a liability on defense in recent years.

It remains a possibility that Chicago decides to keep him throughout the season, but Vucevic is not going to help this team outside of providing veteran leadership. He is not good enough to elevate them into a postseason-caliber team while he is still good enough to win them enough games to keep them out of the prime lottery spots, making him the perfect poster boy for this lukewarm era of Bulls basketball.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Incoming sophomore Matas Buzelis showed promise last season. This year though, Chicago needs him to prove that he has what it takes to become a star in the NBA. The combination of length, athleticism, and skill that the 6’10 forward possesses suggests that he could be the perfect running mate for Giddey for many years to come with the Bulls. 

All they need is some certainty that he can turn his potential into on-court results so that they can stop hunting for the next big thing and instead begin building their roster around him.

REASON FOR OPTIMISM/CONCERN:

The lack of moves from Chicago this offseason can be taken as one strong reason for optimism. This indicates that the team’s leaders believe in the potential of their current group of players. They did not make any short-sighted moves and seem to be building towards long term goals instead, something that this team has not done for several years now.

Unfortunately, the likelihood that this team continues on its path of mediocrity remains high, so it is quite understandable if Bulls fans are treading with caution heading into the new season.