The Bulls wanted speed, and they got it. Through eight games, no team in the NBA is pushing the ball faster than Chicago, but the results have been brutal. At 1-7, the Bulls are running the league’s quickest offense without finding much payoff.
ESPN’s pace factor rankings have Chicago at 108.2 possessions per 48 minutes, which leads the league. Miami is next at 105.5. That kind of tempo fits first-year coach Tiago Splitter’s plan, and before the season he made it clear he wanted a young group to play fast and hunt easy baskets early.
The idea makes sense on paper. The Bulls are getting to the kinds of shots this offense wants: attempts at the rim and catch-and-shoot threes.
The issue is what happens after that. Chicago has been one of the least efficient teams in the league in almost every area, shooting just 41.2% from the field and a league-worst 27.2% from three on more than 42 attempts per night.
That gap between style and execution is where the trouble starts. The Bulls are moving at the right speed, but they are not making enough plays once they arrive at their spots. Until that changes, the pace is just a number.
The roster fit has been shaky, too. The Josh Giddey and Norman Powell backcourt has not clicked in its early run together. Giddey’s passing and Powell’s scoring looked like a workable combination, but too often the possession bogs down in Giddey’s hands before ending with Powell forced into a low-quality shot when everything breaks apart.
Chicago’s youth has also shown up as a problem. Caleb Wilson has flashed as a potential franchise cornerstone, while Matas Buzelis, who many expected to take a step forward, has started slowly in the new system.
Splitter wants constant ball movement and a team-first structure, but the young players can drift into tunnel vision and settle for bad shots. Even so, both still have time to adjust.
Splitter should keep giving Wilson and Buzelis room to grow into their roles. But if the veterans don’t fit, the Bulls may need to look for answers elsewhere sooner rather than later.
For now, the bench may offer the quickest help. Tre Jones and Buddy Hield bring a useful mix of playmaking and shotmaking while the front office searches for something more lasting. Longer term, Chicago may need to keep building through the draft, trade and free agency.
It’s still too early to say the up-tempo approach can’t work over the long haul. But with this rotation, the Bulls are getting beaten at their own game.
In today’s NBA, plenty of teams can run. If you can’t keep up once the pace picks up, you’re the one getting left behind.
In Other News...
Bulls Suddenly Face A Real Lineup Decision They Cant Avoid
Nic Claxtons return is giving the Bulls something they have not had much of yet this season: a real frontcourt choice. After missing time with a preseason left hamstring strain, Claxton is back on the verge of debuting with a minutes restriction, and coach Tiago Splitter is already talking about trying different combinations to see what fits best. For a team still sorting through a difficult start, even a healthy big man can change the conversation quickly.
The most interesting part is where Claxton fits once he is available. Splitter wants to look at lineups with Claxton and Jalen Smith together, which could alter the rotation and force some tough decisions elsewhere on the roster. With trade chatter already hanging over the Bulls as they search for answers, this is no longer just about getting Claxton on the floor. It is about how much the team is willing to reshape around him. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Finally Get A Frontcourt Boost With One Big Catch
The Bulls are finally getting a frontcourt reinforcement back, and it comes at a time when the rotation could use one. Nic Claxton is set to return after working his way back from a hamstring strain, giving Chicago a needed option inside as the team continues to sort through lineup stability and health concerns around the league and in its own front line.
There is still a catch, though, and it matters for how much immediate impact he can make. Claxton is not expected to be thrown back into a full workload right away, so the Bulls will have to balance the value of having him available with the reality that his return is more about easing back into game shape than instantly solving every frontcourt issue. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylin Sellers Is Giving The Bulls A Contract Decision To Make
The Windy City Bulls opened their G League regular season with a pair of home wins, and the early buzz has centered on two names in particular. Dailyn Swain made a strong debut with 16 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, while Jaylin Sellers followed with a performance that showed why he has started to turn heads as more than just a developmental piece.
Sellers has looked comfortable both as a scorer and as a creator, knocking down shots from deep while also setting up teammates in the flow of the offense. For the Bulls, that kind of two-way production only adds to the intrigue around what comes next, because his play is making the front office think carefully about how much longer they can keep him in this role. [Read more 🡒]