The Bulls’ summer has already been written off in some corners, but Chicago’s offseason looks a lot stronger than the early rankings suggest.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey dropped his post-free agency power rankings on July 6, sizing up all 30 teams “after [a] wild start to trade and free agency season.” Chicago landed at No. 27, a placement that feels awfully low for a team that added Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain, Nic Claxton and Norman Powell to a group that already featured Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis.
Bailey’s list comes during a chaotic stretch around the league. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s run with the Milwaukee Bucks ended.
Jaylen Brown was traded from Boston to Philadelphia. The Los Angeles Lakers overpaid for Walker Kessler.
Ja Morant and LaMelo Ball have new homes in Portland and Minnesota, respectively. And the basketball world is still waiting on another Decision from LeBron James.
Even with all that noise, the Bulls’ work has been easy to overlook - and that’s the problem.
Bailey framed Chicago’s summer with a pretty downbeat lens, starting with the departures of Collin Sexton to the Lakers and Anfernee Simons to the 76ers. But those losses are unlikely to move the needle much for this roster, especially when the Bulls replaced that production with Powell, who was an All-Star last season.
That’s not a step back. That’s a clear upgrade.
He also wrote, “Hopefully,” Bailey writes, “Josh Giddey can give them more than 54 games this season, because he has a pair of dynamic finishers joining him in Nicolas Claxton and rookie Caleb Wilson.”
That undersells the fit. Giddey is the kind of passer who can make life easy for lob threats, and Wilson and Claxton both bring that kind of finishing punch. Wilson, in particular, should be ready to attack the rim right away with his length, explosion and desire to snap the rim in half at every opportunity.
There are still real questions here. Tiago Splitter is a new head coach, and he’ll be asking a young, raw group to adjust quickly.
Making the playoffs may be a stretch. But a play-in spot is absolutely in play, and with the league’s draft lottery changes and teams trying hard to avoid the bottom three, it should be a target.
Bryson Graham’s first offseason as executive vice president of basketball operations has given Chicago a roster that can get there. A starting five of Giddey, Powell, Buzelis, Wilson and Claxton is already being underrated, and that’s before the group has even taken the floor together.
On talent alone, the Bulls should be ranked higher than 27th.
In Other News...
Bulls Fans Should Be Worried About Noa Essengues Return Timeline
Noa Essengue arrived in Chicago with plenty of intrigue as the Bulls 2025 first-round pick, and summer league was supposed to be the first real look at how his game might translate. Instead, the conversation has quickly shifted to recovery, with the rookie working back from shoulder surgery and still trying to get all the way to full strength before he takes the floor in Vegas.
Essengue says he is close to ready, but the Bulls have not yet mapped out how much he will play in summer league, leaving his return timeline a little hazy for now. Head coach Tiago Splitter has made clear he likes the versatility Essengue brings when he does return, which only adds to the anticipation around a player Chicago badly wants to see healthy and moving like himself again. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls New Era Suddenly Comes Down To One Lineup Decision
The Bulls new era under general manager Bryson Graham and coach Tiago Splitter has already taken shape in the offseason, with the front office adding Norman Powell and bringing in pieces such as Nic Claxton, Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain. On paper, the roster now has a very different look, and the early projection for the first five points to Josh Giddey, Powell, Matas Buzelis, Wilson and Claxton as the group that will set the tone.
What makes the next few weeks so interesting is how little of the rotation feels settled beyond that core. Tre Jones is expected to handle the first lift off the bench, with Isaac Okoro and Jalen Smith also in line for meaningful minutes, but the final spots are still there for the taking. Dailyn Swain, Patrick Williams and Noa Essengue are all in the mix for those remaining roles, and how they perform in camp and preseason may end up deciding who sticks in the nightly plan. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Face A Telling Choice As Familiar Veteran Reenters The Picture
The Bulls have spent the offseason building around a younger core under new leadership, and the front office has mostly finished its roster work with one spot still open. In that kind of setup, every remaining move matters a little more than usual, because Chicago is trying to balance present competitiveness with the long view and keep adding pieces that fit the timeline rather than crowd it.
DeMar DeRozans name naturally brings back memories of his productive run in Chicago, when he gave the team a reliable half-court scorer and steady veteran presence. But the fit question is different now, and the Bulls have been pushed toward preserving flexibility and future assets instead of leaning on another established scorer, which makes this a telling decision point for a team trying not to drift from its plan. [Read more 🡒]