When the Bulls open their first regular-season game, the attention will be on the television for more than one reason. Rookie Caleb Wilson will draw plenty of eyes, and so will the way this new-look Chicago group comes together.
But the real storylines won’t stop there. This season gives the Bulls a handful of threads worth following from night one through the final stretch.
The biggest one might be the partnership between Wilson and Matas Buzelis. Chicago could be looking at a young duo that anchors the next phase of the rebuild, and there’s real intrigue in seeing how quickly they click.
Do they look dangerous together right away, or does it take time for the fit to settle in? Can their skills complement each other in a way that actually lifts the whole group?
With Wilson now in the mix and Buzelis entering year three, the Bulls have reason to believe they’ve found a core pairing.
Buzelis’ own development is another major piece of the puzzle. He made a clear jump in year two, going from 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 0.9 blocks per game on 45.4% shooting in the 2024-25 regular season to 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks per game on 46.3% shooting in the 2025-26 regular season.
That kind of rise naturally raises the bar again. The questions now are how much more he can add early, how much more he can build over the full season, and how Tiago Splitter fits into that growth.
Chicago’s defense will matter just as much. In the 2025-26 regular season, the Bulls ranked 27th in opponent points in the paint at 54.1 and 28th in opponent points per game at 121.5, according to NBA.com.
If this team wants to compete, it has to get sturdier on that end. A better defense would do more than just slow opponents down; it would also give the young roster a little more room to breathe while it figures itself out.
That puts pressure on the whole rotation, especially Wilson and Buzelis, to hold up on that side and help define what this unit can become.
Norman Powell is another name that could shape the season in a big way. Chicago brought him in as a free-agent addition, and the numbers from last season show why he matters: 21.7 points per game, 47% shooting from the field and 38% from three in the 2025-26 regular season.
That kind of scoring and shooting would give the Bulls a real boost, especially from deep. The bigger question is how he balances being a steady offensive force with making sure the younger players still get the chances they need to develop.
Then there’s the conference itself. The East is expected to be a grind, and that gives this Bulls season another layer to watch.
How does a young Chicago team stack up in a crowded field? Can it carve out a place for itself as the year goes on?
That answer will say a lot about where the Bulls stand and where they still need to go.
There will be other storylines, too. But these five are the ones that should keep Bulls fans locked in all season long.
In Other News...
Michael Jordan Relic From The Bulls Last Dance Is About To Test Fans
A game-worn Michael Jordan jersey from his final championship season with Chicago is about to become one of the most closely watched memorabilia sales in recent memory. The relic, tied to the Bulls' Last Dance era and authenticated by its Finals pedigree, has long carried the kind of mythology that sends collectors into a frenzy whenever it surfaces.
Sports investor Rob Gough is putting the jersey up through Pharrell Williams Joopiter auction house, after acquiring it through an intermediary, and the sale is drawing attention well beyond the hobby. Gough thinks it could reset the sports memorabilia market entirely, with the kind of price tag that would make even the most hardened collectors do a double-take, but the final number will have to wait until the auction gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Fans Have A Reason To Revisit The Reinsdorf Question
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For Bulls fans, the appeal of revisiting the Reinsdorf question is less about a rumor than about what a sale would mean for the franchises long-term direction. Reinsdorf has been the central figure in the teams modern era, and any change at the top would carry obvious implications for how the Bulls are run heading into the 2026-27 season, which is scheduled to begin on Oct. 21. For now, the conversation sits in that familiar space between possibility and reality, with no clear sign that the question is going away anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Missed Out On A Top Euro Guard For One Frustrating Reason
Sylvain Francisco said he drew interest from multiple NBA teams this offseason, and the Bulls were among them. For a club still sorting through ways to add playmaking and guard depth, the idea of landing a proven EuroLeague guard naturally carried appeal, especially with Chicago continuing to keep one eye on the international market for help.
Francisco said a potential Bulls deal never got far enough to become real, with the process slowed by timing and uncertainty around a key roster decision elsewhere in the league. He is now expected to spend the 2026-27 season with Panathinaikos after opting out of his previous contract, leaving Chicago to move on while another plausible backcourt option slipped away. [Read more 🡒]