The Chicago Bulls didn’t just make moves at the trade deadline-they sent a clear message about where this franchise is headed. It’s not a full-on rebuild, at least not by name, but the front office is leaning into a transitional phase that’s all about two things: clearing the books and finding out who’s worth building around.
As Executive VP Artūras Karnišovas put it, the Bulls are “looking at a different combination of players.” Translation: the team is hitting reset, even if they’re not calling it that.
A “Stage” That Looks a Lot Like a Rebuild
Karnišovas avoided the R-word, instead opting to call this a “stage.” But let’s call it what it is-this is a team pivoting toward the future, and that means some short-term pain.
The Bulls offloaded contracts, brought in a wave of new faces, and prioritized flexibility. Most of the players acquired at the deadline are on expiring deals, giving Chicago the freedom to reshape its roster this summer without long-term financial handcuffs.
That kind of reset usually comes with growing pains, and the Bulls wasted no time showing what that might look like. Just hours after the trade deadline passed, they took the floor with a reworked lineup and fell to the Raptors, 123-107.
Toronto, a team that made only minor adjustments at the deadline, looked cohesive and comfortable. Chicago?
Not so much. But that’s to be expected when half the rotation is still learning each other’s names.
And yet, that 16-point loss wasn’t a setback-it was part of the plan. The Bulls slipped out of the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament picture with the defeat, which, in the context of their current priorities, is actually a win.
The worse the record, the better the draft odds. For a team in evaluation mode, that’s not a bad trade-off.
Development on Display
If the first half of the Bulls’ “stage” is about trimming salary and adding flexibility, the second half is all about player development-and that part was on full display against Toronto.
With a thinned-out rotation, head coach Billy Donovan leaned heavily on three of his new additions: Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, and Guerschon Yabusele. All three logged over 30 minutes, and all three made the most of their opportunity.
Let’s start with Ivey. The former Piston looked right at home in Donovan’s up-tempo, spacing-heavy system.
He dropped 13 points, grabbed four boards, dished six assists, and swiped three steals. He hit five of his 12 shots and went 3-of-5 from deep-a promising sign for a guard whose long-range game has been a work in progress.
More importantly, he played with poise and energy, showing flashes of the two-way guard the Bulls hope he can become.
Simons, meanwhile, wasted no time making his presence felt. He led the team with 22 points, shooting a clean 8-of-15 from the field and connecting on six of his 13 three-point attempts.
His quick trigger and catch-and-shoot ability looked tailor-made for a backcourt pairing with Josh Giddey. While Coby White’s departure stung for fans, Simons brings a similar scoring profile with a bit more consistency from deep.
Then there’s Yabusele. At 30, he’s not exactly a long-term piece, but he made a strong case for minutes in the short term.
Coming off the bench, he posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, hitting six of his 11 shots and going 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. It was easily his best showing of the season, especially after a rocky stint in New York.
Even if he’s not part of the Bulls’ future, Yabusele gave them exactly what they needed in the moment-energy, toughness, and a spark off the bench.
Early Returns, Long-Term Focus
It’s easy to scoff at a trade deadline that saw fan favorites like White and Ayo Dosunmu moved for what some considered underwhelming returns. But the Bulls weren’t trying to win the press conference-they were trying to reshape their future. And in that sense, the early returns are promising.
Three of the seven new additions stepped in and played meaningful, productive minutes right away. The team took a loss, but that loss helped them slide further into the draft lottery, which aligns perfectly with their current goals. It’s not about wins and losses right now-it’s about evaluation, development, and setting the table for what’s next.
Karnišovas’ “stage” might not have the flash of a blockbuster rebuild, but it’s a deliberate, calculated shift toward something new. The Bulls are clearing the runway. Now comes the hard part-figuring out who’s ready to take off.