Josh Giddey sits at the center of the Bulls’ biggest question, and the answer may decide how quickly Chicago’s new-look starting five can actually function.
The issue isn’t whether Giddey can help. He clearly can. He averaged 17.0 points and 9.1 assists per game in 2025-26, and after arriving in Chicago he also became a much better three-point shooter, knocking down 37.1 percent of his attempts in his first two seasons with the Bulls after hitting 33.7 percent over his three years with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
But the Bulls have changed around him, and that changes the job description.
Chicago’s projected starting group now includes Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson, Norman Powell and Nic Claxton, a collection that looks far more balanced on paper than the kind of setup that lets one player run everything. Powell brings All-Star scoring and elite shooting.
Claxton adds versatility on defense. Buzelis and Wilson both carry major long-term upside and are expected to command real touches.
That leaves Giddey in a tougher spot than before. He’s still a dynamic scorer and passer, but the Bulls no longer need - or should want - to build the offense around him at every turn.
Buzelis, just 21, already looks like a real piece. He’s averaging 16.3 points per game on .463/.349/.786 shooting, and while his three-point work still has room to grow, he’s already shown enough to suggest Chicago should keep feeding him. He’s shooting 52.3 percent on 6.7 drives per game, which makes him a natural pressure point for the Bulls’ offense in 2026-27.
Wilson brings a different kind of promise. The 20-year-old rookie power forward has the look of a future problem for opposing defenses, with his athleticism, 6'10" frame, jumper range, comfort with his back to the basket, and value on the offensive glass all standing out right away.
Giddey can certainly be part of making that work. He can create for Wilson.
He can also benefit from Wilson’s ability to score and relieve pressure elsewhere. But the Bulls need him to show he can do more than just initiate possessions and hold the ball.
That same idea applies with Powell, who gives Chicago another layer of scoring flexibility. He’s an elite catch-and-shoot option, but he’s also proven he can create his own shot as an All-Star. That should make life easier for Giddey - if Giddey is willing to give some of that back by working without the ball.
And that’s where the real pressure starts.
Once Giddey shifts into a less ball-dominant role, the flaws become harder to hide. Basketball Index had him in the 16th percentile in perimeter isolation defense and the 31st percentile in rim deterrence. On the other end, he ranked in the 20th percentile in field goal percentage at the rim.
That’s the Bulls’ line in the sand. Giddey can’t keep dominating the ball because he doesn’t finish efficiently enough at the rim to justify that burden, and he’ll struggle to stay useful if his offensive role shrinks unless the defense and off-ball work improve.
Chicago has built a starting five with more versatility and more mouths to feed. Now Giddey has to fit it.
In Other News...
Bulls Interest In Jonathan Kuminga Reveals Chicago's Real Price Limit
Jonathan Kumingas decision to sign with Minnesota landed with a familiar subtext for the Bulls: interest is one thing, but Chicago still has a line it will not cross. The Bulls were among the teams linked to Kuminga, along with the Lakers and Trail Blazers, and they had also shown interest in Bennedict Mathurin as part of a broader search for young talent that could fit into the roster. But when it came time to make a serious push, Chicago apparently stopped short of the kind of bid that would have changed the conversation.
That matters because the Bulls have had room to maneuver and still have not treated every target as an all-in pursuit. Even with an open roster spot and competition from other teams, they did not get to the price level those players were seeking, which says a lot about how Chicago is weighing its next move. The front office clearly sees the value in adding upside, but it also seems unwilling to chase it at any cost. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Still Have A Chance To Turn These Misses Into A Win
The Bulls did not land two of the more intriguing free agents on the board in Bennedict Mathurin and Jonathan Kuminga, but that does not mean the weekend passes without a possible payoff. Chicago has been operating with a clear eye on roster and financial flexibility under executive Bryson Graham, and sometimes the value in those moves shows up later, not in the first wave of signings.
New Orleans and Minnesota each committed to the players Chicago missed out on, but those decisions also added to the cap juggling those teams will have to manage down the line. If the Bulls decide to keep pressing their advantage, the opening may come not through a headline signing, but through a trade market shaped by other clubs needing to clear room and reshape their books. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls May Have Avoided A Move Fans Would Already Regret
With an open roster spot and the mid-level exception still available, the Bulls had a real chance to get involved when Bennedict Mathurin hit the market. Chicago passed, weighing whether his game would mesh with what the roster needs right now, and the hesitation was rooted in more than just price. The front office was looking at how his offensive profile would fit alongside the pieces already in place.
Mathurins new deal with the New Orleans Pelicans closes the door on that possibility, and it also gives some context to why the Bulls stayed away. His shooting has been a concern, and his score-first style did not line up neatly with Chicagos current priorities. For a team that still has flexibility to make a move, the decision to hold back says plenty about how carefully it is trying to use that flexibility. [Read more 🡒]