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Josh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls reacts against the Detroit Pistons.

In each of the last three seasons, the Chicago Bulls have lost in the play-in tournament, serving as the picture of mediocrity. Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Bulls made no massive changes to their roster and are largely expected to either miss the playoffs or lose in the first round.

Chicago did manage to re-sign restricted free agent Josh Giddey to a four-year, $100 million deal, one of the bigger bargains this offseason. Giddey is a solid player who finished last season averaging 14.6 points and 7.2 assists on career-best shooting numbers, but he is not a franchise player.

While Chicago didn’t make any massive blunders this offseason, the team is nearly identical to last season’s roster, although experts disagree about how much improvement is to be expected.

GettyNikola Vucevic #9 of the Chicago Bulls reacts and is assessed a technical foul against the Charlotte Hornets during the fourth quarter at the United Center on January 17, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

Building the Case Against the Chicago Bulls

Last season, the Bulls won 39 games. Heading into this season, their roster is the same, minus Zach LaVine, who was traded to the Sacramento Kings at the trade deadline.

LaVine was easily Chicago’s best player, and without him providing high-level scoring, there is an argument to be made that the Bulls simply won’t be able to compete, even in a weak East.

Giddey and Coby White are talented on the offensive end but severely limited on the defensive side of the ball, and it’s hard to imagine either being anything more than a third or fourth option on a title team.

“The guy that needs to be ‘the guy’ for them probably isn’t on the team right now,” declared beat writer Joel Lorenzi on the NBA Daily podcast’s September 23 episode. “It probably doesn’t exist for them right now.”

In order for the Bulls to get ‘the guy’ they’ve needed since Jimmy Butler left, Chicago needs to tank, and this could be the year for it. The 2026 draft is headlined by AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer, all of whom could thrive next to a pass-first point guard like Giddey.

Building the Case For the Chicago Bulls

On the other hand, the Bulls are relying on internal development, and there is a case to be made that it will pay off.

Chicago had a winning percentage of .429 with LaVine in the lineup last season and went 19-16 after trading him. It stands to reason that Giddey and Matas Buzelis will continue to improve this season.

While that doesn’t mean they will be frontrunners in the East, they should be able to make the playoffs in a weaker conference, right? After all, they don’t have any ‘terrible’ players, according to one expert.

“‘No terrible minutes’ isn’t an upside strategy, but it delivers a pretty reliable floor,” wrote The Athletic’s John Hollinger on September 22nd. “The Bulls also have some upside outs in the second-year version of Matas Buzelis, the still-young Josh Giddey…The Bulls didn’t exactly fall apart after the Zach LaVine trade in 2024-25, going 17-13 in their final 30 games, and they’re bringing back essentially the same team.”

Realistically, Chicago will finish ahead of teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and possibly the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors. For the fourth year in a row, expect to see the Bulls in the play-in.

Jonah Kubicek Jonah Kubicek has been covering the NBA since 2021 and has served as a writer, editor, and social media manager. When he’s not catching a game, he can be found cooking, reading, or meticulously planning his garden. More about Jonah Kubicek