The 2024-25 NBA regular season has officially come to a close. The Chicago Bulls finished with a 39-43 record for ninth place in the Eastern Conference. Sound familiar? That’s a replica of last season’s finish, including their upcoming play-in tournament opponent, the Miami Heat. After 82 games worth of trials and tribulations, including trading away the face of the franchise over the past decade, drafting the most exciting rookie potentially since Derrick Rose, and seeing the emergence of their point guard of the future, Josh Giddey, here’s the biggest takeaways from another sub-.500 year.
1. Billy Donovan Was NOT The Problem
Chicago’s head coach, Billy Donovan, proved this season that he has not been the issue over the past several years. With the least talented and experienced group he’s had since arriving in 2020, Donovan constructed the Bulls’ most impressive campaign compared to the predicted outcome. After dealing LaVine to Sacramento for role players and losing DeMar DeRozan last offseason, the Bulls were looking for a new identity and fresh faces to lead the charge. Giddey and Coby White emerged among the most outstanding young backcourt duos. Matas Buzelis inserted himself into the Rookie of the Year conversation during the last half, but ultimately, Donovan’s elite display of player management transformed the 2024-25 slate.
The guys had a surprise for @HoopHall’s newest Hall of Famer, Billy Donovan ❤️ pic.twitter.com/dO82YKfnEI
https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1908970164374094162
2. The Bulls Found One In Matas Buzelis
With the 11th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls grabbed their best draft choice in recent memory. Originally estimated to be selected in the top ten, Buzelis fell to Chicago at 11, and the choice was obvious for Arturas Karnisovas. This might be the draft choice that buys Karnisovas and his underperforming leadership team another several years. “Lil Buzi Vert” is a surefire pick for one of the NBA’s All-Rookie teams and will likely finish anywhere from third to fifth in the Rookie of the Year voting. Looking at his final stats, the ending counts do not give an accurate picture of his first professional campaign. It was truly a tale of two halves for the youngster and post-trade deadline, and he was one of the most lethal and versatile first-year talents leaguewide.
Only two rookies in the entire NBA had 50+ blocks AND 50+ 3PM this season: Alex Sarr (2nd overall pick) and Matas Buzelis (11th overall pick). Two-way studs.
10 teams will have to live with the decision to pass on Buzelis for the rest of his career. pic.twitter.com/5Nwpbyubps
https://twitter.com/chisportsross/status/1911566267913281959
3. Josh Giddey Is Chicago’s Point Guard Of The Future
Third, and certainly not the least significant of the trio by much, the Bulls found their new leader. A true point guard is here to stay for the first time since Derrick Rose over a decade ago. Giddey’s first campaign in Chicago saw an increase in points, assists, rebounds, steals, and three-point percentage from his final year with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He showed triple-double potential nightly and created more open shots for his teammates than any playmaker the Bulls have had at the helm in a long time. Chicago’s style and pace were entirely transformed this season to match the new meta of the league, and Giddey played the most significant role in the conversion. In the next few months, his new contract will reflect his proven organizational importance, and at just 22 years old, he’ll play a pivotal role in the pending rebuild.
1000 pts, 500 reb, 500 ast!
Josh Giddey just became the third player to reach these totals in the NBA this season.
The others: LeBron James & Nikola Jokic. pic.twitter.com/MBAsoL17xV
https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1910145682641387916
Chicago’s storylines have run rampant over the past twelve months, and 82 games later, they find themselves in the same situation as the last two regular seasons. Whether it was Donovan’s impressive coaching display, Buzelis’s incredible development as the season progressed, or Giddey firmly stamping himself as the new leader on the court, the Bulls have created a unique excitement in the city, unlike the last two years.
Can the Bulls finally break through the NBA’s Play-In tournament and clinch their first playoff appearance in three years, or will they once again be sent home early?
