Despite staying quiet in free agency, a healthy roster — including the return of Ayo Dosunmu — and internal development from young players like Matas Buzelis could help the Chicago Bulls push for the playoffs this season. It would mark the first time they’ve cracked the top 8 in the East since 2021-22.

The team wasn’t completely inactive this offseason. Reserve point guard Tre Jones is back on a three-year, $24 million deal. Wing Isaac Okoro was brought in via a trade that sent Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Bulls drafted 18-year-old forward Noa Essengue with the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

That sums up the offseason for Chicago, at least so far; the Bulls are still in negotiations to bring back restricted free agent point guard Josh Giddey.

But a dull summer doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of improvement.

Bulls’ own version of free agency could boost Chicago to the playoffs

Ayo Dosunmu is healthy and motivated

Dosunmu’s season-ending shoulder injury was a significant blow that got lost in the shuffle. The 25-year-old guard was having a career year offensively, averaging 12.3 points and 4.5 assists in more than 30 minutes per game over his first 46 contests, 26 of them starts.

His absence was felt even more when Chicago sent Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings shortly before the trade deadline. A lot of the offensive burden fell on Coby White and Giddey, and while they performed well, Dosunmu could have certainly helped carry the load.

He’s on track to be full go once training camp starts and will be playing for a new contract as he’s an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Matas Buzelis is ready for the sophomore leap

Buzelis came on at the end of last season, starting the Bulls’ final 31 games and showing more and more glimpses of superstar potential. He shot a pleasantly surprising 36.1 percent from three as a rookie and led Chicago in blocks.

Putting those together with his 6-foot-10 size, high IQ and truly explosive athleticism and you start to see why he was in the conversation to be a top-5 pick in the 2024 draft.

The Bulls are ready to give the 20-year-old more playmaking responsibility. He’s added some bulk to his lanky frame. He should be a fixture in Donovan’s starting five. It’s fair to place high expectations on Buzelis this season.

Isaac Okoro will add defense, depth

The Ball-Okoro swap didn’t draw many headlines, but it could be a useful deal for both sides. Despite having his worst statistical season as a pro last year, there’s reason to believe the 24-year-old Okoro will flourish with a change of scenery.

In Cleveland, the former Auburn star, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 draft, was pigeonholed and developed as a 3-and-D wing. He did improve his outside shot to the tune of 38.3 percent over the last two seasons, but he wasn’t able to display the high-level athleticism that made him such a tantalizing prospect.

Okoro is an above-average defender capable of guarding multiple positions and can hit open threes, but he should be able to showcase more of his skill set in a different role with the Bulls. Donovan’s up-tempo transition scheme will give him the freedom to run the floor and finish at the rim, which is where he excelled most in college.

Internal improvement

Chicago fields one of the youngest rosters in the NBA. The glass-half-full approach to that is that there’s a lot of room for players to get better.

Seeing growth from Buzelis is vital to the franchise’s future, but Giddey is coming off by far his best season and is still only 22 years old. White settled into the role of No. 1 option following LaVine’s departure and averaged 27.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists with shooting splits of 51/39/90 in his last 20 games. He was ninth in the league in scoring during that span.

Jones was far better than advertised when he got to Chicago. Kevin Huerter became instrumental to the team’s success down the stretch. Essengue is raw but has the physical tools to help the Bulls on both ends.

There was no blockbuster trade, marquee free agent signing, or front office or coaching staff shake-up. But with some injury luck and development from a slew of young players — and a weakened Eastern Conference — Chicago has a chance to avoid another play-in tournament debacle this season.