The Chicago Bulls have undergone a shift in identity, and it’s quite clear what it has been. A season ago, Chicago finished 28th in the association in pace, only ahead of the notoriously slower-paced Miami Heat and New York Knicks.

Last season, the Bulls ranked second in pace, trailing only Ja Morant’s Grizzlies. Billy Donovan’s intention was clear from the beginning of the season. The Bulls’ offensive identity centered on generating transition opportunities and converting them into efficient looks.

The Bulls’ shift in philosophy followed a season in which they led the league in mid-range attempts. Much of that was a byproduct of DeMar DeRozan, an elite mid-range scorer whose style heavily influenced Chicago’s numbers. Nonetheless, Chicago led the association in mid-range attempts per game in 2023-24, with 14.6 per contest.

Yet, despite rostering DeRozan and another elite marksmen, Zach LaVine, the Bulls shot merely 43.7 percent from the mid-range. Although a sub-45 percent mark seems egregious on paper, it actually wasn’t; Chicago placed ninth amongst 30 squads in mid-range jumpshot percentage.

Still, even though the Bulls were efficient from the mid-range—a zone the NBA has largely abandoned—they shifted their offensive philosophy post-DeRozan. Last season, the Bulls ranked 27th in mid-range shot attempts per contest, averaging only 6.4 per game. Furthermore, the Bulls weren’t very efficient when it came to the mid-range, drilling a league-worst 37.1 percent of such looks.

The Bulls new-look offense is reliant on Josh Giddey

The Bulls began prioritizing an offense centered on three-pointers and fast breaks. Consequently, after acquiring jumbo point guard Josh Giddey, the Bulls doubled down on that new philosophy.

Giddey is by no means an imposing athlete nor a three-point marksmen, he’s actually quite the opposite. However, the 6-foot-8 floor general is one of the association’s few players capable of hauling in a rebound and jumpstarting a fastbreak.

Giddey ranked in the top-15 in passes made, assists, and potential assists per game. Although there’s no data on transition assists per game, Giddey teammates, Coby White and Zach LaVine (before being traded), ranked first and second in the NBA in transition points per game at 7.1 and 6.3, respectively.

Even without clear statistical proof, it’s evident that Giddey played a role in boosting White and LaVine’s transition scoring. A year prior, White averaged nearly three fewer transition points per game, while LaVine totaled 1.3 fewer in 2023-24.

Take Giddey out of the picture, and the Bulls slow down and lose their edge. Which is why, contract drama or not, it’s obvious Chicago can’t afford to lose him.

The Bulls are nowhere close to losing Giddey; he’s still a restricted free agent. Nonetheless, the idea of Giddey getting away isn’t far-fetched. He still hasn’t agreed to a new contract, more than two months into free agency. Signing the $11.14 million qualifying offer and testing the waters a year from now isn’t out of the picture for the 22-year-old point guard.

However, Chicago can’t afford to let him go. After drafting two transition maestros in back-to-back drafts, the Bulls’ identity couldn’t be more obvious. Giddey is the heart and soul of what Billy Donovan wants to do. Therefore, it’s of the essence that he re-signs and returns to the lineup.