![\"Bulls](\"https:\/\/assets.newsweek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Matas-Buzelis-Patrick-Williams-Coby-White-Chicago-Bulls.jpg?w=1600&quality=75&webp=1\")
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The Chicago Bulls are gearing up for what promises to be\u2026 another middling run in 2025-26.<\/p>\n
Although the personnel has been turned over many times since the club\u2019s franchise-altering blockbuster trade of Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the results have remained largely the same: Chicago has missed the playoffs in all but one year since 2017.<\/p>\n
Over the last three seasons, the Bulls have finished as a top-10 seed and made the play-in tournament – but they haven\u2019t managed to advance to the playoffs proper since 2022.<\/p>\n
Still, Chicago fans might finally have something approaching hope when it comes to their current roster.<\/p>\n
The Bulls\u2019 best player, shooting guard Coby White, is still just 25 and coming off a career-best season in 2024-25. Chicago just re-signed point guard Josh Giddey, 22, to a four-year, $100 million contract in restricted free agency. Beyond those two vets, defense-first hometown hero guard Ayo Dosunmu should be healthy after missing much of last year with an injury.<\/p>\n
Another Chicago kid, second-year forward Matas Buzelis, is already turning heads, too.<\/p>\n
The hyper-athletic pro, still just 20, was selected with the No. 11 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft coming out of the G League Ignite. He really thrived during the second half of the season, after Chicago had salary-dumped former two-time All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings, as part of a three-team exchange with the San Antonio Spurs.<\/p>\n
In his 32 games with Chicago following the LaVine deal, the 6-foot-10 forward averaged 13.4 points on .489\/.366\/.806 shooting splits, 4.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 blocks and 0.6 steals across 26.9 minutes of action. Across his 48 games pre-trade, Buzelis averaged a far slighter 5.4 points on .404\/.354\/.829 shooting splits, 2.8 boards, and 0.8 rejections in 13.6 minutes per.<\/p>\n
Now, per Keith Smith of Spotrac, Chicago has picked up its $5.7 million team option on the third season of Buzelis\u2019 rookie-scale contract, ahead of the start of his second season. Only in outright disasters is that even a question, but the Bulls\u2019 move here is at least a clear indicator that the club likes what it\u2019s seen out of Buzelis so far.<\/p>\n
Another exciting young lottery prospect has joined the proceedings in Chicago this year.<\/p>\n
Chicago selected 6-foot-9 French combo forward Noa Essengue with the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The 18-year-old had a spotty run in Summer League with Chicago, but like Buzelis – and several other recent draft picks from team president Arturas Karnisovas – he\u2019s been blessed with appetizing athleticism. He may be a long-term project, but his upside is undeniable.<\/p>\n
In three Summer League bouts with the Bulls, Essengue averaged 12.7 points on .419\/.267\/.615 shooting splits, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks and 0.7 assists a night.<\/p>\n
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