3 Bulls Storylines We’re Watching During the NBA Offseason

After living in NBA purgatory for most of Billy Donovan’s tenure, the Chicago Bulls bottomed out in 2025-26. The Bulls have now overhauled their entire basketball department and retooled their roster. Can the Bulls turn things around once again?

There is not much expected of the Bulls this upcoming season, with their over/under set at 31.5 wins. Looking at the odds, those who play sportsbooks and play at Play Mr.Q casino have taken notice of the assumingly uphill climb the Bulls have in order to get back to relevance in the East.

Chicago Bulls: Historical Context For Where We’re At

Chicago has quite an NBA history, though it certainly hasn’t been smooth sailing. The Bulls, founded in1966, are the Association’s 10th-oldest franchise and rank 13th all-time in wins.

Chicago became the class of the league in the 1990s. The Bulls won an unprecedented six titles in eight years, including three straight twice (1991-93 and 1996-98). They are the only NBA franchise to win multiple championships while never losing an NBA Finals series in their history.

Following the 1998 title, the Bulls went six years without making the playoffs before going on another strong run. From the mid 2000s to the mid-2010s, the Bulls made the playoffs 10 times and reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011.

However, the Bulls have fallen on hard times recently. Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Bulls have posted the fifth-worst record at 333-437 (.432). The Bulls have registered just two winning campaigns and two playoff appearances during these 11 years.

The Bulls last made the playoffs in 2022. Part of their problem has been that the Bulls have been in the mix for a playoff spot since then, finishing with 39 or 40 victories, good enough for ninth or 10th in the conference. That was until last season, when they were 12th (31-51), 12 games behind 10th-place Miami.

The Bulls fired the much-maligned  Arturas Karnisovas right before the end of the season. The Bulls hired a young but experienced NBA exec, Bryson Graham, as vice president of basketball operations to replace him. Then, after much deliberation, Billy Donovan decided to step down as head coach. In his place, Graham chose former NBA player and interim head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, Tiago Splitter.

Chicago Bulls Roster Construction and Timeline

Graham has been working in the NBA front office since 2010, with a background heavily focused on scouting, analytics, and roster construction. Speaking of roster construction, Graham has made some interesting and controversial decisions, so it will be interesting to see how Splitter and his staff can maximize the roster.

Graham decided not to go into full rebuild mode this season, rather taking a retooling approach. Drafting Caleb Wilson with the No. 4 pick was a no-brainer, and selecting Dailyn Swain, who has upside, at No. 15 has been relatively well-received.  The surprise move was taking on Nic Claxton in a three-team trade involving the Minnesota Timberwolves and Brooklyn Nets.  He also inked Norman Powell to a two-year, $44.4 million deal, re-signed Zach Collins and dealt Braden Smith, selected with the No. 38 pick, to Indiana for Kam Jones. Jones was waived by the Bulls a week after acquiring him.

Graham has built this year’s team based on his SLAP philosophy – size, length, adaptability and processing. While Powell gives the Bulls much-needed shooting and secondary scoring, Graham focused mostly on improving their defense with Claxton, Wilson and Collins. The Bulls ranked 28th in points allowed and 22nd in defensive rating.

Chicago currently has the third-youngest roster, with an average age of 24.4 for the 14 players on standard contracts. Overall, the Bulls have 10 players, including two minor league players, who are 25 or younger, with eight under 24.

Development Of Youngsters

Part of the reason Graham selected Splitter for the first seat on the bench is his track record of player development as an assistant and head coach. Splitter is also known as a teacher, not just an evaluator. His specialization is defense and developing big men, which he will have his work cut out.

Wilson was in the conversation as a tier-1 draft prospect – AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer – though probably slightly below that trio. He is known for his athleticism, motor, defense and defense. So, while Wilson’s defense will be key for the Bulls this year, Splitter and the Bulls’ coaching staff’s grade of his development will be based on his improvement in offense, particularly shooting.

Wilson has looked very good during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 24.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, and 1.3 steals while shooting 50.9% from the field and 48.0% from the 3-point line. He has scored at least 18 points in all three games and had a huge first game against Memphis with 35 points.

Swain is a bit more of a project. Like Wilson, Swain is known for his defensive ability, but the big question is whether he can handle being a primary creator, as this is the role the Bulls are putting him in. Known as a slashing wing in college, he has struggled during summer league, particularly when playing point guard.

2025 first-round pick Noa Essengue, who was shut down early last season due to injury, has also struggled offensively this summer. Meanwhile, Jaylin Sellers and Tobe Awaka, both of whom are on two-way deals, have shown promise, as has Donovan Atwell, who has reportedly signed a training camp deal with the Bulls.

Splitter did a tremendous job leading the Trail Blazers to their first winning record and playoff appearance in five years. Moreover, Deni Avdija became a first-time All-Star, and Donovan Clingan took major steps in his development.

In addition to the above players, Rob Dillingham and Leonard Miller are also still in the developmental stage.

Draft Capital, Trade Market and Cap Flexibility

Chicago has 14 players on standard contracts and two players on two-way contracts. The Bulls figure to fill the last spot on the roster as they are $1.96 million under the cap and $37.4 million below the tax line. The Bulls still have the Room exception ($9.3 million) to use on free agents.

Additionally, Chicago has a good chest of assets. The Bulls have seven future first-round picks, four of which are tradable, and 12 second-round selections over the next seven seasons. They also have four trade exceptions that expire at this year’s trade deadline. Two of which hold values of $10 million or more.

So, the Bulls could take a big swing during the season. More importantly, they have a good roster mix that they can deal their vets or younger players depending on how the season starts. Powell, Claxton, and Collins are players to watch as the trade deadline approaches.

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