Some seasons end where they began.
The Chicago Bulls are 39-43. Again. The ninth seed. Again. But don’t let the symmetry fool you—this isn’t the same story. The faces are younger. The energy’s fresher. The outlook? Different.
This team may have finished in the same place, but they’ve started down a new path.
A Season of Reinvention for the Bulls
The 2024–25 campaign wasn’t about chasing 50 wins. It was about recalibrating. Building.
Trading away Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso wasn’t the end—it was the beginning. In came Josh Giddey, a 6’8″ connector with vision, touch, and patience. Matas Buzelis started showing why he was a top-5 talent before falling to 11th. Coby White finally had the leash—and he ran with it.
This wasn’t just a team trying to survive the schedule. It was a team trying to figure out what’s next.
Josh Giddey is Here
Since the All-Star break, Josh Giddey’s been hooping like he’s got something to prove.
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21.2 points
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10.7 rebounds
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9.3 assists
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45.7% from deep
(via Statmuse)
Only two other players this season have hit the 1,000/500/500 club: LeBron James and Nikola Jokić. (Chicago Bulls on X) Giddey’s now in the books with them. And get this: he joins Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen as only the third Bull ever to reach that mark. (The Hoop Central)
Big names. Big numbers.
And he’s not alone.
The Core Is Coming Into Focus
Matas Buzelis looks like he was built in a lab for Chicago basketball—length, motor, and just enough chaos to make you pay attention. Coby White is having his breakout year: 20.1 points, 4.7 assists, 4.4 rebounds. (Statmuse) And Ayo Dosunmu has become a second-unit staple, bringing calm and control every time he checks in.
This isn’t a patch job anymore. It’s a project with vision.
What Billy Sees
The record may not scream progress, but Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has seen it.
“The one thing I appreciated about the group was I think every night, they lined up and we made winning a priority. We were trying to win. We weren’t always great, but I thought we stuck together, I thought we competed, I thought we played really hard.”
— Billy Donovan via Cody Westerlund
That part’s real. This team plays hard. They’re flawed, but they show up.
And now they’ve got a shot.
Bulls Prepare for Heat in Play-In Clash
The Bulls will face off against the Miami Heat (37-44) at the United Center on Wednesday night. Win, and they advance to face the loser of Atlanta vs. Orlando for the eighth seed. Lose, and it’s over.
Good news: Josh Giddey is expected to play after resting a wrist issue in the finale. Coach Donovan said there’s “high-level optimism” he’ll be back.
(K.C. Johnson)
Better news: Giddey’s ready too.
“We’ll see where we end up after 82 games, but we’re confident we can go into a play-in game and beat anybody… This is the right time of year to get going.”
— Josh Giddey via Cody Westerlund
They’ve been here before. Same seed. Same stakes. But this isn’t last year’s Bulls.
This feels like a beginning.
