Chicago Bulls rising star Matas Buzelis has huge expectations for himself and the team. Given the kind of success the Bulls franchise became accustomed to in the '90s, the young forward hopes to return the team to the same position by bringing a championship to the city.
While speaking with the media on his aspirations for the Chicago Bulls next season, Buzelis said:
"I'm born and raised in Chicago, so this city means a lot to me. The people always deserve more, I'd say. Our fans are amazing, and we need to bring them a championship. Plain and simple."
The conviction with which the 20-year-old expresses himself speaks volumes. The Bulls forward is an exceptional young player. Unfortunately, given the current state of this Chicago team in mind, bringing title glory to the city may be more of a pipe dream.
Chicago has seen some significant roster changes over the course of the last few seasons. After trading DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings before the 2024-25 campaign, the Bulls decided to trade their star Zach LaVine to the same team midway through the season. This was paired with a trade sending Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who eventually went on to win the NBA title with Caruso playing a significant role on the team.
Some of the Bulls' trade decisions have been mind-boggling, and the value they have received from these trades hasn't been impressive. More recently, Chicago opted to trade Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers, marking the end of an era with their old core.
This sets up the Bulls to start anew, with Buzelis as the franchise cornerstone. But the challenges associated with this are not to be overlooked.
As things stand, Chicago doesn't boast a formidable roster. After finishing ninth in the Eastern Conference last season, the Bulls haven't made any significant additions to their team to make improvements.
Instead, the Bulls could be in a position to see more key players on the way out. In the backcourt, players such as Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu have been mentioned in potential trade conversations as Chicago hopes to offload expiring contracts.
Restricted free agent Josh Giddey is still in contract discussions with the team, as they have shown no inclination to give him a deal worth approximately $30 million. The prospects for him are thin, as the market for restricted free agents this season is poor. While he could accept the qualifying offer and play out the season and become an unrestricted free agent next season, it is clear that he is seeking a multi-year deal.
Coming off his rookie season, Buzelis could look to take major strides on a developing team. His averages of 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game could also see improvement. Unfortunately, as constructed, Chicago is a long way away from being a title contender.
