Young, Hungry, and Ready: Bulls enter 2025 with optimism |
The offseason is coming to an end, and next week, the preseason games will start for you, Chicago Bulls. If you watch any sports show, especially on ESPN or NBA TV, you will find nowhere that pundits state the Chicago Bulls are a lock for the postseason. Why would they after the last few years, especially? Let's call a spade a spade here and say the Chicago Bulls have not been championship contenders since Derrick Rose and company were running up and down the court with Coach Thibs screaming on the sidelines. Yes, there have been some playoff appearances here and there, but nothing more than a brief appearance and a 'see ya later.' Why should this season be any different, as all of the superstars the Bulls had have moved on to other teams, and the only one left from the latest superstar trio the Bulls tried to put together is an aging Nikola Vucevic? Let's throw all that to the side and take a deeper look into why this season may be the best one out of the past four years.
To compete in the NBA, you need not only a superstar but teammates around that player who can help on a nightly basis. The Chicago Bulls do not have a superstar, at least not yet, but they are young and hungry, and seem to be trying to lock up a new core, as evidenced by Josh Giddey inking a four-year, $100 million contract to stay in Chicago. In the second half of last season, Giddey seemed to be in superstar mode, as he took off and became a triple-double machine down the stretch. Will he sustain that level of play? Odds say don’t bet on it; however, improving just a little bit towards what he showed last season won't take him to a superstar level, but it will make him a darn good basketball player and someone you want on your team. Giddey was not the only young player who showed a second-half surge. After being benched and having a mediocre first half of the season, Matas Buzelis became a whole new player, increasing his points per game average to 13.6. For a young kid, this is a good showing and something that he can build upon. The benching seemed to let him reset and get into a groove, finding himself, which is no easy task in the NBA. As we have seen, many players with limitless talent have fallen by the wayside and never recovered to establish a name for themselves in the league. Buzelis is counted on to be a part of this next core, and if he continues to improve, the sky truly is the limit for the young player. Free agency will be a factor in the upcoming season, and it's a positive one. The Bulls have a lot of players, barring an extension, who are going to hit the market next offseason. The biggest ones will be Nikola Vucevic, who will hit the market and is unlikely to return if he even makes it through the whole season in Chicago for the upcoming season. Coby White is the big name on the board as the point guard finally upped his points per game average to 20.4, a career high. White appears to be on an upward trajectory and has a lot to play for this season, as he can be a part of the core for the Bulls. If not, he can guarantee himself a big payday with another team by having another good season. Youngster Ayo Dosunmo has a lot to play for, as he will be looking for either an opportunity to stay in his hometown of Chicago or secure a life-changing payday elsewhere in the league. The free agency factor alone will keep this young team hungry and eager to prove itself not only to its team but also to itself and its future. The way the Chicago Bulls play with a fast-paced style tempo causes havoc on opposing teams, and with the League's superstars getting older, that can assure more rest days for the opposition, which will be a gain for the Bulls. The young Bulls are going to play night in and night out as their young bodies can take that kind of beating. Some games that you wouldn’t think the Bulls would win are now something that can be considered a toss-up. A few more wins during the season mean a lot, especially to a team like Chicago. This season could see the Bulls make the playoffs without needing a play-in game, which is a genuine possibility. Sometimes, a young team without a Bona Fide superstar surprises the league with a run to the conference finals. Maybe this season it could be your Chicago Bulls. There's reason for optimism and a reason to fill up the United Center on a nightly basis. This season should be a fun one, Bulls fans.
