Where do the Chicago Bulls rank in The Ringer’s Top 125 NBA players?

Following Nikola Jokic’s victory in the NBA Finals to claim his first-ever championship ring, there can be no question as to who sits on the basketball throne of the world. At least for now. The NBA is now more competitive than ever before, that’s why I was happy to see The Ringer release their Top 125 following Denver’s championship victory. The Chicago Bulls may not be champions this year, but getting a few players on this list is a small consolation for us fans.

Here’s how the top 10 shakes out on The Ringer’s newest edition of the Top 125. While no Bulls players would crack the top 10, they’re fairly represented throughout the entire list with four total players.

DeMar DeRozan ranks 41st in The Ringer’s Top 125.

"“Throwback go-to scorer who thrives from the midrange and whose late-career playmaking progress has made him a more complete player.”"

Coming off the heels of two consecutive All-Star appearances with the Bulls, I can’t say I’m surprised to see that DeMar DeRozan has done much to repair his perceived value around the league. After being infamously ranked as the 82nd-best player in the NBA by ESPN in 2020, DeMar has made many a writer feel foolish by continuing to be one of the most dynamic offensive threats in the game. While I personally believe he deserves to be bumped up at least a few spots here, this is far from a disrespectful placement.

The 3 players ranked ahead of DeRozan:

• Jrue Holiday
• Desmond Bane
• Kyrie Irving

The 3 players ranked behind DeRozan:

• Bradley Beal
• Julius Randle
• Dejounte Murray

Zach LaVine ranks 47th in The Ringer’s Top 125.

"“Feel-good developmental story of a scorer who polished his game, yet he’s still on the hunt for a winning situation.”"

If we really want to discuss disrespectful placements, let’s start here with Zach LaVine. Despite scoring the ninth most points of any NBA player over the last three seasons (just one spot behind DeRozan, in fact), LaVine has been as consistent as they come for the Bulls. Much like we’ve seen with Devin Booker, De’Aaron Fox, and Jamal Murray among many others in recent years, score-first guards are often dismissed until the team around them is improved and they start racking up wins. The idea that there are 46 players better than LaVine in the league is simply ridiculous, especially when you see who The Ringer has placed right before him on this list.

The 3 players ranked ahead of LaVine:

• Dejounte Murray
• Aaron Gordon
• Andrew Wiggins

The 3 players ranked behind LaVine:

• Chris Paul
• Khris Middleton
• LaMelo Ball

Nikola Vucevic ranks 89th in The Ringer’s Top 125.

"“Solid, skilled big with lots of ways to contribute but none to dominate—and glaring defensive limitations as the caveat to it all.”"

Since joining up with the Bulls at the trade deadline in 2021, Nikola Vucevic’s stock around the league has undoubtedly taken a hit. Whether that’s from a natural regression or a poor fit on this roster, it’s hard to say, but he’s still clearly a top-100 player in this league in spite of it all. Vucevic has averaged 17.6 points and 11 rebounds in each of the last two seasons, but a huge uptick in efficiency last season resulted in a much more productive campaign. His name may not hold the star appeal it once did, but Vucevic is definitely still among the better centers in this league.

The 3 players ranked ahead of Vucevic:

• Anfernee Simons
• Malcolm Brogdon
• Keldon Johnson

The 3 players ranked behind Vucevic:

• Clint Capela
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
• Tobias Harris

Alex Caruso ranks 101st in The Ringer’s Top 125.

"“Terrific role player whom every superstar would love to play with. Few have a larger impact on winning without ever touching the ball.”"

Just missing out on the top 100 here, Alex Caruso is finally receiving the credit he deserves for being one of the most elite role players in the league. Although he lacks the raw talent that many of his peers possess, Caruso’s basketball IQ and feel for the game is simply unparalleled. Now that he has an All-Defensive First Team selection to his name, expect other teams around the league to look out Caruso in a more positive light. Whether or not the Bulls keep Caruso around on the MLE for the next two years, or end up trading the veteran for draft assets, this signing was unquestionably a big steal for the franchise.

The 3 players ranked ahead of Caruso:

• Wendell Carter Jr.
• Immanuel Quickley
• Devin Vassell

The 3 players ranked behind Caruso:

• Josh Hart
• Walker Kessler
• Jordan Clarkson