With the Chicago Bulls defeating the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday afternoon, they secured a 39-43 record and a Play-In Tournament appearance for the second consecutive season. The 2024-25 season has been an interesting season for the Bulls, with the Zach LaVine trade being the turning point of the season. The Bulls have been one of the fastest-paced teams in the league as the team shifted focus towards youth following the off-season departures of DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso and the in-season trade of LaVine.
The Bulls have been top 10 in points per game, three-point attempts, three-point percentage, field goal attempts, and percentage, rebounds, and assists. While the 2024-25 season has been encouraging, yet transformative, there are three key lessons to be learned from the Bulls this season.
3 Things learned from the Chicago Bulls this season
3. DeMar DeRozan was not holding Patrick Williams Back
Having played three seasons with DeRozan, many believed that the veteran swingman was stunting Patrick Williams's growth. The two both suited up on the wing and DeMar played with a ball-dominant style alongside the younger Williams.
When DeRozan was sent to the Sacramento Kings as a part of an offseason sign-and-trade, many believed that DeRozan's absence would be the perfect opportunity for Williams to break out. Nonetheless, Williams has looked no different from previous seasons in his first season without DeRozan.
In 62 appearances, Williams has averaged 8.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.5 blocks, and 0.7 steals per game. Nearly all his counting stats have dropped across the board. Williams averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 0.9 steals a season ago. Furthermore, Williams is shooting career lows from the field and three, shooting 39.5 and 35.2 percent, respectively.
Signing a five-year, $90 million contract last offseason and being the first draft pick by Arturas Karnisovas, Williams is unlikely to be traded any time soon, if at all. It is also likely that Williams has reached his peak in the NBA.
2. Matas Buzelis has star potential
When Chicago shockingly landed G-League forward Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, many pointed to the selection as a steal in a lowly draft. While his playing time has been at the will of Bulls' Head Coach Billy Donovan, the second half of the season has been much kinder to Buzelis.
Since the LaVine trade in early February, Buzelis has averaged 13.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. In the same game against the Los Angeles Lakers that saw Josh Giddey hit a half-court game-winner over LeBron James, Buzelies dropped a career-high 31 points, shooting 5-of-10 from three.
Depending on how the offseason goes, Buzelis could see another uptick in minutes or secure the starting spot on the wing heading into the 2025-26 season. Alongside Coby White and potentially Josh Giddey, Buzelis has the chance to be a foundational piece for the Bulls going forward.
1. Josh Giddey has proven the doubters wrong
When the Bulls traded All-NBA Defender Caruso for Josh Giddey last offseason, many considered it to be one of the worst trades in recent history. Having been played off the court in the playoffs and the Bulls trading a two-time all-defensive guard for Giddey without receiving any picks in return, Chicago was heavily criticized for the trade.
When Giddey and the Bulls did not come to terms on a contract extension before the beginning of the 2024-25 season, the pressure was on Giddey to earn a new deal ahead of restricted free agency. Over the past few months, he has earned every cent of what he will get on a new deal this offseason.
In 70 appearances, Giddey has averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.2 steals, shooting 46.5 percent from the field and a career-high 37.8% from three. Giddey has had seven triple-doubles, with five coming since the beginning of March.
He would tie his career-high 17 assists in a showout performance against the Los Angeles Lakers that included a game-winning half-court heave. He would also grab a career-high 19 rebounds in an early April game against the Portland Trailblazers.
With Giddey and the Bulls able to talk a new contract once their season ends, Giddey will likely receive a new deal from the team. With rumors prior to the season suggesting Giddey was looking for upwards of $30 million per season, the fourth-year guard has justified a big-money, long-term contract.