The current Chicago Bulls look nothing like the group that opened the season. Eight players have departed, and seven new faces have graced the United Center. The roster overhaul signals a franchise firmly in transition. Bleacher Report’s Top 99 Player Rankings only reinforce that reality. The Bulls are far from being viewed as a team built to contend right now.
In Bleacher Report’s Top 99 Player Rankings, the Bulls are represented just once. Josh Giddey checks in at No. 59. In his evaluation, Dan Favale, who wrote Giddey's blurb, acknowledged his flaws, including inconsistent defense and a limited overall impact on Chicago’s offense.
Nonetheless, Favale highlighted Giddey’s offensive growth, particularly his improved spot-up shooting and creativity inside the arc. He also emphasized the 23-year-old’s impressive statistical profile, noting that Giddey is one of just three players in the NBA averaging at least 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists, joining Nikola Jokić and Jalen Johnson.
Josh Giddey’s rise highlights a larger issue for the Bulls
While Giddey’s rise from No. 71 entering the season to No. 59 at midseason is encouraging, the bigger picture is harder to ignore: Chicago is represented by just one player.
Prior to the season, when Giddey ranked No. 71 on the same list, the Bulls had three players featured. Nikola Vučević checked in at No. 85, while Coby White landed at No. 78. At that time, Chicago was one of 23 teams with at least three players included in Bleacher Report’s Top 99 Player Rankings.
Fast forward to the post-All-Star break, and while Giddey has climbed, the rest of Chicago’s former core tells a different story. Vučević, now with the Boston Celtics, is unranked, and White checks in at No. 88 with the Charlotte Hornets. Furthermore, none of the Bulls’ newest additions made the cut.
A case could be made for Anfernee Simons, who opened the season ranked No. 86. However, the 26-year-old is averaging his fewest points and assists per game since the 2020–21 campaign. While a larger role in Chicago could spark a turnaround, Simons is on an expiring contract and does not appear to be part of the Bulls’ long-term plans, limiting any significance of any short-term surge.
Having just one player ranked in the Top 99 is a sobering reminder for Bulls fans. The lack of representation isn't necessarily a surprise, but it underscores how far Chicago remains from legitimate contention. Matas Buzelis could very well crack the rankings by season’s end, yet beyond him and Giddey, the Bulls are thin on long-term building blocks.