The Emirates NBA Cup is returning for a third season in 2025-26. The Chicago Bulls will be put to the test early in the campaign, with matchups against the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, and Charlotte Hornets.
Chicago will host New York on Halloween, before taking on the Bucks in Milwaukee a week later, then squaring off against Miami in the Windy City on November 21, and finally traveling to Charlotte to battle the new-look Hornets a day after Thanksgiving.
Mark your calendars: Cup Nights are back! 📅@MotorolaUS | #SeeRed pic.twitter.com/gaNetOF2Su
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) August 13, 2025
While there will forever be a sense of optimism prior to the start of a fresh season, it doesn't go without saying that the Bulls haven't had the best luck in the NBA Cup. In the Cup's inaugural season, Chicago went 0-4, with losses to the Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, and Boston Celtics.
The Bulls' losses weren't particularly close either. Chicago lost each contest by an average of 12.0 points—the fourth-worst mark in 2023-24. Furthermore, the Bulls' foursome of opponents wasn't the fiercest. Brooklyn and Toronto combined to win 57 games that season. Only Boston and Orlando made the postseason.
A year later, with arguably a worse team, the Bulls went 2-2 in the NBA Cup's group stage. The Bulls defeated the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards, but suffered defeat at the hands of the Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. This time around, Chicago secured a positive differential (1.5) and led the NBA in points per game and offensive rating through the abbreviated in-season tournament.
The Bulls' looming NBA Cup opponents are mediocre
On the heels of their best NBA Cup performance yet, there's reason to believe Chicago will enjoy its most successful in-season tournament in 2025-26. First and foremost, like in 2023-24, the Bulls' grouping isn't all that rigorous. Three of Chicago's four opponents qualified for the postseason, but only New York advanced beyond the opening round.
Next season, the Knicks will return much of their Eastern Conference Finals squad, yet the Bucks and Heat will look different. Milwaukee waived Damian Lillard and parted ways with Brook Lopez, while the Heat lost Duncan Robinson (although Norman Powell replaced him).
Still, New York, Milwaukee, and Miami aren't the staunchest of opponents. Although New York's roster will look eerily similar, the sidelines won't. The Knicks will be led by Mike Brown, whose coaching style is vastly different from the recently departed Tom Thibodeau. Chicago is granted the opportunity to take on the Knicks in Brown's first month of his new gig.
Lastly, the Hornets don't warrant any concern. Charlotte has won more than 40 games once this decade. Sure, the Hornets have made some intriguing offseason additions, but the regular season will put the organization's savvy offseason to the test.
After several disappointing NBA Cups, the third iteration has laid out a relatively easy avenue to advance to the semifinals. All the Bulls have to do is win three of four games, and their chances of advancing are almost a certainty.