The Chicago Bulls didn't have an extraordinarily active summer, but they made some smart moves on the margins that should help them further grow into their new on-court philosophy. They still refuse to make the big splash, however, that will vault them into playoff contender status and out of play-in purgatory.
The Bulls traded Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for wing Isaac Okoro. They drafted French teenager Noa Essengue with the No. 12 pick and Australian forward Lachlan Olbrich at No. 55 in the 2025 NBA Draft. They altered their two-way slots, adding Yuki Kawamura and releasing Jahmir Young.
Long-time NBA reporter David Aldridge, now of The Athletic, ranked all 30 teams by their level of offseason improvement. He stressed that his list is not a power rankings or an indicator of how he feels each team will compete this season; simply how much he believes they've upgraded.
He had Chicago ranked surprisingly high -- while also acknowledging the elephant in the room.
Bulls got better this offseason but remain a major move away from competing
As Aldridge notes, pairing the 6-foot-10 Essengue with the 6-foot-10 Matas Buzelis creates an intriguing duo for the future. Both players are versatile enough to vacillate between either forward spot. Buzelis is explosive, while Essengue is more gracefully athletic, but both are long enough and physically gifted enough to be pests defensively and transition threats offensively.
Swapping Ball for Okoro, an athletic, defensive-minded wing who can attack the rim and hit open threes, adds another player who fits the archetype Chicago is clearly trying to construct its roster around.
The Bulls finally have an identity and are acquiring players who fit it. But they're slow-playing everything and are projected to miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season, which makes Aldridge add the following caveat to his ranking:
"At some point, Chicago is going to have to be more intentional in making bigger moves that can get it out of Play-In round hell. Unless it’s cool staying in Play-In round hell."
He simply wrote what everyone around the league -- and Bulls fans -- has been thinking for the last handful of seasons. What's the ultimate goal here, and when will the franchise prove its willing to do what's necessary to compete? How are three straight play-in tournament losses not enough to move the needle? How much mediocrity is too much mediocrity?
Chicago is expected to re-sign point guard Josh Giddey, who had a career year in his first season with the Bulls. Coby White is coming off his best campaign, Kevin Huerter had a second-half resurgence, Buzelis seems poised to make a leap, and this roster is more conducive to the up-tempo, transition-based scheme head coach Billy Donovan favors.
If there's no legitimate on-court progress this season, then when is enough enough?