A 1-7 start to the 2026-27 season may not have been what most Bulls fans expected from the team eight games in.
Chicago is currently 14th in the East, ahead of only the Milwaukee Bucks.
The 2026-27 campaign has been one of many struggles and underperformances.
The Bulls last played on Nov. 4, a 30-point loss to the Knicks. Chicago will not be back in action until Sunday, when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Bulls' start to the season leaves these burning questions revolving around the current team, specific players and the future.
How much of an impact can Nic Claxton have?
It appears that Nic Claxton has a good chance of playing on Sunday, based on a report from CHSN's K.C. Johnson.
Reporter: “Do you expect (Claxton) to play Sunday?
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 6, 2026
Tiago Splitter, smiling: “Probably.”
Chicago has yet to have their starting center this season, relying on Jalen Smith instead.
This Bulls team is struggling on the defensive end, based on stats from NBA.com. Chicago is currently last in the NBA in defensive rating (123.5) and opponent's points per game (129.6). The Bulls are 27th in opponent points in the paint per game (53).
Chicago needs a boost on the defensive end, and hopefully Claxton can be the player to bring that. If he can improve their paint defense, that will be big in protecting the rim. However, it hopefully can help the guards and forwards get more stops on the outside knowing the paint is well-defended.
It will be interesting if Claxton can be a key offensive contributor as well to make their offense more competitive. Chicago's offensive rating (105.9) is only better than the Jazz and Hornets, according to NBA.com.
Can Matas Buzelis turn things around?
Matas Buzelis is struggling on offense so far this season. He is averaging 12.9 points per game on 40.8% shooting from the field and 27% shooting from beyond the arc. He is also averaging 2.8 turnovers per contest.
Buzelis had some great and aggressive drives to the rim during preseason, and it would be great to see him attack the paint more and get more midrange jumpers, especially since the 3-point shot isn't falling for him. More inside looks - and knocking them down - should help elevate his scoring. Limiting his turnovers will also be key with this.
It's just a question of whether he can turn it around. Buzelis has the chance to really show his value by finding more success.
What is this group's ceiling this year?
It's an 82-game season, and the Bulls have played just eight of those games. But no one can deny the team is struggling.
The on-court product has not looked very great in general, but it raises the question of whether the team can find a way to improve their production on the floor with this roster as the season goes on.
This then leads to another question: Is what fans are seeing the group's ceiling?
Chicago needs to make a statement soon to showcase that there is a chance of finding a better on-court product with this group of players.
What does the roster, production, look like next year?
Chicago is still early in their rebuild, which means that more changes are on the horizon, especially given how the team has looked so far.
The question is who, particularly outside of Caleb Wilson, is on the team next season in key roles.
It will also be interesting to consider what Tiago Splitter's system looks like with a different lineup and how successful it can be with change.
While it is still early, the play is raising these types of questions about the rest of the season and the future.
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