The 2024-45 season has been a wild ride for Chicago Bulls fans. Although the Bulls' place in the standings has been anything but wild, the change in roster dynamic has been notable. Chicago has only been above .500 once this season, at 3-2 in October. Since then, the Bulls have been relegated to ninth and now 10th place in the standings. Chicago has remained in the 10th spot since January 1.
As for the roster intrigue, Chicago was fortunate to see Lonzo Ball return to play after missing two consecutive seasons. Ball triumphantly returned to the hardwood in the Bulls' season opener on October 23, 2024, after last appearing in a game on January 14, 2022.
The most noteworthy storyline was the Bulls' decision to move on from Zach LaVine, following years of trade rumors. Three days before the trade deadline, Chicago engaged in a three-team trade with the Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs. LaVine was sent to Sacramento, while Chicago received Zach Collins, Tre Jones, and Kevin Huerter. The primary player in the deal, De'Aaron Fox, was sent to the Spurs.
With LaVine in Sacramento, Chicago has made it a priority to emphasize rookie first-rounder Matas Buzelis. Head Coach Billy Donovan has shifted the 20-year-old into a starting role. Buzelis has responded with impressive results. The rookie has averaged 13.3 points as a starter. Expect to see more Buzelis and the Bulls' guard trio of Josh Giddey, Ayo Dosunmu, and Coby White going forward.
Bulls All-Star Break Primer
- How Chicago has fared against the competition
- Bulls' 2025 Draft Lottery odds
- Bulls' Injury Updates
- Bulls Depth Chart
- Bulls' remaining strength of schedule
- What to expect of the Bulls in the following months
How Chicago has fared against the competition
Chicago is a middling to below-average team thus far. With LaVine in tow, the Bulls were competent. The Bulls won 18 contests and lost 24 with the athletic swingman in the rotation. In games without LaVine, Chicago is 4-9, with three wins coming against the Toronto Raptors (2x) and Charlotte Hornets.
Regardless of who suits up, the Bulls are 22-33 this season. Chicago is surprisingly better on the road than at the United Center. The squad from the Windy City is much better against the Eastern Conference than the West. Chicago is 17-20 in intra-conference and 5-13 in inter-conference affairs.
As expected, the Bulls are much worse against teams above .500. Chicago is 9-21 against foes with a win percentage north of .500 and 13-12 against squads worse than .500. The most random record tidbit is that the Bulls are 4-1 in games decided by three points or less and undefeated (1-0) in overtime games.
Bulls record at the break: 22-33 (Home: 10-19, Away: 12-14)
Bulls' 2025 Draft Lottery odds
The Bulls have embraced the rebuild. Following the LaVine trade, Chicago is 0-4 after swapping their leading scorer for a triumvirate of role players. Nikola Vucevic is the lone remaining Bull with more than seven years of experience. Therefore, it's expected for the Bulls to increase their lottery odds as the season winds down.
The possibility of Chicago landing a prime draft position is minimal. The Bulls' chance to earn the first overall pick is currently at 6.0 percent. Chicago is far more likely to land at either eight or nine. However, if the Bulls' recent four contests are an indication of the latter half of the season, a better draft position is likely.
This would be the Bulls' draft lottery odds if the season ended today:
Pick | Bulls Odss (%) |
|---|---|
1 | 6.0 |
2 | 6.3 |
3 | 6.7 |
4 | 7.2 |
8 | 34.5 |
9 | 32.1 |
10 | 6.7 |
11 | 0.4 |
12 | >0.0 |
Bulls' Injury Updates
Fortunately, the Bulls are one of the healthier teams in the NBA. Eleven different players have appeared in 40 or more contests, and five Bulls have seen action in 50 games thus far. If the new additions are lumped into the mix, Huerter has also appeared in 40-plus contests.
Ball is the only rotation regular not to appear in at least 40 games. The 6-foot-6 guard missed most of November because of a wrist injury and has sat out numerous back-to-backs. He was recently absent from the lineup for four consecutive games due to an illness but should be back in the rotation when the Bulls take on the New York Knicks on February 20.
Lastly, Patrick Williams exited Chicago's most recent affair against the Detroit Pistons on February 12 with an injury. The 23-year-old forward reportedly bumped knees with a Piston, causing him to head to the locker room. Despite exiting the contest, Williams should be fine moving forward. X-rays were negative, and there's nothing to be concerned about in the long term.
Bulls Depth Chart
Below is a snapshot of the Bulls' depth chart. While certain players are out of position (such as Dosunmu), this is likely how Donovan's rotation will look for the rest of the season. Don't be surprised if Donovan moves Ball back into the starting lineup once he returns from illness.
Position | First | Second | Third | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Point Guard | Josh Giddey | Tre Jones | Jevon Carter | |
Shooting Guard | Coby White | Lonzo Ball | Dalen Terry | |
Small Forward | Ayo Dosunmu | Kevin Huerter | Talen Horton-Tucker | E.J. Liddell (TW) |
Power Forward | Matas Buzelis | Patrick Williams | Julian Phillips | Emanuel Miller (TW) |
Center | Nikola Vucevic | Jalen Smith | Zach Collins | Adama Sanogo (TW) |
Bulls' remaining strength of schedule
Chicago's remaining schedule strength is almost average. The Bulls' strength of schedule from here on out is .502. Chicago will see a handful of quality teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers twice and the Western Conference's best team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, once.
However, the Bulls are slated to square off the Raptors twice more and several tanking squads once, such as the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, and Washington Wizards.
Chicago's SOS: .502 (16th in the NBA)
What to expect of the Bulls in the following months
While it's been mentioned briefly, first of all, expect to see Buzelis heavily involved over the next 27 contests. The rookie's minutes have seen a drastic uptick from January to February. He entered the starting lineup once Ball was sidelined, but he should remain in the opening unit until the season comes to a close.
Aside from Buzelis, there's certainly intrigue surrounding Chicago's newest additions. However, it's unlikely the Bulls will prioritize any of the newbies moving forward. Jones is playing on an expiring contract, while Collins and Huerter only have a season remaining. Moreover, if Huerter revives his shooting stroke over the next few months, the Bulls might have a valuable trade chip in the offseason.
Lastly, expect a lot of losing. The Bulls traded LaVine, primarily with the intent of recouping their own first-rounder. Now, in control of their destiny, losing games is in Chicago's best interest.