The Chicago Bulls offseason has had a large cloud of negativity hanging over it.
The Bulls are still stuck in no man’s land, botched nearly everything they did and didn’t give fans many reasons to be excited.
So, in a rare moment of positivity, let’s look at some reasons to look forward to the 2024-25 season for the Chicago Bulls.
#5: The inevitable Zach LaVine divorce
Ok, so this one isn’t exactly positive, so let’s get it out of the way first.
The soap opera between the Bulls and LaVine has gotten progressively worse in recent weeks and it does seem like a breakup is inevitable.
LaVine is a professional (not sure about the Bulls’ front office), so he’s going to play his best, try to raise his trade value and find a new home, which is in the best interest of everyone involved.
Of course, there are nightmare scenarios with LaVine that we’ll ignore for now in the name of positivity, but at some point this season, the Bulls will trade Zach LaVine and this drama will be over.
#4: Matas Buzelis
The one thing the Bulls’ front office didn’t get criticized for this offseason was the selection of Matas Buzelis in the draft, as many experts had him ranked in the top five.
He could end up being a steal, further evidenced by a strong Summer League and a style of play that is full of confidence and a bit of swagger.
He’s a project but will be fun to watch right away. He’ll provide some highlight-reel dunks and blocks and hopefully put together stretches as a rookie that project a future All-Star.
He’s from Chicago and should be a fan favorite right away and I look forward to watching him.
#3: The Lonzo Ball feel-good story
Anything the Bulls get from Lonzo Ball next season would be gravy, as they aren’t counting on him after missing 2.5 seasons with injuries.
He’s trying to make medical history by coming back from a surgery from which no athlete has fully recovered.
He’s already playing five-on-five and looks on track to be back at some point next season, if not the beginning.
Ball won Chicago over quickly with his defense and slick passes in fast breaks, and they’ll be cheering for him as he attempts to come back.
This would be one of the feel-good stories of the year and if Ball comes back and is playing well, the Bulls may be able to extract an asset for him at the deadline or possibly re-sign him to a minimum deal themselves.
#2: Josh Giddey recording triple doubles
Josh Giddey thinks he’s an NBA starter and should be paid accordingly. He’s got one year to prove it, and should have plenty of chances as the primary initiator on offense.
Giddey averaged just under five assists per game as a secondary option for OKC last season and that number figures to go way up with more usage and more time with the ball in his hands.
Giddey was averaging over six assists and just under eight rebounds per game in his first two seasons, when he was playing six more minutes per game on average. He’s going to get big minutes with the Bulls and plenty of chances to rack up stats.
Expect Josh Giddey to put up some gaudy numbers at times, log a bunch of triple doubles and be a candidate for Most Improved Player.
It may not translate to a ton of wins, but Giddey is going to be beloved by fantasy players, as he is going to put up numbers.
#1: Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White
This is technically two things but they are connected, as both Dosunmu and White should be the biggest beneficiaries of the departures of DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso.
Both guys are on value contracts that rank among the best in the NBA, but for them to get the next big deal, they have to prove they are more than just complementary players on a mediocre team.
Can Coby White make a leap into true stardom as the primary option?
Does Ayo have another level as a scorer, which would make him an even more valuable 3-and-D role player who they can’t keep out of the starting lineup?
I am curious to find out, as both of these players are fun to watch and could be long-term pieces for the Bulls.