The Chicago Bulls are less than a month away from reality.
To the organization’s credit, they have established a slightly more focused team-building approach over the last year. After moving off Zach LaVine during the previous trade deadline, they have embraced a youth movement that allows for significant flexibility. Still, when the 2025-26 season tips off in a matter of weeks, the Bulls will again be faced with low expectations and countless questions.
However, before we venture down that frustrating rabbit hole, why not spew some blind optimism? Now is the ideal time to be irrationally positive, so I went ahead and came up with four hot takes for this upcoming season. I tried to choose things that were still somewhat in the realm of possibility, but I want to make it very clear that I don’t actually expect any of these things to happen. Cool? Cool.
Let’s get spicy!
© Patrick Gorski-Imagn ImagesFour Chicago Bulls Hot Takes …
Josh Giddey is an All-Star Reserve
What if Josh Giddey immediately makes his four-year, $100 million deal look like a steal? The guard finished the 2024-25 campaign playing easily the best basketball of his career. He looked both comfortable and confident in Chicago’s new-look offense, so much so that it brought out new areas of his game. Not only did Giddey use his six-foot-eight frame better than ever before and embrace physcality around the rim, but he consistently sank shots from behind the arc.
Overall, Giddey averaged an impressive 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 9.3 assists over his 19 games after the All-Star break. He also shot 50.0 percent from the field and a shockingly 45.7 percent from long range. Even his production on the defensive end showed striking improvement, as he recorded 1.5 steals per game and disrupted ball handlers with his size advantage.
While it’s unlikely that Giddey replicates these exact numbers to begin the 2025-26 season … what if he gets pretty darn close? The Bulls showed through their contract offer that they’re ready to put the car keys in his hands, so Giddey will have every opportunity to impress. At the end of the day, there is no doubt that he performed like an All-Star-caliber player during this stretch, especially when we consider the Bulls went 12-7 in his 19 games.
Coby White Gets Traded
You can likely claim that this take isn’t hot enough. Coby White has been in trade rumors for quite some time now, and we all know he is headed into the final year of his contract. However, I’d argue that this Bulls’ front office actually trading a player like White would be pretty darn shocking.
Arturas Karnisovas has remained extremely loyal to White since he took over the franchise. The guard is the only player remaining from the GarPax regime, and he is easily the current front office’s most impressive developmental story thus far. White took another massive step forward last season with his scoring impact, averaging 20.4 points and 4.5 assists on 37.0 percent shooting from downtown. Whether it be his reliable stroke from behind the arc or his vastly improved ball-handling, the guard has shown genuine flashes of being a key offensive hub.
At the same time, can White become the No. 1 or No. 2 scoring option on a winning team? Will his fit long-term with Josh Giddey really make sense, particularly with both players being subpar defenders? The Bulls could quickly decide that moving on from White sooner rather than later is in their best interest. They’re likely either going to have to pay him $30+ million next offseason or watch him walk for nothing in return to one of the many teams with cap space. Both are terrifying options that could lead to a trade in the weeks leading up to the deadline.
Noa Essengue Plays 72+ Games
The safe assumption is that Noa Essengue spends plenty of time learning in the G League. The No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft was the second-youngest prospect in his class. While the 18-year-old had climbed draft boards because of his excellent combination of size and fluidity, draft experts were quick to point out how “raw” he is on both ends of the floor. Likewise, much of his NBA potential remains theoretical. Whether it be his lack of strength or proven ball-handling, Essengue remains a true project piece with a lot to prove.
But … since when did playing with professionals mean nothing? Essengue has spent the past two years battling grown men in the German League. He also got a taste of NBA action during the 2024-25 preseason, when he dropped 20 points and 8 rebounds on the Portland Trail Blazers. Add in his couple of very solid outings at NBA Summer League, and who is to say he doesn’t look more comfortable than expected from the jump?
We all know the Bulls are entering a youth movement, and Billy Donovan is also fresh off playing Matas Buzelis in 80 games last season. Could his success influence how Donovan handles Essengue? More importantly, there is a world where the Bulls need Essengue on the floor. The team is expected to put a great emphasis on defense this season, and Essengue provides excellent size at the wing. He is also at his best offensively in the open floor, and we all know the Bulls are built to be a transition-heavy team.
If Essengue can look increasingly comfortable during training camp, he could become a part of Chicago’s rotation immediately.
Bulls Steal the 7th Seed
Grab some aloe, this is the hottest take of them all!
There is one team that turns heads every season, and why can’t that be the Chicago Bulls? Don’t answer that! The Eastern Conference is as wide open as it’s ever been after Achilles injuries to both Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton. Both teams still expect to field competitive teams, but we all know the impact that losing your best player can have.
More notably, who in the Eastern Conference is a proven commodity? The Cavaliers, Bucks, and Knicks may have superstars to lean on, but the first two have repeatedly fizzled in the playoffs, while the latter has swapped out head coaches. The Pistons, Magic, and Hawks are intriguing up-and-coming squads, yet they still have to prove they can stay healthy and consistently compete for the postseason. As for the rest of the conference, they’re either outright tanking or retooling around youth like Chicago.
The Bulls have proven year after year that they will not bottom out. If an opportunity to compete for the postseason in any capacity is present, they’re going to run toward it. This already feels like a group that could find itself in the 9/10 spot again this season, so what happens if another team suffers an injury or (wisely) chooses to play for lottery balls? A playoff spot could quickly open up!
With that said, if the Bulls did end up clinching a first-round series with the No. 2 seed, it would probably be more of a positive sign than anything else. Unlike last season, when Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic helped them hover around .500 for months, this would presumably be the doing of the organization’s young talent. At some point, playoff experience does make a difference, even if it is a short series.
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