Chicago Bulls 2022-23 Season Preview and Best Bet (Odds, Offseason Moves and More)

The Chicago Bulls made a major leap in the 2021-22 season, going from a perennial lottery team to the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. 

However, Chicago really tailed off in the second half of the season, and a big reason was the loss of starting point guard Lonzo Ball. Per StatMuse, the Bulls were just 24-23 in the 47 games that ball missed in the 2021-22 season. 

When he played? Well, Chicago was much better, going 22-13. The Bulls had held a top-3 spot in the East for most of last season before finishing in sixth. 

So, what does that mean for this 2022? Ball is expected to miss a significant amount of time after another surgery on his knee, but the Bulls did keep Zach LaVine this offseason and should have a healthy Patrick Williams after he missed the majority of the 2021-22 campaign. 

Will Chicago be able to withstand an improved Eastern Conference and make the postseason? Let’s jump into the Bulls’ futures odds as well as their offseason moves:  

Chicago Bulls Offseason Moves and Additions

Chicago Bulls Roster Additions:

• Dalen Terry (Draft)
• Goran Dragic (Free Agency)
• Andre Drummond Free Agency)

Chicago Bulls Roster Losses:

• Tristan Thompson (Free Agency)
• Troy Brown Jr. (Free Agency)

Chicago Bulls Odds to Win NBA Championship, Make Playoffs and Win Total

• Odds to Win NBA Finals: +5000
• Odds to Win Eastern Conference: +2500
• Make Playoffs: -150
• Win Total: 41.5 (Over -120/Under -102)

Chicago Bulls Best Bet for 2022-23 NBA Season

I think the Bulls are due for some major regression in the 2022-23 season. 

The team was able to withstand several injuries last season thanks to the amazing play of DeMar DeRozan, but does the veteran wing put up another career season in the 2022-23 campaign?

It’s going to be tough for him to do so with Ball out of the lineup for a good chunk of the season, and the Bulls didn’t make nearly as big of moves as many of their opponents in the East. 

The Atlanta Hawks (traded for Dejounte Murray) and Cleveland Cavaliers (traded for Donovan Mitchell) both could leapfrog them this season, and that’s not even mentioning the Brooklyn Nets, who finished seventh in the East last season. 

I think Chicago could miss the playoffs, but the play-in tournament does give it a much better chance of snagging a spot late, similar to Atlanta last season. 

Instead, I’m going to fade the Bulls’ win total, as they still don’t have a great interior defense and now lack a true starting point guard (sorry Goran Dragic and Coby White). 

Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.