The 2026-27 Chicago Bulls are not going to remind fans in the Windy City of the championship teams piloted by Michael Jordan in the 90s. They can, however, prove to be a plucky squad capable of competing for a playoff spot in this year's Eastern Conference.
FanDuel has set the over/under for this year's Chicago squad at just 29.5. That's the total of a team that will compete for a high lottery pick rather than a postseason berth. It's far too pessimistic of a win total for a team with this much intriguing talent.
The Bulls won 31 games last year and did not lose anyone of real note in the offseason. The most impactful departure was head coach Billy Donovan who finally decided he didn' want to continue to preside over the franchise's rebuild. The Bulls pivoted well to bring in Tiago Splitter who should lean in to empowering the young players on the roster to play with more tempo and verve.
Chicago also added Norman Powerll in free agency which should do wonders to help their offensive spacing. They might have added him with an eye towards trading him in the future, but if he's on the roster for the full season he gives them a fringe All-Star at the two-guard spot. His shooting ability also should pair well with Josh Giddey's above-average passing ability in the back court.
The Bulls will steal games with their uber-athletic front court
Matas Buzelis is a franchise building block who should continue to progress in his third NBA season. At the very least, Chicago should count on him being a plus starter at either forward spot. If he can fine tune his shot from behind the arc it's possible he could blossom into a bona fide All-Star.
Buzelis is a plus shot blocker at either spot and the addition of lottery pick Caleb Wilson gives Splitter another big who can really protect the rim. Add in veteran Nic Claxton and the Bulls have three big guys who can present a lot of problems to opponents with their athleticism and motor.
That sort of competitiveness and speed will supercharge Chicago's transition game. That's a solid recipe to add wins to a team that will be trying to make the playoffs. Expect Splitter to get more out of his collection of bigs than Donovan did last season.
The criticism of Josh Giddey has gone too far
Josh Giddey is a flawed player whose lack of shooting will likely prevent him from ever being the best player on a high-end championship contender. None of that means he can't be a valuable floor raiser for a Bulls team competing for a playoff spot in the East.
Giddey's passing ability is widely acknowledged to be a plus skill, but some fans might be surprised to learn that his three-point percentage crept up to 36% last season. He's not a bomber from deep, but he's become a competent shooter who must be guarded at all times.
The aforementioned addition of Powell should unlock even more space for Giddey to work off the dribble. He may never become an elite offensive engine, but he's a force to be reckoned with in the regular season. His improving offensive efficiency will make the Bulls hard to handle for the weaker teams in the league.
Just how good will the Bulls be in 2026-27?
This team's minimum win total should reside in the mid-30s if Splitter is the competent coach most believe him to be based on his time in Portland. The one concern here is that Wilson's play as a rookie will drag the team's total down, but the competence around him in the starting five should ease his transition to the rigors of NBA life.
The high-end outcome for Chicago would be to push into the low-40s if the Giddey/Powell back court regally gels to the highest degree possible. No matter what, they should blow by their projected win total after a quality offseason.
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