The Chicago Bulls host their annual Media Day on Monday, September 29th, and it will be our first chance to hear the Bulls brain trust speak about the team at length ahead of the 2025-26 season. The Bulls wrapped up their biggest storyline of the offseason when they signed point guard Josh Giddey to a four-year, $100 million deal to close a long restricted free agency standoff. But as we head into the 2025-26 season, the Bulls have several pressing contract issues on the horizon, as well as an interesting starting lineup decision at hand. So what is the biggest storyline as we head into Bulls Media Day? I think the answer is a bit abstract, in the sense that the biggest storyline is: where does the front office feel this team is at in the rebuilding process?
The Bulls have won 39-games in back-to-back seasons, albeit with different rosters, as the end of the DeMar DeRozan Era segued into the beginning of the Josh Giddey Era. Despite the Bulls having some optimism in the form of young building blocks, things feel eerily similar fans with the team having lost three-straight Play-In Tournament appearances to the Miami Heat.
So the biggest storyline is: are the Bulls finally ready to make their first playoff appearance since 2022? And if they are not, what are the next steps they need to take to get there?
The Bulls biggest (and only) additions this offseason were defensive-minded wing Isaac Okoro and 12th overall pick Noa Essengue, a wiry, 18-year old forward who likely has a long way to go before being a real contributor. So with that being said, Chicago's front office is clearly depending on internal development or in-season trades as the keys to lift this team into the 40+ win range.
It is possible that the Bulls have an excellent training camp and preseason, and still get off to a rough start considering the quality teams they face to start the regular season. If Chicago does have a bad start, would Arturas Karnisovas consider rebuilding-focused trades that add draft compensation? Chicago--under Karnisovas' leadership--has routinely focused on adding young veterans who can help the team chase wins. Obviously, there is no problem with trying to win, but the Bulls second-half surge last season was no-doubt instrumental in them landing the 12th pick in the draft, and not finishing higher in the order. At some point the Chicago front office has to look in the mirror and be honest about if the team's commitment to winning down the stretch is truly aiding a franchise that appears to be stuck in neutral. Monday's Media Day will be the first piece of figuring out the 2025-26 Bulls puzzle.
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