Despite being the host team in the nine-ten matchup for the play-in tournament, the Chicago Bulls failed to get the job done on Wednesday night as the Miami Heat handed them a 109-90 loss to eliminate any hopes of playoff basketball in Chicago. Now, the attention shifts to the offseason, with several questions to be answered in the coming months.
Looking ahead to May's NBA Draft Lottery, the Bulls hold the 13th-best odds to land the first overall pick, and a 5.7% chance to land inside the top four. Most importantly, however, is the contract situation for their star backcourt. On this topic, Bulls executive Artūras Karnišovas addressed it during his end-of-season media availability.
According to Bulls reporter K.C. Johnson, Karnišovas expressed a desire to retain both Josh Giddey and Coby White to long-term extensions. Giddey is set to be a restricted free agent this summer, while White is extension-eligible with his contract expiring in 2026.
Both Giddey and White finished out the 2024-25 regular season strong, especially since the All-Star break. During that stretch, White averaged 24.5 points while Giddey was just shy of a triple-double average and also scored 21.2 points per night.
While Giddey's extension is more pressing given his contract situation, Chicago can leave the offseason, locking up both backcourt starters, and focus on building the rest of the roster around them. Now with a lottery pick in their hands, the Bulls can continue to build the future in the Windy City.
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