Chicago Bulls will reveal true nature within first 14 games

The Chicago Bulls have perhaps the least enviable start to the season coming up. In 2025-26, they’ll start with a 14-game run that K.C. Johnson believes will define this version of the Bulls. They will either do well and be a good team, or they won’t.

“The Bulls have a very, very difficult schedule right out the gate,” Johnson said. “I think it’s going to set the tone for their season. They face some extremely high-quality opponents in those first 14 games. Four of those first five are at the United Center.”

He added, “They face the Eastern Conference finalist New York Knicks twice. They have a back-to-back at Milwaukee and at Cleveland, who obviously had the best Eastern Conference regular-season record last season. It concludes with a four-game road trip, including three games on the West Coast. It’s a very difficult schedule.”

The Bulls have to make the most of this early stretch, but it is hard to see them winning too many games right out of the gate. Even beyond those teams Johnson mentioned, there are a lot of possible losses on the docket.

They also have to visit the new-look Orlando Magic. They host the Kristaps Porzingis-aided version of the Atlanta Hawks at home. The Philadelphia 76ers should be healthy at this time, which means they’ll be better than Chicago in all likelihood.

The Denver Nuggets, in Denver, are another supremely challenging matchup. The San Antonio Spurs will have Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, and Dylan Harper for their matchup with Chicago.

The very winnable games include home against the Sacramento Kings, on the road against the Utah Jazz, and on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers, but there’s a very good chance the Bulls get off to a disastrous 3-11 start.