The Bulls are finally getting this one thing right

The Chicago Bulls are and have been a huge part of NBA history. They were the arguably the sports team of the 90s because of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Phil Jackson. Six finals appearances, six championships, one period of dominance.

Since then, the Bulls have struggled to recreate that same magic. The 2000s were rough time, but when they drafted prodigal son Derrick Rose in 2008, hope was back in the city. Rose was absolutely electrifying during his first few seasons, becoming the youngest MVP winner ever in 2011. 

And then it came all crashing down in 2012 when he tore his ACL and was not the same player after that. Chicago was a perennial playoff team, but they never really had a real shot at winning the championship. During the 2020s, they were obsessed with mediocrity, until finally pulling the plug last offseason and launching a full scale rebuild. And now the Bulls have a chance at finally being relevant again.

Chicago may be rebuilding, but they will be a very fun team to watch

The Bulls landed the fourth pick in this year’s draft and selected Caleb Wilson out of North Carolina. Wilson was viewed as one of the best players in his class and during his time at UNC, he showed off a versatile two-way game. He also showed an improved jumpshot during summer league and an improved handle as well. He has the makeup of a franchise player and the leadership skills to compliment that as well. His relentless work ethic and high motor are two qualities Chicago hasn’t had in a franchise player in a long time.

The Bulls also drafted Dailyn Swain late in the first round and he has the potential to be a great core piece as well. His perimeter game needs work, but he is a plus athlete with a bigger frame, and has great overall feel for the game. 

Chicago has also been developing Matas Buzelis over the last couple seasons and he really improved last season. He looked a lot more confident as a slasher and his jumper came along nicely as well. He has the potential to be an All-Star during the prime of his career and if he continues his ascension, he’ll likely be in Most Improved Player conversations next season.

The Bulls also have guys like Josh Giddey, Jalen Smith, and Nicholas Claxton that will help this group grow. Giddey especially was a big reason why Chicago was able to be one of the fastest teams in the league last year and that adds to the excitement for this season.

The Bulls won’t be contenders any time soon, but for the first time in a long time, they have an exciting young core that they can develop and grow. The hiring of Tiago Splitter was a home run, as he had a ton of success with the Blazers last season, and Splitter got the most out of that young group. Chicago is finally heading in the right direction and there are things to be excited about.