by Moises Orozco
The NBA season is finally here. After an eventful off-season for all NBA teams and the NBA draft, the whole country has been anticipating the return of the NBA.
The Chicago Bulls are coming off a disappointing season, finishing the previous season with a 31-51 record and missing the postseason for the fourth straight year. Many hoped that they would’ve started off the season with a bang, but as we all saw, that did not happen. The Bulls dropped the season opener on October 21 to the Toronto Raptors by a staggering score of 135-92.
I believe it’s still too early to panic and say this team is going to have a terrible season. The Bulls are entering a new era in the franchise and as fans, we have the duty to keep supporting and showing up. Don’t love them just when they’re up, love them when they are down, too. The Bulls made several moves last season and during the offseason that made it clear that they mean business and are determined to change.
Last season, the front office traded away big-name players around the trade deadline like Nikola Vucevic, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu left the team. Even front office staff were removed from the team. Executive VP of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas and General Manager Marc Eversley were both fired in April. Head Coach Billy Donovan decided to step away from the team after the end of the 25/26 season.
The Bulls were heavily focused on rebuilding during the offseason, landing a promising talent with their first pick in the draft, Caleb Wilson. He looked good during the preseason, averaging 17 points, four rebounds and three assists. He’s an amazing addition to the young roster, joining the likes of Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, which many fans looked at as the two saving graces of the Bulls last season. Josh Giddey even managed to get himself into MVP talks in the first half of the season. Buzelis is entering his third NBA season and has become a cornerstone for the team.
Tiago Splitter was hired to take over the Bulls as Head Coach. He was with the Portland Trail Blazers last season and was a key figure in their first postseason run since 2021. He hopes to bring a fast-paced and up-tempo playstyle to Chicago which fits perfectly with the young core of players he’s going to manage.
The future looks bright for the first time in a while for the Bulls. The last time I felt this excited was when the team had Zach Lavine, Demar Derozan, Lonzo Ball and Nikola Vuvevic all on the same team. The team was amazing to watch but injuries plagued them and they never managed to achieve much success before being dismantled.
This team feels different. The Bulls are finally committed to rebuilding. For several years, it felt like the Bulls front office was always on the fence between rebuilding or continuity. Cleaning the house felt like a statement. Under Tiago Splitter and the newly formed roster, the Bulls feel like they’ll be playing with a genuine purpose, and that should fill the fans with hope and excitement.
The team is young and success may not come immediately. Even after years of disappointment and frustration, I can’t help but feel optimistic and set high expectations for this team. The energy around the Bulls feels genuine. To any fans who may have given up after the first game, just remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day.
