The Chicago Bulls are heading into the 2025-26 season with low expectations after another disappointing year.
The Bulls only won 39 games last season and made the Play-In Tournament as the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference.
They lost 109-90 in that game against the Miami Heat, and there were very few positives to take forward into the new season.
Chicago once again finds themselves in a difficult position where they are neither good enough to contend nor bad enough to win the draft lottery.
Former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague now thinks they must learn from the Indiana Pacers’ genius move two years ago.
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty ImagesChicago Bulls must copy Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana Pacers trade
The Indiana Pacers made the controversial decision to trade Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Tyrese Haliburton.
Sabonis was already an all-star caliber player, but the Pacers thought Haliburton had the potential to develop into a superstar.
Considering that it is difficult to sign top players in free agency, and the Bulls are not likely to have a top-five draft pick, a similar punt might be necessary.
Teague wants the Bulls to trade for a similar player to Haliburton, although he is not sure who could be available this offseason.
“You’ve got to go and get a young star,” he said. “Or not even a young star, a young dude who’s on his way to becoming a star.
“They should have traded for Haliburton. It was like, ‘He has potential to be a star and people like him. He might be a good piece.’
“I don’t know who’s in the league like that right now who’s almost a star who can be traded. I don’t know.”
The Chicago Bulls’ future depends on Matas Buzelis
The Chicago Bulls lineup for the 2025-26 season includes several talented players and solid bench depth.
Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Nikola Vucevic (if he is not traded) will help the team win around 40 games in the Eastern Conference.
However, for the Bulls to take the next step and become a top-six seed, they will need more from Matas Buzelis.
Chicago Bulls projected depth chart 2025-26StartersBenchPGJosh GiddeyTre JonesSGCoby WhiteAyo DosunmuSFKevin HuerterIsaac OkoroPFMatas BuzelisPatrick WilliamsCNikola VucevicZach Collins
Buzelis averaged a respectable 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and one assist in 19 minutes per game last season.
He also shot 45.4 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from three-point range, which are impressive figures for a rookie player.
The difference between deja vu and a resurgence for the Bulls next season will likely depend on Buzelis’ progress.