Bulls Hq

On this episode of CHGO Bulls, the crew discuss all things Chicago Bulls with special guest co-host of the Big Red Bus Podcast Doug Thonus. We discuss Josh Giddey and the Bulls front office still not having a contract signed. When is the time to be concerned about the lack of a deal? Should Giddey look more towards taking a qualifying offer? Also, Ayo Dosunmu’s newest vlog details his trip back to U of I includes some INTERESTING thoughts about the Bulls making the playoffs this season. Will Ayo be ready to go for training camp? Plus, the Bulls have several unknowns coming into the season. Which unknown is the biggest one that needs to be answered? How immediate does that unknown need to be proven?

The Chicago Bulls are once again being doubted on the national stage, as ESPN projects them to miss even the NBA Play-In Tournament this season. On this one, Big Dave and Will Gottlieb dive into ESPN’s prediction and what it means for Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and Coby White. Can the Bulls prove the doubters wrong and make a push in the Eastern Conference playoff race? Plus, Nikola Vucevic gave an interview to BasketNews where he discussed his relationship with AK, patience from the fans and staying in Chicago. Is he happy with his time with the team?Also, NBA Insider Marc Stein joins the show to discuss the latest free agency talk and updates on Josh Giddey. Join the CHGO Bulls Podcast for all the latest Bulls news, analysis, and reactions!

On this episode, Big Dave and Will Gottlieb talk with draft expert and basketball analyst for the Hornets Live Terrence Oglesby, about Noa Essengue and if he sees big potential in his game. They also ask him if he has big expectations for Matas Buzelis going into year 2, and what he feels about Josh Giddey as a player. Would he give Giddey the contract he's asking for if he were the GM? Also, Sam Vecenie from The Athletic said on his Game Theory Podcast that Josh Giddey should sit out some games if he and the FO can't come to an agreement on a contract. Would this be a good move for Giddey? What does his timeline to sign look like? Plus, Nikola Vucevic plays his 1st FIBA Eurobasket game vs. Germany. How did Vuc do in his 1st Eurobasket action? Should Bulls fans be excited with what they saw?

The CHGO Bulls crew discusses the possibility of Zion Williamson or Giannis Antetokounmpo requesting a trade, and whether the Chicago Bulls would make an offer to land either player. As part of their “Summer Forecast” series leading up to the 2025-26 NBA season, ESPN conducted another round of survey questions, including which superstar players are most likely to be the next to request a trade. Zion and Giannis came in #1 and #2. Making a bold trade offer for either player would seemingly be in contrast with the Arturas Karnisovas “slow and steady” approach with his roster overhaul and development. But, what would it take from the Bulls’ side to get a deal done? Peck, Big Dave, and Will Gottlieb also react to ESPN’s season award predictions. Spoiler alert: …no Bulls!

The CHGO Bulls crew discuss the ideal path forward for the Chicago Bulls, knowing that the team’s VP Arturas Karnisovas has zero interest in tanking or trading for draft picks. Chicago Sun-Times beat reporter Joe Cowley wrote over the weekend about AK’s insistence on trying to build through the middle, and the complications that presents. Peck, Big Dave and Will Gottlieb try to establish what a path back to legitimate contention without tanking would look like. Would trades be involved? What about the team’s cap space in both 2026 and 2027? And how much can the team bank on internal improvement? The guys also react to zero Bulls players making HoopsHype’s Top 26 Small Forwards list for the 2025-26 season.

The CHGO Bulls crew dive into the new NBA2K26 rankings, with Coby White, Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic all cracking the Top 100. Are there ratings fair or foul? Will any of their teammates be Top 100 material by the end of the 2025-26 season? Plus, the crew shares some of their favorite moments from Bulls Fest 2025, including Will Gottlieb’s interview with former Bulls center Eddy Curry!

The CHGO Bulls crew discuss today’s announcement from the Chicago Bulls that the Derrick Rose Jersey Retirement ceremony will take place on January 24, 2026 after their home game against the Boston Celtics. What will the night entail, in addition to Rose’s jersey going to the rafters? Matt Peck and Will Gottlieb make some predictions. Plus, the guys deliberate what Billy Donovan’s starting lineup and main rotation will be to begin the season. Who will start between Kevin Huerter and Isaac Okoro? Who earns more minutes, Zach Collins or Jalen Smith? And which younger players will be left out of the rotation entirely?

The CHGO Bulls crew discuss some striking statistical splits from Josh Giddey in both his first Chicago Bulls season and his final season with Oklahoma City. Why did he have such poor starts in each season, along with very strong finishes? Is this a pattern that will repeat itself in 2025-26, or are there more context clues to explain each season’s trend as a special case? Peck and Will Gottlieb welcome back former CHGO Bulls contributor and good pal Mark K to help them analyze it! The guys also get Mark’s takes on a variety of offseason moves, and whether he thinks the Bulls can do a better job developing their young talent than in years past.

The CHGO Bulls crew discuss a recent redraft of the 2024 NBA Draft from The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, with Matas Buzelis being selected 6th overall. Is this the rightful spot for Buzelis, or should he be even higher? What about if Matas was in the 2025 draft class, where would he have been drafted? Peck and Will Gottlieb also talk with Chicago Bulls Director of Basketball Programming Kyle Cummings. Plus, the guys react to an update on the Nikola Vucevic buyout rumor and some Bulls development staff promotions.

The CHGO Bulls crew discuss new NBA shooting guard rankings from HoopsHype, which have Chicago Bulls guard Coby White listed at #12. Is this a fair ranking? Peck and Will Gottlieb analyze the players above and below White in the rankings, and talk about a particularly worrisome stat in HoopsHype’s explanation of where Coby landed. Plus, the guys react to the Bulls 2024-25 roster’s less than impressive finish in Andy Bailey’s “HNI” rankings, a catch-all of advanced analytic statistics!

The CHGO Bulls crew discuss the full 2025-26 Chicago Bulls schedule release, and make win or loss picks game by game for all 82! Peck and Willl Gottlieb make their way from the season opener at home against the Detroit Pistons, to the regular season finale against Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks in Dallas. Will the Bulls crush the over on their projected win total, which most Vegas books have in the low thirties? Plus, a clip of our interview with Carlos Boozer that prompts a fascinating question: how many titles do the Bulls win if Derrick Rose never got injured?

The CHGO Bulls crew - with Will Perdue back in studio - discuss which Chicago Bulls player on the current roster has the best shot at being the team’s next All Star player. If Arturas Karnisovas commits to building this roster around Josh Giddey, Coby White and Matas Buzelis, will any of them reach All Star status? If so, when? And what is the ceiling of the team if a) one of them becomes a fringe All Star or b) NONE of them reach even that height. Peck, Will Gottlieb and Will Perdue analyze the possibilities. Plus, a teaser for our interview with Carlos Boozer and the full 2025-26 schedule drops!

The CHGO Bulls crew are joined by Drew Stevens of #TheBIGS to rank every calculated move Arturas Karnisovas has made during the Chicago Bulls 2025 offseason. What was his best move, and what decision looks the worst at present? Peck, Will Gottlieb and Drew analyze all of AK’s moves: re-signing Tre Jones, drafting Noa Essengue, trading Lonzo Ball for Isaac Okoro and signing Billy Donovan to an extension. Plus, they discuss the Bulls schedule drop for the Emirates NBA Cup.

The CHGO Bulls crew welcome OG basketball podcaster and Diehard Chicago Bulls fan Trey Kerby to the show! Kerby has been talking NBA and Bulls basketball for quite awhile, between The Basketball Jones, The Starters on NBATV, and now the No Dunks Podcast for The Athletic. Peck and Will Gottlieb get Trey’s thoughts on all things Bulls: the ceiling for Matas Buzelis, the Josh Giddey contract situation, AK’s vision on team-building and more! Plus, the guys talk about the importance of Isaac Okoro next season, and whether the Bulls’ defensive improvements after last season’s All Star Break were legitimate.

The CHGO Bulls crew welcome The People’s Insider Jake Fischer back to the show! Fischer had some interesting reporting over the past few days about the ongoing negotiations between the Chicago Bulls and restricted free agent Josh Giddey. Are the Golden State Warriors - or any other teams - actively pursuing Giddey? Or are these just fires being started by Giddey’s reps to try to squeeze more money from the Bulls? Peck and Will Gottlieb also react to some reporting from Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who doesn’t see any realistic path to Giddey leaving Chicago. Plus, the NBA’s full 2025-26 season schedule will be released later this week! What should Bulls fans be looking for?

The CHGO Bulls crew discuss the first round pick still owed to the Chicago Bulls from the Portland Trail Blazers. In his recent rankings column, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports ranked all 63 future first round draft picks that have been traded across the league. The Blazers’ pick owed to Chicago came in at #36. The big wrinkle: Portland has swap rights with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2028. Can Arturas Karnisovas leverage Portland’s desire to keep that pick swap into getting something more valuable from the Blazers? Peck, Big Dave and Will Gottlieb also react to new fan satisfaction rankings from The Action Network. How (un)satisfied are Bulls fans with the recent and current state of the team?

On this episode, the CHGO Bulls crew get into Brett Seigel’s report from Clutch Points where he states the Chicago Bulls and Josh Giddey are “are expected to reach a resolution on a new contract" near the end of August. Are the years and money reported a fair deal for both sides? Will it come with a player or team option? Also, Indiana Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle was on Caitlin Cooper's Podcast and stated that the NBA brand of basketball is not top heavy super teams anymore; it's more try hard team-focused with multiple good players on the roster. How close are the Bulls to this model? Was Arturas Karnisovas ahead of the curve with his infamous "9 to 10” good players quote? Also, a recent survey of NBA fans across the league was conducted by the Action Network and it had some surprising results on what Bulls fans think about the state of the team, price of tickets and their satisfaction with the Bulls. Matt Peck, Big Dave Watson, and Will Gottlieb discuss that and more.

The CHGO Bulls crew discuss whether Nic Claxton would be a good trade target for the Chicago Bulls. Would Claxton be the right change after Nikola Vucevic's time in Chicago? Plus, who could the Bulls send to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for the center? Matt Peck, Big Dave, and Will Gottlieb discuss trade packages surrounding Patrick Williams, draft picks, and Ayo Dosunmu.

The CHGO Bulls crew discuss new NBA point guard rankings from HoopsHype, which have Chicago Bulls restricted free agent Josh Giddey listed at #15. Is this a fair ranking? Peck, Big Dave and Will Gottlieb analyze the players above and below Giddey in the rankings. Plus, the guys react to a new piece from ESPN about what all 30 NBA teams are “All-In” on for the 2025-26 season. Spoiler alert: the Bulls category isn’t a good one. And big news…the Bulls are bringing the pinstripes back! Hold onto your wallets.