Fact or Fiction: Are the Chicago Bulls For Real?

The Once-Proud Chicago Bulls

Ah, the once-proud Chicago Bulls. We call them that because they are the team of Michael Jordan. Of Scottie Pippen. Of Horace Grant. Of Dennis Rodman. Of Steve Kerr. Of Toni Kukoč. They won six championships over a span of eight years in the NBA's third-largest media market, cementing themselves as modern basketball's greatest dynasty.

We call them that because, since then, they have won a total of five playoff series in 27 years, almost all of which occurred over a five-year stretch during the rise and fall of their No. 1 draft pick, Derrick Rose.

Otherwise, the Bulls have mostly fought from the NBA's middle, cycling through rosters that boasted Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan or Nikola Vučević as their best player. It has been a sad state of affairs, highlighted mostly by persistent calls for the firings of longtime executives John Paxson and Gar Forman, who served Chicago's front office until 2020, when Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf finally replaced them at the helm with Artūras Karnišovas.

A New Direction

Following DeRozan's free-agency departure in the summer of 2025, Karnišovas traded LaVine last season for Kevin Huerter, Tre Jones, Zach Collins and a 2025 first-round draft pick (Noa Essengue). It signaled a fresh start for Chicago, one built on the back of another lottery pick, Matas Buzelis, the 11th overall selection in June 2025.

He is a promising young player, full of boundless energy and bounce, but far from the type of prospect who can command a winner ... yet. We figured the Bulls for last in our League Pass power rankings, the type of team that can compete only for a fourth straight play-in tournament berth.

Then, a funny thing happened on their way back to the middle. In a watered-down Eastern Conference, where its last two champions, the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers, are missing their best players, the Bulls have started 6-1, owners of their bracket's best record.

Are These Bulls For Real?

They are for real as their record is, because wins stay on the ledger. In an East landscape where not even the clear favorites, the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers, can claim to be world beaters, effort goes a long way in the early going, and Chicago's success through seven games may be enough to inspire that determination for a full season, so long as they can remain in the hunt for a guaranteed playoff spot.

Already with wins over the Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks — all should-be East contenders — the Bulls, like every other team in the conference, save for the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets, should believe they can win on any night. Enough of them earns you a playoff bid.

Playing Fast and Efficient

The Bulls play fast in an era when everyone does, and that is unlikely to change. Outside of Vučević, they are a young team, as most everybody was born after 2000. Coby White, their up-tempo combo guard, has yet to play a single possession. Do not be surprised if they rank higher than 10th in pace by season's end.

Unsustainable Shooting Numbers

Playing fast is one thing. Playing efficiently is another, and the Bulls have done that in spades. They are shooting 40.3% as a team from 3-point range, best in the East. Vučević, Buzelis, Josh Giddey, Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams are each shooting better than 40% and making multiple 3s per night.

That will fall back to Earth, where the Bulls ranked 13th in 3-point percentage last season. They are one of the NBA's worst-shooting teams from midrange, though they take fewer attempts from that area than any team but the Charlotte Hornets. The shot diet is good. They are just eating more than they should.

Giddey, for example, is shooting 56.3% on catch-and-shoot 3s though seven games. He shot 38.4% on them last season. Even improved shooting does not explain a leap that large. Likewise, only two teams in the past decade — the 73-win 2015-16 Golden State Warriors and the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 Los Angeles Clippers — have shot better than 40% for a whole season. The Bulls will regress to the mean.

A few percentage points could cost them several points per 100 possessions, which would drop them from a top-10 standing (117.2 offensive rating) to the middle of the pack. Or worse.

The East Is Wide Open

But here's the thing: The Eastern Conference is not very good this season. The Celtics (Jayson Tatum) and Pacers (Tyrese Haliburton) are each missing their best player. The Milwaukee Bucks (Giannis Antetokounmpo) have been inconsistent. The Cleveland Cavaliers are still trying to figure out their identity without Donovan Mitchell. The Miami Heat are also navigating a new roster and the challenges of integrating new players.

In this environment, the Bulls have a real opportunity. Their 6-1 start puts them in an excellent position to compete for a playoff spot, and if they can maintain their energy and effort, they could surprise a lot of people.

Looking Ahead

As the season progresses, we'll learn a lot more about this Bulls team. Will their shooting hold up? Can their young players continue to develop? Can they maintain their early-season form against tougher competition?

One thing is certain: The Bulls are no longer just a team stuck in the middle. They have a new identity, a young core, and a chance to make some noise in the Eastern Conference. Whether they can sustain their early success remains to be seen, but for now, Bulls fans have reason to be excited.