With NBA training camps set to open in just over a month, the Chicago Bulls are still searching for the spark that could elevate them from mediocrity to true contention. Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas assured fans at the end of last season that there was a plan in place to lift the Bulls to greater heights. Yet, as September draws closer, it feels like a familiar story: good intentions, little real movement.
A Summer Without a Superstar
If there’s one thing the Bulls’ front office has been consistent about, it’s their ability to stay… consistent. Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley entered the offseason with no clear roadmap for landing the kind of star who could make the Bulls a legitimate threat. Four months later, that absence of a concrete strategy remains painfully clear.
The Bulls’ roster is filled with solid contributors. Depth? Sure. Versatility? Yes. But that “face of the franchise” talent the Finals MVP-caliber player is nowhere to be found. As the team filters back into the Advocate Center for informal scrimmages, the anticipation is more of a ripple than a wave.
The Front Office’s Message: Hope, Not Action
Karnisovas has publicly maintained that there is a plan. During his most recent session with the media, he said:
“I think we’re always going to look at how to improve this roster by adding a player or high-caliber player. At the same time, I would not put any limitations on this roster or on the way Coby White has been playing, the way Josh Giddey has been playing. I think those players have a chance to play on a very high level. We’re constantly going to be looking for ways to improve from year to year.”
In other words, the Bulls are relying heavily on internal growth and leaving the door open for upgrades. But expecting Coby White to jump into All-Star territory or Josh Giddey to find consistency amid contract-extension uncertainty feels like wishful thinking. Hope isn’t a plan but right now, it seems to be the only one.
A Few Moves, Little Impact
There have been changes. The most notable was trading Lonzo Ball to Cleveland for Isaac Okoro, a defensive-minded wing who could quickly slide into the starting lineup. Okoro helps, but he’s more of a role player than a franchise changer.
The Bulls also continue to point toward financial flexibility next summer. Up to six contracts including those of Nikola Vucevic, Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Jevon Carter could come off the books. But betting on free agency as a quick fix feels outdated. In today’s NBA, elite teams usually retain talent or engineer trades rather than rely on an open market that rarely produces franchise-altering results.
Looking to the Future, But Not Bold Enough
If there’s a clear path forward, it may lie in the draft. The 2026 NBA Draft class is already being touted as more top-heavy than 2025. Prospects like Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer (son of former Bull Carlos Boozer), Nate Ament, Mikel Brown Jr., and Jayden Quaintance headline a group that could change a franchise’s trajectory.
Teams such as the Wizards are already strategizing around those lottery odds. The Bulls, on the other hand, seem hesitant to fully embrace a rebuild or lean into the draft as a long-term strategy.
Patience or Paralysis
Eversley summed it up earlier this summer:
“I think for us, we need to remain diligent and pragmatic about how we build this. We don’t want to skip steps. Sometimes when you do skip steps, expectations build and you make mistakes. I don’t think we want to do that.”
The cautious approach makes sense but at some point, patience can look like paralysis. For now, Chicago is banking on growth from within, modest trades, and future financial flexibility. But without a bold move, the Bulls may remain stuck in the middle: too good to tank, not good enough to contend.