The Chicago Bulls finally escaped basketball purgatory. Their reward is discovering just how long the road might be from here.
ESPN recently sorted the 22 NBA teams that have not won a championship since 2019 into separate tiers based on how close each appears to contending. Chicago landed in the rather depressing “maybe by 2032” group.
Six more years.
That is not a firm prediction that the Bulls will suddenly become contenders when the calendar flips to 2032. It is a blunt assessment of how much work remains before anyone should take this roster seriously in a championship conversation.
Unfortunately, it is also fair.
Bulls finally stopped chasing mediocrity
Chicago spent years fighting for play-in appearances with rosters that had no realistic path toward the NBA Finals. It was basketball’s version of running on a treadmill, except the treadmill charged outrageous ticket prices.
That approach ended after another disappointing season.
The Bulls hired Bryson Graham to run basketball operations and Tiago Splitter as head coach. Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic and several other veterans were moved. Chicago added Nic Claxton, selected Caleb Wilson with the fourth pick and drafted Dailyn Swain at No. 15.
For once, the front office chose a direction. That deserves some credit.
It does not make the Bulls good yet.
Chicago finished last season ranked 23rd in offensive efficiency and 22nd defensively. Turning over much of the roster will not fix those problems overnight, particularly when the new plan relies heavily on players still learning how to survive an NBA schedule.
Caleb Wilson gives Chicago a starting point
Wilson is the best reason to believe the Bulls will eventually escape ESPN’s lower tier. He averaged 23.5 points and 7.3 rebounds during Summer League while shooting 50% from the field and 42% from three-point range.
Yes, it was Summer League. Plenty of July legends have vanished by Christmas.
Wilson still looked like the type of player Chicago has lacked. He attacked the basket, played with confidence and carried himself like someone who expects to become the face of a franchise.
Matas Buzelis gives the Bulls another promising forward, while Josh Giddey remains a productive young guard. Claxton can protect the rim and provide a veteran presence without interfering with the rebuild.
That is the beginning of a roster. It is not yet the beginning of a contender.
Chicago still needs to determine whether Buzelis and Giddey are long-term supporting stars or merely useful players. It also must build a reliable bench, find more shooting and decide what to do with expensive holdovers such as Patrick Williams.
Caleb Wilson confirmed he will not play in our final Summer League game on Friday.
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) July 17, 2026
Caleb finishes Summer League averaging:
23.5 points on 50% shooting (42% from three), 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 2.5 blocks pic.twitter.com/eB5GDaZgGc
Tiny list.
Bulls cannot waste another rebuild
The 2032 label stings because Chicago has been here before. The Bulls hired a new front office, changed coaches and selected Patrick Williams fourth overall in 2020. That reset eventually produced another string of forgettable seasons.
Graham cannot repeat the same mistake by rushing this group toward respectability.
If Chicago wins 25 games next season, nobody should panic. The Bulls need another high draft pick more than they need the honor of getting flattened in the play-in tournament.
ESPN’s projection sounds brutal, but it also provides a warning. Building a contender will require patience, smart drafting and the willingness to make difficult roster decisions.
Chicago wasted six years refusing to rebuild. Spending several more years doing it correctly would be far less painful.
| More Bulls News and Rumors |
Add us as a preferred source on Google