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2024-25 Chicago Bulls Predictions and Odds to Win NBA Finals

by Spencer Toth - 9/26/2024

Chicago Bulls predictions Nikola Vucevic

The Chicago Bulls appear to be heading into a rebuild, as they have prioritized signing high-potential young players over pushing for the playoffs with their veteran core. The Bulls will struggle to stay competitive this year, but there is still plenty of money to be made on their future markets. Can Chicago make a shock run to the play-in tournament, or will they be adding their name to the hat for the 2025 draft lottery?

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Chicago Bulls Offseason Recap

The Bulls were one of the most active teams in the offseason, completely overhauling their starting five. The first domino to fall was a straight-up, one-for-one trade rarely seen in the modern-day NBA. The Bulls shipped Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City in exchange for Josh Giddey. Caruso is a crafty veteran guard whose impact on the court couldn’t be captured in a stat sheet. His help on defense was second to none, and he gave the Bulls a sense of calm in late game situations. In return, the Bulls have a shiny new prospect in Josh Giddey to spearhead their rebuild. Giddey is still only 21-years-old but already has three NBA seasons under his belt. He was a crucial component of a budding Thunder side, averaging 13.9 PPG, 7.3 Rebounds, and 5.7 Assists across his OKC career. The fact Giddey is expected to play guard most of the time will give the Bulls a massive size advantage on the perimeter. Off-court issues aside, Giddey is only getting better and is the perfect pickup for the Bulls heading into a rebuild. 

The next to depart Chicago was Demar DeRozan. DeRozan was the primary scorer for the Bulls last year, posting a team high 24 PPG and 5.3 Assists. While his impact on the court was fantastic, the Bulls didn’t have the supporting cast needed to make a playoff run and cut their losses with the 35-year-old. DeRozan’s departure makes room for the Bulls future stars to handle the ball more frequently and allows the aging veteran to chase his ring in Sacramento. 

There is no doubt the Bulls got worse in the offseason, as the loss of DeRozan severely hinders their chances at a surprise playoff appearance. One bright spot is the possible return of Lonzo Ball. The talented guard was injured in January 2022 and hasn’t played since. He is expected to return to action in the early stages of the season. While he isn’t technically an offseason addition, if Ball can make a positive impact for the Bulls, that would be a huge bonus. 

Chicago Bulls Season Expectations

The Bulls are expected to fall well outside the playoff race, as they don’t have the roster needed to compete with the league’s best. Giddey will provide a spark for the Bulls, but Coby White and maligned Zach LaVine are the only other household names on the roster. LaVine’s off-court antics are what really tore this team down from a perennial playoff contender. Injuries played a part, but when the star player makes it publicly clear he doesn’t want to play, it’s a tough thing to overcome. He isn’t getting any younger, and the feeling among the Bulls front office is it is simply time to focus on the future over building around LaVine. 

Nikola Vucevic has never really been able to live up to expectations in a Chicago uniform, leaving the Bulls with a barren roster heading into the year. Matas Buzelis was taken 11th overall in this year’s draft and will get numerous opportunities to shine on the NBA court. Buzelis is the perfect prospect for the Bulls, as he has the physical attributes to slot in nicely with this roster. He is a 6’8 wing player that has ball handling skills rarely seen at his size. His shooting is inconsistent, but he will develop nicely throughout the year. 

Chicago Bulls Schedule Breakdown

The Bulls open up the season with a pair of tough road games against the Pelicans and Bucks. That should set the tone nicely for where these Bulls are heading this season. Chicago’s geographical location allows them to avoid long road trips, as they have only three stretches of three consecutive road games this season. The longest trip is on the West Coast, when the Bull play six road games in a row in mid-March. 

Chicago Bulls Odds

The Bulls are not expected to do much this season and have been given a win total of just 28.5 wins. They have eclipsed this total in each of the last four seasons. However, with the offseason departures, it is reasonable to expect some regression. They are a whopping +750 to reach the playoffs and have the 23rd best odds of winning the championship at +75000. 

In the NBA Cup, the Bulls may have some life. They are in a group with the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, and the Washington Wizards. The Bulls will be able to compete with the Hawks and Wizards and could pull off an upset against one of the Celtics or Cavaliers. They are +2500 to finish top of their group, and +25000 to win the NBA Cup. 

2024-25 Chicago Bulls Season Predictions and Best Bets

The Bulls are a difficult team to predict, as it all comes down to how big a hole DeRozan will leave on the court. The Bulls managed to scrape together 39 wins last year, and it feels a little speculative to attribute at least 12 of those to DeRozan. Giddey for Caruso is a pretty equivalent exchange, making this total a little bit low. If LaVine (or the players in return when the Bulls eventually trade him) and Ball can stay healthy, they have the skills to offset DeRozan’s departure. A line of 28.5 wins is a little bit of an overreaction to the Bulls offseason moves, making the Over a solid pick. 

The second bet to make is a very small wager on the Bulls to top Group C in the NBA Cup at +2500 odds. This obviously has a small chance of cashing, but the massive payout is worth a shot in the dark. The Bulls have pulled off upsets before and have gotten used to the high-stakes games in the play-in tournament. If they can pull off an upset over one of the Celtics or Cavaliers, this prop will have a real chance of cashing a massive ticket. 

Top Pick: Chicago Bulls Over 28.5 Wins

Pick: Chicago Bulls to Win Group C +2500

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