By the Numbers: What Defines the Bulls Before Opening Night

31-51 sets the floor. Last season ended 31-51, a fourth straight year outside the playoffs. That is the starting line for Tiago Splitter, who took over after Billy Donovan stepped down. It says nothing about how this retooled roster will play, but it sets the bar for what counts as progress.

Defense lost the math. Chicago posted an offensive rating of 112.1 last season and a defensive rating of 117.4, a net of -5.3. The defense gave back more than the offense earned. Those were last season's players and last season's coach, so the number frames the problem without proving the fix.

Giddey carries the offense. Josh Giddey averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists in 32.1 minutes last season, over 54 games. He makes the offense go. The games total is the catch: the Bulls need him on the floor more, and a good average proves nothing about availability.

Powell's scoring at 33. Norman Powell led the group at 21.7 points a game last season and shot 38.0 percent from three in 58 games. He is 33 now, with 11 years in the league. The production is real. Whether it holds through a full season on a young team is the open part.

Claxton's missing weeks. Nic Claxton is now listed Out with a hamstring injury and a return date of Nov. 4. Hoops Rumors' Monday headline has him missing two more weeks. He gave 11.7 points and 6.9 rebounds last season. The date says when, not how sharp he will be.

Buzelis keeps showing up. Matas Buzelis played 77 games last season, averaging 16.3 points and 5.8 rebounds, the most games of anyone in the top eight. He is 22. Durability counts on a roster this young, though a 34.9 three-point percentage says there is still work to do.

Payroll leaves room. Payroll sits at $164.3 million against a luxury-tax line of $200.4 million. Giddey's $25.0 million is the biggest contract, ahead of Claxton at $23.1 million and Powell at $21.5 million. The figures show no tax pressure. They do not show the money is well spent.