The one question that decides Tiago Splitter's first season is whether Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Nic Claxton can turn a 31-51 team into a postseason team. The honest answer depends on a hamstring and a defense that has not proven anything yet.
The question, plainly. Chicago has missed the playoffs four straight years, and Miami ended three of those seasons in the play-in. Last season finished 31-51 with the league's 25th-ranked offense and 22nd-ranked defense. Bryson Graham replaced the front office in May, Splitter replaced Billy Donovan in June, and the Vucevic, White and Dosunmu era was traded away at the deadline. This is a reset asking to be judged.
The case for yes. Giddey is 24 and put up 17.0 points and 9.1 assists a night last season while hitting 36.4 percent from three. Buzelis played 77 games and scored 16.3, and Hoops Rumors reported the club exercised his 2027-28 option this week along with Noa Essengue's. Norman Powell scored 21.7 on 38.0 percent from deep. Caleb Wilson, the fourth pick, scored 17 at Denver and 16 against Minnesota in exhibition play.
The case for no. Claxton. He has been out with the hamstring since October 5, the projected return is November 4, and Rory Maher of Hoops Rumors reported he is expected to miss roughly another fortnight. The defense he was brought in to fix allowed a 117.4 rating last season. Six more Bulls are on tomorrow's injury report: Miller, Swain, Hawkins, Okoro, Awaka and Collins, every one projected back October 21.
The lineup problem underneath. The best five-man group last season by net rating was Vucevic, Huerter, Okoro, Giddey and Buzelis at plus-4.2 across 13 games. Two of those five are gone. The most-used unit, with White in for Huerter, was slightly underwater at minus-0.9 over 15 games. Splitter does not inherit a proven starting five. He inherits pieces and a plan.
Money is not the excuse. Payroll is $164.3 million, below the $165.0 million cap and well short of the $200.4 million tax line. Chicago owns its first-round picks in 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030. Pippen Ain't Easy has already run columns on what Powell could fetch and whether a Karl-Anthony Towns deal makes sense. The front office has room to move if this starts badly.
The first test. Toronto went 46-36 last season behind Kawhi Leonard's 27.9 points and Scottie Barnes' 18.1, with a plus-2.9 net rating. Both clubs come in on four days of rest. Nate Bittle is out for the Raptors with a right foot injury. Joe Cowley of the Sun-Times wrote that Wilson is not putting too much pressure on his debut. Someone should.
The answer. Play-in, yes. Giddey, Buzelis and Powell are enough offense to beat the 31-51 baseline, and the East's bottom third is open. Playoffs, not yet. That requires Claxton healthy and a defense that climbs out of the 20s, and neither exists on October 20. Judge this team again when the center plays.
Will Nic Claxton play in the Bulls' season opener against the Raptors?
No. He is out with a hamstring injury, with a projected return of November 4, and Hoops Rumors reported he is expected to miss roughly another two weeks.
Did the Bulls make the playoffs last season?
No. Chicago went 31-51 and missed the postseason for a fourth straight year, which led to Tiago Splitter replacing Billy Donovan as head coach in June.
