Josh Giddey signed four years, $100 million with the Chicago Bulls, a mid-point reached after a lengthy negotiation. The deal gives Chicago a ball-dominant playmaker whose raw totals look strong, but questions linger about efficiency, off-ball shooting, and defense. The move tightens the Bulls’ payroll with unclear spacing implications, inviting scrutiny of how the rest of the roster—Vučević, Williams, White—will complement him. The result feels like a calculated risk that may only edge Chicago toward play-in lethargy rather than a true upgrade.

Chicago’s plan around Giddey highlights a wider roster puzzle: can the Bulls assemble reliable spacing and scoring around a high-usage guard and still maximize floor balance? With White not extended, Vučević still on the roster, and Williams at roughly $18 million, the team’s direction looks murky, draft strategy appears limited, and the potential ceiling remains uncertain.

Overall, the deal signals risk over immediate uplift. Without a bold, coherent plan to maximize Giddey’s strengths and mitigate his weaknesses, Chicago risks stagnation rather than a meaningful leap forward.

Chicago Bulls depth chart for 2025-26 blends youth with veteran presence after a quiet offseason. A trade sent Lonzo Ball to Cleveland for Isaac Okoro, opening guard and wing opportunities while Giddey negotiates his extension. Tre Jones anchors the backup role behind a potential starter rotation, with Carter, White, Dosunmu and Terry adding scoring and playmaking depth. Skilled wings Okoro, Huerter and Julian Phillips raise floor spacing and defense, while Buzelis, Williams and Noa Essengue give versatile frontcourt options behind Vucevic and Collins.

Noa Essengue and Lachlan Olbrich join two-way roles alongside Kawamura and Emanuel Miller, keeping the Bulls flexible across the roster. Training camp opens Sept. 30 with 14 guaranteed contracts and a backdrop of big-money deals for Huerter, Vucevic, Williams and others, while Okoro's price tag and Giddey’s status loom over fantasy projections.

For fantasy players, the depth chart signals volume and roles to watch: Dosunmu and White handle primary creation; Giddey could push for minutes if he signs; Okoro provides defensive impact and occasional scoring; rookies Buzelis and Phillips offer upside but may start slow. The Chicago frontcourt of Vucevic and Collins anchors a middle with strong rebounding and scoring potential.

Martrell Stevens, 22, wheelchair basketball prodigy and 2025 FISU Bronze medalist, spent an uplifting Dolton afternoon donating backpacks and school supplies to local kids. A Bulls jersey, signed by Coby White, and a ball autographed by White capped a moment that highlighted resilience after a 2008 shooting left him paralyzed. Stevens envisions a 2028 Paralympic run and a Chicago nonprofit to keep giving back.

Beyond the ceremony, Stevens spoke about teamwork and adapting to life’s changes, as activist Andrew Holmes praised his work ethic. The event carried a civic seal with a mayoral proclamation, underscoring his world-spanning journey in wheelchair basketball and his steady climb from adversity to community leadership.