| Team | 2025-26 Win Projection | Key Addition/Return | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celtics | 60+ | Porzingis healthy | Title Favorite |
| Cavaliers | 60+ | Core intact | Title Favorite |
| Knicks | 55+ | Brunson MVP-level | Contender |
| Bulls | 38-42 (Play-In) | Healthy Giddey | Dark Horse |
CHICAGO - Let’s make one thing crystal clear: Josh Giddey didn’t come to the Windy City to raise a white flag. He came to ball.
Fresh off signing his lucrative extension this summer - the franchise’s loudest signal yet that he’s the cornerstone of this rebuild - the Australian point-forward sat down with Bulls media ahead of training camp and dropped a message that’s bound to ruffle feathers from Boston to Cleveland.
“I’m tired of the disrespect,” Giddey said, leaning in with that unmistakable competitive fire. “Everyone’s penciling us in for another lottery trip. They look at last season’s record and write us off. But they aren’t in this locker room. We know what we have. We aren’t chasing a Play-In spot - we’re coming for the top of this conference.”
Bold? Absolutely. Delusional? Maybe. But here’s the thing about Giddey: he’s never lacked confidence, and his game backs it up.
The numbers from last season tell the story of a player just scratching the surface. 14.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.9 assists - those are nightly triple-double threats. After the All-Star break, he was flirting with a triple-double average before that brutal ankle sprain in April derailed everything.
Giddey’s vision is the engine. At 6’8”, he sees the floor like a quarterback with a cannon arm. Coby White’s shooting, Patrick Williams’ athleticism, Matas Buzelis’ raw upside - all of it amplifies when Giddey’s pushing the tempo and spraying passes to open shooters.
The Bulls aren’t just hoping for internal growth; they’re betting the franchise on it.
The Reality Check: Navigating a Brutal Eastern Conference Hierarchy
Let’s pump the brakes for a second and size up the mountain Giddey’s trying to climb. Because hoo-boy, the East didn’t get the memo about being charitable this season.
The Boston Celtics are still wearing the crown, and they didn’t lose any teeth over the summer. Then there’s the Cleveland Cavaliers, who rattled off a historic 68-win regular season last year - proof they’re not a fluke but a force of nature. Together, these two teams form an absolute fortress at the top.
Then comes the second wave, just as terrifying. The Knicks added another year of chemistry to a squad that’s already a nightmare matchup. The 76ers are praying to the basketball gods for health, but if Joel Embiid’s upright, they’re a top-four seed, easy. And don’t sleep on the Orlando Magic - that young core is growing fangs.
| Tier | Teams | Bulls’ Head-to-Head Record (2025-26) |
|---|---|---|
| Elite | Celtics, Cavaliers | 0-4 (Projected) |
| Contender | Knicks, 76ers, Bucks, Magic | 2-6 (Projected) |
| Play-In (Middle) | Pacers, Hawks, Heat | 6-4 (Projected) |
| Bulls’ Target | Top 6 Finish | Requires 10+ Upsets |
The analytics folks in Vegas still peg Chicago as a bottom-five team in the conference. That’s the cold, hard math Giddey’s fighting against. National pundits look at a 35-47 team from a year ago and see more of the same. They see a roster that lost key veterans over the summer and figure it’s another rebuilding lottery squad.
But here’s what the spreadsheets don’t measure: Giddey’s willpower.
📊 35-47 record in 2024-25 - The Bulls finished 10th and lost their Play-In to the Hawks. That’s the baseline Giddey’s trying to shatter.
Why Giddey’s Swagger Isn’t Just Hot Air
So, is this all just a guy hyping his own paycheck, or is there real substance behind the bold talk? Let’s dig into the tape.
Giddey’s argument has nothing to do with last February’s standings. It’s about trajectory, health, and chemistry - three things the Bulls actually have on their side heading into this season.
