TITLE: Bulls’ Overhaul Shifts Focus to Competing Now While Grooming Young Core
SLUG: bulls-roster-shakeup-young-core-sexton-buzelis-dillingham-simons
CONTENT:
The Chicago Bulls ushered in seven new faces just before last week’s trade deadline, completing as many deals in an effort to reposition the franchise for immediate competitiveness rather than a long rebuild.
All seven newcomers logged minutes Saturday in Denver. Despite having only a single walk-through together, the revamped roster held a seven-point cushion entering the fourth quarter before falling to the Nuggets. Guard Collin Sexton, acquired from Charlotte on Thursday, said the debut offered a glimpse of the group’s potential. “We definitely can be very special,” Sexton remarked. “For us to have one walk-through and go out there jelling, making the right reads together, it was super fun. At the end of the day, I know something good is coming.”
Management eyes summer moves
Chicago had dropped five of six games leading up to the deadline, and front-office officials were determined to avoid settling for perennial play-in status. Executives framed the deadline purge as a step, not a teardown, signaling that additional significant transactions are expected during the offseason.
Buzelis deemed cornerstone
Second-year forward Matas Buzelis is viewed internally as a franchise building block. Head coach Billy Donovan noted that the flurry of trades exposed the 2024 first-rounder to the business side of the league. “It’s tough, of course,” Buzelis said of losing veteran teammates. “But I’m happy to see these guys here. I think we’ve got something special and we can make it work.”
Dillingham finds fit in up-tempo attack
Rookie guard Rob Dillingham, the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft, struggled to earn minutes in Minnesota but logged a season-high 22 minutes Saturday for Chicago, supplying nine points and two alley-oop assists. Donovan credited the Bulls’ faster style for unlocking the 19-year-old’s strengths. “When the ball is in his hand he can really break people down, play off the dribble and put pressure on the basket,” the coach said.
Simons treating stretch run as audition
Anfernee Simons, carrying a $27.7 million expiring contract, acknowledged that his performance over the next several weeks could determine where he plays next season. “Even before the trade it was always going to be a job interview with this being the last year of my contract,” the guard said. “I’ve just got to make the most out of these last couple of months here, start building chemistry with the guys and see where that goes.”
Sexton added that he intends to serve as a veteran voice for the youthful roster, outlining his approach in an interview with Chicago Sports Network.
Source: Hoops Rumors
