The Chicago Bulls entered the 2024-25 NBA season with a glaring defensive flaw that haunted them throughout the year, and their offseason moves—or lack thereof—have done little to address it. Despite a midseason defensive uptick, the Bulls’ inability to generate steals and force turnovers remains a critical weakness, setting them up for another frustrating campaign in 2025-26 unless drastic changes are made.
A Defensive Deficiency Exposed
Through the first month of the 2024-25 season, the Bulls showcased a respectable offense, ranking 13th in the league. However, their defense was a disaster, languishing at 29th in defensive rating. A faster pace contributed, but the root issue was clear: Chicago struggled to disrupt opposing offenses. They ranked 27th in steals and dead last (30th) in forcing opponent turnovers, allowing teams to execute their game plans with minimal resistance.
As the season progressed, the Bulls’ defense showed signs of improvement. By the All-Star break, they climbed to 27th in defensive rating, but their playmaking woes persisted, with a 26th ranking in steals and 28th in opponent turnovers. Post-All-Star break, Chicago made a notable leap, finishing the season with a 10th-ranked defensive rating. Yet, even this improvement couldn’t mask their ongoing struggles, as they remained 20th in steals and 25th in opponent turnovers.
The Bulls’ defense relied heavily on technical proficiency, holding opponents to a league-fifth-best 45.5 percent field goal percentage and a third-best 34.3 percent from three-point range. But their inability to create chaos left them vulnerable. When opponents shot efficiently—as they did early in the season, with Chicago allowing the 21st-best field goal percentage—the Bulls’ defense crumbled under pressure.
An Offseason of Missed Opportunities
Heading into the offseason, the expectation was that Chicago would prioritize bolstering their defensive playmaking. Instead, the front office made a puzzling move, trading away Lonzo Ball, their steals leader at 1.3 per game, for Isaac Okoro. While Okoro is a tenacious point-of-attack defender, his career-high steal average is a modest 1.0 per game, hardly the disruptive force the Bulls desperately need.
The Bulls’ returning roster offers little hope for improvement in this area. Only one player from last season who played more than 30 games and averaged over a steal per game will return: Josh Giddey. However, Giddey’s 1.0 steals per game last season marked his first time reaching that threshold, and his previous career high was just 0.9. While Giddey is a smart defender, he’s far from the game-changing playmaker Chicago needs to elevate its defense.
Without true disruptors, the Bulls are once again forced to lean on sound team defense and hope opponents miss open shots—a strategy that leaves little margin for error. Their lack of defensive playmaking is a fatal flaw that could doom their 2025-26 season before it even begins.
A Season on the Brink
Chicago’s front office had a golden opportunity to address their defensive shortcomings in the offseason but instead opted for silence. The acquisition of Okoro, while adding defensive grit, doesn’t solve the core issue of generating turnovers. The Bulls’ reliance on technical defense, while admirable, isn’t enough to compete with the league’s elite, who can exploit Chicago’s lack of disruption with efficient shooting and crisp ball movement.
As the 2025-26 season looms, the Bulls face a stark reality: their defense, though improved in structure, lacks the spark to unsettle opponents. With several offloadable contracts, the trade deadline offers a potential lifeline. Chicago’s front office must act decisively to acquire a true defensive playmaker—someone capable of forcing turnovers and injecting chaos into opposing offenses.
Until then, the Bulls are staring down another season of defensive mediocrity. Their offseason inaction has left a glaring nightmare unchecked, and without a midseason course correction, Chicago’s hopes for a competitive 2025-26 campaign may fade before the first tip-off.