Two Reasons Chicago’s Latest Outing Displayed The Perfect Blueprint
Last night, Coby White made his return to Chicago after being traded 21 days ago. He was the longest-tured Bull on the roster prior to their seven-trade, chaos-filled deadline week. As Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times joked, White heading to Charlotte was not too discouraging for the former Tar Heel guard, and could’ve turned out much worse than playing for his hometown Hornets. The Bulls were looking to snap their nine-game losing streak and grab their first win in February. Despite Matas Buzelis dropping a career-best 32 points on 13-of-19, including 6-of-11 from three-point land, the rest of the group was an abysmal 34.9% from the field as they fell to 0-10 this month. Here’s why last night’s story goes beyond the final score, and how it was the best-case scenario for the organization.
Let Matas Buzelis Cook
Last night’s game will be referred back to several times as the game where Buzelis arrived. This was the 21st time that he’s scored 20 or more points, 16 of them coming this season. It marked the second time he’s eclipsed the 30 mark, and both nights featured over 66% from the floor and five or more three-pointers. The top goal for the remainder of the season should be Buzelis’s development, specifically his ability to score. Josh Giddey is a known commodity; his triple-double averages while healthy have proven his value and what he’ll be able to produce as the Bulls progress. Outside of Tre Jones and Zach Collins, who have both also shown flashes of their capabilities as future products, Buzelis is the primary unknown commodity that’ll be a massive determining factor in whether or not the franchise is able to compete for NBA titles in the next several years. With 33 minutes played, 19 shots attempted, and the freedom to operate without expectation of winning the game made for a perfect display of what Buzelis’s remainder of the 2025-26 campaign should be.
Give Matas Buzelis the key because he has the skillset to raise this team’s ceiling in a big way
For way too long, he’s been limited by being forced to stand in a corner or operate strictly out of cuts (a role he’s accepted and maximized at least)
pic.twitter.com/7RfqbYn74L— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) February 25, 2026
Sliding Closer To Lottery Luck
Chicago fans truly did receive precisely what they have asked for over the last decade. This month, Arturas Karnisovas jumped headfirst into a full rebuild. While the return might’ve been embarrassing compared to what they would have netted if the same players were traded at their peak value over the last handful of years, the Bulls still hit the reset button. Karnisovas admitted that they were stuck in the middle, embraced taking a step back to take a larger one forward in the future, and committed to chasing better draft odds than a fourth-consecutive NBA Play-In tournament bid. Having gone 1-13 over their last 14 outings, including 0-10 this month, they’re making significant strides. How far down the ranks can Chicago continue to slide over the next 23 games?
The Bulls currently have a 20.3% chance at a top-four pick in the 2026 draft after losing 13 of their last 14 games.
Chicago was 23-22 a month ago, now they hold a 24-35 record.
By design for Chicago, the tank is now in full effect. pic.twitter.com/Nlixdpari3
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) February 25, 2026
Down the final stretch, the best results for the franchise’s future will be seeing Buzelis continue to be given the freedom to experiment and showcase his developing offensive skill, and the Bulls continue to slide down the standings and toward a better draft slot. Priming for an offseason with an abundance of cap space and draft capital, can Chicago add a top-ten pick to the mix?