While the NBA Playoffs are in full swing, now is a good time to recap the fantasy basketball season for all 30 teams.
In the following weeks, we will provide a recap for each team, starting with the team with the worst record and concluding with the NBA champion in June.
Today, we’ll take a look at a team that had a disappointing finish but has plenty of reasons for optimism moving forward.
Chicago Bulls 2024-2025 Season Recap
Record: 39-43 (10th, East)
Offensive Rating: 113.2 (20th)
Defensive Rating: 114.8 (19th)
Net Rating: -1.6 (20th)
Pace: 100.08 (13th)
2025 NBA Draft Picks: 1.7 percent chance of winning the lottery; 45th pick
Another season, another Play-In appearance and another disappointing finish. Chicago finished with a sub-.500 record and missed the playoffs for the third straight season.
Over the last 10 years, mediocrity has become the norm in the Windy City, as the Bulls have made two playoff appearances and failed to get out of the first round in that span.
Chicago moved on from DeMar DeRozan in the offseason, and the team traded Zach LaVine at the deadline to speed up the eventual teardown that will come once Nikola Vucevic is finally traded.
Wins won’t be plentiful in Chi-Town next season, but there are a few players on the roster who could become franchise cornerstones and pack a punch as fantasy basketball options for years to come.
Let’s recap last season’s fantasy performances and look ahead to 2025-26.
Fantasy Standout: Nikola Vucevic
The 34-year-old Vucevic continues to defy Father Time with slow and steady production. In his 14th season, Vooch averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.7 blocks and 1.8 triples as he finished 18th in per-game fantasy hoops value. He set new career-best marks with 53% shooting from the floor and 40.2% shooting from beyond the arc.
Vooch finished with at least 17 points, 10 boards and three dimes for the seventh straight season, and he’s appeared in at least 70 games in five straight. Over the last seven years, the veteran big man has been a top-20 player in total value six times and a top-5 player three times.
In 2024-25, Vucevic posted 46 double-doubles, and he dropped 40 points on the Hornets on January 17 – his most in a single game in two years.
Vucevic is a solid scorer, shooter, rebounder and passer who has proven to be durable throughout his career. He’s not flashy or exciting, but you know what you’re going to get, and that consistency makes him a worthwhile mid-range center option in 2025-26 fantasy drafts.
Fantasy Revelation: Josh Giddey
After a disappointing 2023-24 season in OKC, Giddey was traded to the Bulls for Alex Caruso in a one-for-one swap. Caruso played a solid bench role for the Thunder this season, but he was far less impactful for his team than Giddey was for his.
In his first campaign with the Bulls, Giddey turned in 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.6 blocks and 1.5 triples. He shot 46.5% from the field, 78.1% from the free throw line and 37.8% from beyond the arc. In addition to hitting more triples, Giddey was aggressive getting to the basket, attempting 3.2 free throws a game.
The rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, three-pointers, free throw attempts and three-point percentage were all career-best marks for Giddey, who had a phenomenal inaugural season with his new team.
The young point forward set new career highs with 30 double-doubles and seven triple-doubles across 70 appearances. He tied his career high in assists with 17 against the Lakers on March 22, and he grabbed a career-best 19 rebounds on April 4 against the Trail Blazers.
Giddey is slated for free agency this summer, and last season’s performance has surely earned him a nice pay day. Chicago has found its PG of the future, and Giddey should get a long-term deal this offseason to stick around with the Bulls. He’s worth a look in the mid rounds of 2025-26 fantasy drafts as a strong option with upside to stuff the stat sheet on any given night.
Fantasy Disappointment: None
Vooch and Giddey exceeded expectations, Coby White was great, and Ayo Dosunmu was serviceable in standard leagues. The rest of the roster was either in flux or finished right in the range of preseason expectations.
Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads
Coby White:
After a breakout 2023-24 season, White followed it up with another solid campaign. In 2024-25, the UNC product posted 20.4 points, 3.7 boards, 4.5 dimes, 0.9 steals and 2.9 triples while shooting 45.3% from the field, 90.2% from the charity stripe and 37% from long distance.
The points, steals, triples, FG% and FT% are all career highs, and White finished 71st in per-game fantasy hoops value. He’s been durable, with at least 74 games played in each of his last three seasons.
White dropped a career-high 44 points against the Magic on March 6 and canned nine triples on January 4 against the Knicks. He finished the season with nine 30-point games and shot at least 37% from beyond the arc for the fourth straight season.
His best basketball may still be in front of him, and White is a solid pick in the later rounds of 2025-26 fantasy drafts.
Ayo Dosunmu:
Dosunmu enjoyed the most productive season of his career, averaging 12.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.3 triples across 30.3 minutes per game. Aside from the three-pointers, his numbers were new career highs across the board.
He started 26 games and produced his first career triple-double with a 27/10/11 line on December 5 against the Spurs.
Unfortunately, a left shoulder injury limited Dosunmu to just 46 games after he played at least 76 in three straight. He had surgery in March and is expected to be available again in August.
Dosunmu should play a key role in Chicago’s rotation next season, and he’s worth a look at the end of standard drafts.
Matas Buzelis:
The 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft appeared in 80 games as a rookie and averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.3 “stocks,” and 1.2 triples. His shooting splits were respectable at 45.4/81.5/36.1, and he committed just 0.9 turnovers per game.
The long and athletic Buzelis competed in the Slam Dunk Contest and got his name out on the national stage. He excelled when given additional opportunities, averaging 12.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.0 blocks and 1.7 three-pointers across 27 minutes.
He dropped a career-high 31 points and five triples on March 22 against the Lakers and posted a 12/12 double-double with three blocks on April 4 against Portland. Buzelis could be a regular part of the starting five moving forward, and he’s an intriguing late-round selection in 2025-26 fantasy drafts.
Lonzo Ball:
After missing two seasons due to a lingering left knee injury and multiple surgeries, Ball returned to the court and logged 35 games in 2024-25. He played just 22.2 minutes per night and finished with healthy averages of 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.9 triples. Those numbers weren’t great on their face, but considering the relatively low minutes, Ball’s performance was impressive.
His knee issue appeared to be behind him, but Ball suffered a right wrist sprain on October 28 that cost him 15 games, and he didn’t play after February 28 due to the same issue. With a partial season back under his belt, Ball could be a quality option in 2025-26 if he can return close to full strength.
His availability will be tough to trust, but Ball will surely be a quality per-game option with closer to 30 minutes.
Kevin Huerter:
Huerter’s role diminished significantly in his final season with the Kings, as his playing time fell to 20.9 minutes a night. He logged nearly 30 per game with the Bulls and averaged 13.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.7 triples.
Chicago is deep at the guard position, so there’s no telling how Huerter will fit in with this team next season. As a three-point specialist, he could see meaningful rotation minutes, but his fantasy value figures to be minimal.
Tre Jones:
Jones saw a major decline in playing time with the arrival of Chris Paul, logging just 16.1 minutes per game with the Spurs this season. His minutes jumped to 25.3 in Chi-Town, and he posted 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals with efficient shooting percentages.
Jones missed the final 12 games of the season due to a left midfoot sprain, but he’s expected to be ready for the start of next season. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and it’s likely Jones looks to sign with a contender.
Zach Collins:
Collins was also part of the Zach LaVine-De’Aaron Fox deal, and he saw his playing time nearly double from 11.8 minutes with the Spurs to 19.7 with the Bulls.
Collins averaged just 8.6 points, 6.7 boards and 2.1 dimes with Chicago, but he was awesome in eight starts. As a member of the first unit, he averaged 14.9 points, 9.8 boards, 3.3 dimes, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks and 1.3 triples across 28.8 minutes.
If Chicago moves on from Vooch and makes Collins the starting center, he could have real fantasy value, but he doesn’t offer much as a backup playing 20 minutes a night.
Patrick Williams:
After appearing in just 43 games last season, Williams was available for 63 contests in 2024-25. He finished with 9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.5 blocks and 1.5 triples across 25 minutes.
The points and rebounds tied his career lows, while the three-pointers were a career high. In his fifth season, Williams started 36 games, though he may be out of the starting rotation moving forward with the ascension of Buzelis.
Williams is a solid defender, but he’s not particularly productive in any category that matters for fantasy hoops, especially with shooting splits of 39.7% from the field and 72.3% from the charity stripe. He’s off the radar in leagues of most sizes for 2025-26.
Restricted Free Agents: Josh Giddey, E.J. Liddell, Emmanuel MIller
Unrestricted Free Agents: Tre Jones, Talen Horton-Tucker
Club Option: None
Player Option: Jevon Carter
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