Team Profile
Chicago Bulls
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109.0 20thOffensive Rating
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112.5 11thDefensive Rating
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-3.5 22ndNet Rating
2024 Team Stats
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Points per game115.4 10th
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Points per game Against120.4 5th
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Rebounds per game46.6 6th
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Assists per game28.3 5th
Indiana Pacers forward Jalen Smith is expected to decline his $5.4 million player option for the 2024 season. This doesn't come as a surprise considering Smith should be able to earn much more than that in free agency. Smith posted career highs in field goal percentage and three-point percentage last season. He took a solid step forward during his fourth season and should have no shortage of suitors this offseason. Smith should be able to produce reliable fantasy value with basically any organization.
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey is eager to get started with his new team and believes he can take his game to another level in the Windy City. "It was going to be hard to tap into my full potential, in my opinion, on a team like [Oklahoma City] with so many talented guys who needed the ball in their hands, who were great with the ball in their hands," Giddey said. "A change of scenery was going to maybe unlock more of that for me." Giddey's fantasy stock plummeted in 2023-24, but the 21-year-old should get plenty of opportunities to turn things around in Chicago.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bulls acquired guard Josh Giddey from OKC. In exchange, the Thunder received guard Alex Caruso. Chicago was expected to be active this offseason to bolster the roster. With Lonzo Ball (knee) still without a return timetable, the move was made to acquire a playmaker. Giddey just completed his third year of service in the National Basketball Association. However, he averaged career-lows in points (12.3), rebounds (6.4), and assists (4.8) while logging only 25.2 minutes per contest. Without question, the door is open for the 21-year-old to see more scoring opportunities with the Bulls, so it's logical to assume he'll turn things around during the 2024-25 campaign. His statistical contributions could be greater if Chicago can't bring back DeMar DeRozan, who is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.com, there's an "early belief" that Indiana Pacers forward/center Jalen Smith will decline his $5.4 million player option and enter free agency this offseason. The 2020 No. 10 overall pick has spent the last three seasons with the Pacers. He averaged 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks during the 2021-22 campaign. However, his production has trended downward since. Smith saw limited action for the Pacers in 2023-24. Yet, in his 14 starts, he averaged 11.1 points and 6.7 rebounds. It's evident Smith can be productive, so a change of scenery could do wonders for his fantasy value heading toward the regular season.
According to Darnell Mayberry of the New York Times, the Oklahoma City Thunder could be interested in acquiring Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams. The 22-year-old has averaged 9.7 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 41.0% from deep since entering the league in 2020. However, while he's shown flashes of promise, his career in the National Basketball Association hasn't been smooth sailing. Williams could command over $16 million as a restricted free agent this summer, although that number may change, considering he was limited to only 43 games in 2023-24 because of a foot injury. But the Thunder have draft picks, so a sign-and-trade could be on the horizon. Either way, his fantasy desirability will continue to plunge until he proves he can stay healthy and consistent.