Here is the schedule for the player-inspired jerseys Bulls fans can pick up at the upcoming home games.

Zach LaVine’s UCLA, “Flight 8” jersey: Dec. 20 vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Patrick Williams’ Florida State, North Carolina jersey: Dec. 23 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

DeMar DeRozan’s Compton, Chicago map jersey: Dec. 30 vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Alex Caruso’s Texas A&M-themed jersey: Jan 30 vs. Toronto Raptors

Nikola Vucevic USC, Montenegro-themed jersey: Feb. 3 vs. Sacramento Kings

Ayo Dosunmu’s Illini, Chicago jersey: March 1 vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Coby White’s “Sub Zero” jersey: March 11 vs. Dallas Mavericks

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A video in which Zion Williamson allegedly implied he wants play for the Chicago Bulls went viral over the weekend. The clip, which was originally posted to TikTok, showed an interaction between the New Orleans Pelicans’ star and what appeared to be someone in the Bulls organization in the hallway at the United Center after a game. The audio is muffled, but according to the person who allegedly filmed the interaction, the conversation went as followed:

“Heard you want to come play for [the Bulls],” the person said to Williamson outside of the visitors locker room at the United Center.

“Woah, don’t say it out loud,” Williamson responded.

The clip has over a million views on the social media platform X after being shared by major sports media accounts, including Barstool Sports and NBACentral, following Saturday’s game between the Bulls and Pelicans.

The problem? There are quite a few.

The video was originally posted to TikTok in February 2022. The user re-uploaded it to TikTok on Sunday, hours after the most recent meeting between the Bulls and Pelicans, leading people to believe the interaction had taken place after Saturday’s game. Former Bulls’ forward Malcolm Hill and current Chicago Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon, who was an assistant coach for the Pelicans last season, appear in the background of the video.

Moreover, the interaction itself was clearly a teasing matter, with multiple Pelicans staff and players in earshot of the conversation.

This is not say the Bulls would never make an offer for Williamson, but rumblings about the Pelicans making the former No. 1 overall pick available for trade are at an all-time low.

Williamson is averaging 23.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game through 17 games this season.

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After nailing a season-high eight 3-pointers in the first quarter, the Chicago Bulls melted when the Brooklyn Nets went on a 25-7 run to open the second frame, eventually outscoring the Bulls 44-19 with 11 3-pointers of their own in the quarter.

The Nets completely flipped the script on the Bulls’ big night beyond the arc, sinking 25 3-pointers by the final buzzer — the most ever allowed in a single game by the Bulls in franchise history.

Head coach Billy Donovan said postgame that contesting rate was the main issue on defense, but poor communication on slip outs and in rotation caused an overall collapse.

The Nets entered the game seventh in the league in 3-point attempts and fourth in made 3-pointers, an identity amplified by a alarming number of Bulls’ defensive breakdowns that led to wide-open attempts.

Royce O’Neale and Lonnie Walker IV combined for 40 points with six 3-pointers apiece. Spencer Dinwiddie sank three in a team-high 24-point performance, while Mikal Bridges ended the night 4-for-6 beyond the arc.

The Bulls, on the other hand, went 4-for-22 from from three-point range after their hot start of 8-for-10 in the first quarter.

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Here are 10 observations from the game:

— The Bulls have been relatively healthy all season and that remained the same on Friday night. Zach LaVine (foot) and Coby White (ankle) were both questionable before the game but became available leading up to tipoff. They both started alongside DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso and Nikola Vucevic.

— How about another slow start? The ailment affecting the Bulls for several games followed them to Toronto. At the end of the first frame, the Bulls trailed the Raptors by 14 points, 36-22. The Bulls rank dead last in the NBA for first-quarter points scored, averaging 24 per game.

— Frustration set in early for the Bulls. In the second quarter, DeRozan shouted “That’s a f—— foul!” at a referee after the latter opted to call a foul on the ground from a play DeRozan shot the ball. That earned him, and Andre Drummond, a technical foul. That’s what happens when you go down 20 points early in the game.

— LaVine caught some serious fire in the second quarter. By halftime, he racked up 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting. He scored 12 in the second and fourth quarters. He and Vucevic worked well in pick-and-roll situations and he took advantage. He owned 60% of the team’s points at the midway break. LaVine finished with 36 points.

— The officiating was strange in this one. By halftime, four technical fouls were called (3 on the Bulls, 1 on the Raptors). The Raptors were faced with a challenge near halftime on a blatant non-foul from O.G. Annunoby, too. By the game’s end, six technical fouls were called. DeRozan was ejected from the game with 1.4 seconds left.

— Rookie Julian Phillips got some third-quarter tick. Usually a garbage-time player, Phillips got in a little run with the second unit. He recorded 29 points with the Windy City Bulls in the G-League in his last outing.

— The Bulls’ bench, which has provided crucial support in necessary times for the team, didn’t offer much help against the Raptors. They finished with 23 points. The Raptors, on the other end, received 32 points from their bench.

— It’s a stark contrast between how the Raptors and Bulls play on offense. The Raptors constantly pushed the ball ahead; the Bulls were forced to match that energy in certain parts of the game. To me, the Bulls’ offense has been stagnant this entire season. In contrast, the Raptors play strongly as a team. Need proof? They finished with 32 assists. The Bulls? 20.

— Caruso played just 18 minutes in the contest. He appeared to have suffered an injury from the game. Stay tuned, as an injured Caruso would have a major, negative impact on the Bulls.

— The Bulls are officially eliminated from the knockout round of the In-Season Tournament after dropping to 0-3 in group play. They rank last in the East’s Group C. They will play one more group play game against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.

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The Bulls and Raptors sit at the bottom of the standings in East Group C with 0-2 records in the tournament.

Toronto is coming off a split of a two-game road trip. It lost 126-107 to the Orlando Magic in a tournament game on Tuesday before defeating the Indiana Pacers 132-131 on Wednesday in a regular-season game at Indianapolis.

Chicago lost 116-102 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. The Bulls have lost five of their past six games.

Chicago did not have guard Zach LaVine (right foot soreness) for Wednesday’s game.

LaVine said that he started to notice pain in his foot against the Miami Heat last Saturday, cutting the tape off of it at halftime of the Bulls’ 102-97 victory in an attempt to reduce the discomfort.

“During the Miami games, it was bugging me,” LaVine said. “Obviously, just trying (Wednesday), it felt the same if not worse. Did a lot of warmups, and a lot of treatment over the last couple of days. It didn’t feel right. Giving it a day, see how it feels. We’ll figure it out and get me feeling better.”

LaVine played through the pain in a second game against Miami on Monday, a 118-100 Bulls loss.

Bulls coach Billy Donovan said LaVine’s status will be determined game to game. LaVine said his path to recovery will be “nothing major,” and he could be good to go for the game against Toronto on Friday.

“I don’t like sitting out of basketball,” LaVine said. “I’ve missed enough games in my career. I try to play through everything.”

DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points for Chicago on Wednesday and Coby White added 23.

“It’s a struggle when you lose, but I see them fighting and trying,” Donovan said. “We just haven’t been consistent enough, and we haven’t been consistent in shooting the basketball. I felt our guys were really trying. We just have these stretches where we dig ourselves somewhat of a hole. We just have to keep fighting through and being more consistent.”

Pascal Siakam had 36 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors in their win over the Pacers. Scottie Barnes made a go-ahead dunk with 27.1 seconds left and finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Dennis Schroder added 26 points. Siakam made 13 of 24 shots from the field.

“Pascal was amazing,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “He was so aggressive. He scored points in the paint and was versatile, driving to the rim.”

The Pacers had set a franchise scoring record on Tuesday night when they beat the host Atlanta Hawks 157-152. Rajakovic said the goal was to limit the Pacers’ running game.

“We knew they were going to be a team that was going to try to run and score a lot,” Rajakovic said. “I thought in the first half we did a good job in transition. They only got five points in transition. We continued to preach to slow those guys down and make them a half-court team. We talked about not letting them shoot early in the shot clock.”

The Raptors played without Precious Achiuwa (sore right knee).

The Bulls won 104-103 in overtime on Oct. 27 in the first game this season between the teams. That contest was played in Chicago.

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Here are 10 observations from the game:

— Against a smaller Miami Heat team, Billy Donovan opted to keep Alex Caruso in the starting lineup. This marked his third straight start since taking over Torrey Craig, who took over Patrick Williams before him. More on Caruso later. Donovan said postgame he plans to stick with Monday’s starting lineup going forward.

— It appeared another slow start — a tendency the Bulls have fallen prey to over the past few games — was unfolding in the first frame. Down 12-2 a few minutes into the game, Donovan called for a timeout. However, the Bulls stormed back with an 8-0 run following the timeout. They finished the first quarter down six points, 33-27, but found themselves down 12 at halftime.

“Certainly, we’ve talked about the starts we’ve gotten off to early in games,” Donovan said after the game “(We’ve) looked at some different starting rotations, played some different rotations, do some different things to try to get back to a level of consistency.”

— Patrick Williams didn’t earn a single minute in the first quarter. The rest of the normal cast off the bench, however, did. Ayo Dosunmu, Andre Drummond, Torrey Craig and Jevon Carter all got tick in the first frame. Williams got into the game at the beginning of the second quarter. More on him later.

— Duncan Robinson quickly earned himself KYP (Know Your Personnel) after starting perfectly from the game shooting-wise. Williams stumped him upon checking in the second quarter, keeping him to 11 points in the first half after a lethal beginning. Robinson finished with 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting.

— In the first quarter, Erik Spoelstra implemented a trap action for the Heat’s defense in two straight possessions on Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine. Each time, the Bulls turned the ball over. They only tried it once more in the third quarter with DeMar DeRozan, however, which certainly came as a surprise. Food for thought.

— Coby White was spectacular against the Heat. He finished with 20 points, a season-high for the starting point guard. His defensive tenacity really stuck out to me. He got in Bam Adebayo’s grill on one occasion, forcing a steal. And he telepathed a patented Kevin Love full-court bomb to earn the steal; he followed that up with a bucket-and-the-foul layup on the other end.

“Obviously you always want to see the ball go in,” White said after the game when asked if he needed a successful game like Monday’s for his confidence. “For me, it’s just sticking to my habits. Continue to do what I’m supposed to do off the court and on the court. Staying mentally ready. Be ready to shoot. Be ready to make a play.”

— Alex Caruso’s shown his development with his shot on offense early this season. But against the Heat, he flashed a nice crossover into a 3-point shot over Adebayo — taking advantage of the mismatch. Rarely do we see Caruso create his own offense, but it appears he’s getting a larger role on that end of the floor. On that end, Caruso is now on a six-game double-digit scoring streak, the longest of his career, according to Bulls PR.

— The Bulls lost the 3-point battle by a sizeable margin. Shooting 11-of-37 themselves, the Heat finished 17-of-35 from beyond the arc. The main culprits for the Heat were Robinson (5), Kevin Love (3) and Jaime Jacquez Jr. (3).

— This is the second game in a row LaVine’s been quiet on offense. On Monday, he took nine shots, scoring 13 points. That production from your star player won’t win you games, certainly. Donovan recognized it postgame, saying he feels LaVine is playing unselfishly and trying to make the right basketball play.

But, they need him to be more aggressive.

“I want him to always know he needs to be aggressive,” Donovan said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean he needs to shoot the ball all the time. But he’s got to be aggressive.”

— The last six games for the Bulls provided a friendly slate for the squad. After two local road games against the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks, they got four straight at home against two opponents: the Magic and the Heat. That ended Monday and the Bulls finished 2-4 in that six-game stretch.

Now, they’ll go on a third-game road trip, mostly on the East Coast. They’re in Toronto to face the Raptors for their third In-Season Tournament game; then, they’ll head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets; two days later, they’ll play their final In-Season Tournament group play game against the Boston Celtics.

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Here are 10 observations from the game:

— DeMar DeRozan missed Wednesday’s game against the Magic to tend to a personal matter. Billy Donovan said the team would give him as much time as he needed to handle his off-court affairs. Ahead of Friday’s game, Donovan announced DeRozan would return to the team and play against the Magic.

— Alex Caruso got his first starting nod of the season, taking over the four-spot. Torrey Craig will go back to the bench after overtaking Patrick Williams initially for the starting spot. Donovan was hesitant to start Caruso, as he’s trying to keep him on a minute restriction to prevent injury.

— Speaking of Caruso, he was everywhere in the first quarter. He nailed three 3-pointers in the first quarter, tying his career high for most 3-pointers in a single quarter, according to Bulls PR. Donovan subbed him out for Craig halfway through the first quarter to abide by his minute restriction.

— The Bulls’ reserves looked discombobulated in the first half, scoring just one point to the Magic’s 24 off the bench. Caruso’s insertion in the starting lineup made life on offense difficult for the Bulls’ reserves. Between Craig, Patrick Williams, Andre Drummond, Ayo Dosunmu and Jevon Carter, they went 0-for-6 in the first half.

— On Wednesday, the Bulls scored a measly 33 points in the first half — tied for sixth-fewest first-half points in franchise history. They followed up that dud with another on Friday, scoring another paltry 33 points. Both 33-point first halves mark the two lowest in the NBA this season.

— Turnovers haven’t been a major problem all season until recently. They put up 12 in the first half to the Magic’s nine. What’s worse, the Magic capitalized on those turnovers, scoring 21 first-half points in return. The Bulls finished with 16 turnovers.

— The Bulls responded with force in the third quarter, scoring 32 points. They trailed by 20 points at one instance in the quarter but brought the Magic’s lead back down to single-digits by the quarter’s end. Zach LaVine led the way, putting up a quick 13 points coming out of the second half.

— Together, DeRozan and LaVine were exceptional. LaVine finished with 34, DeRozan with 23. They finished a combined 22-for-40 from the field, adding 10 rebounds and six assists to their combined stat sheet.

— This play shouldn’t go unmentioned. To embellish the Bulls’ phenomenal fourth-quarter offensive run, Coby White absolutely postered Paolo Banchero. You need to see this.

— Donovan drew up a clean look for Nikola Vucevic on a wide-open corner 3-pointer that would’ve given the Bulls a one-point lead with seconds on the clock. Alas, Vucevic clunked it. He finished with a double-double, putting up 10 points and 10 rebounds. He finished shooting 4-of-16 from the field.

— The Bulls finished their second game that counts for the In-Season Tournament, now 0-2 in group play. The Celtics lead with a 2-0 record, and the Nets follow with a 2-1 record. This game marked the Bulls’ final home game of group play, leaving them on the road against the Celtics and the Raptors for their final two games.

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The Bulls got a taste of their Friday night In-Season Tournament Group play opponent in the Magic on Wednesday night at the United Center.

Here are 10 observations from the game:

— DeMar DeRozan was not made available for the game due to a personal matter. Before the game, head coach Billy Donovan addressed DeRozan’s situation, saying the team will give DeRozan whatever time he needs to address his personal matter. Donovan didn’t yet know if DeRozan would be back for Friday’s game against the Magic.

— Alex Caruso returned to the lineup for Wednesday’s game. He missed the last two games with a toe injury. His last game, if memory serves those reading this correctly, was a phenomenal two-way performance highlighted by 19 points and tremendous lockdown defense on Kevin Durant.

— Without DeRozan, Donovan opted for a starting lineup of White-LaVine-Craig-Williams-Vucevic. It marked Williams’ first start in four games. He finished with nine points on 2-of-7 shooting. He added nine rebounds and two blocks.

— Neither team got off to an acceptable shooting start in the first frame. It finished tied, 21-21. The Bulls shot 6-of-20 from the field (1-of-6 from 3-point range). The Magic finished 7-of-24 (0-of-10 from 3-point range). Both teams, however, finished perfectly from the line; the Bulls made eight, the Magic notched seven.

— Julian Phillips got some rare first-quarter tick. Through a four-minute run, he failed to record his first NBA basket. Donovan tried to inject some athleticism in the early lineup. He finished with those lone four minutes and two shots on the floor.

— The ship did not right in the second quarter. The Bulls scored a paltry 12 points in the frame. The Magic opened up the quarter on a 20-3 run on the back of Cole Anthony’s 14 first-half points. At the half, the Bulls were shooting 26.8% from the field and 14.3% from 3-point range. LaVine and Williams each had a team-leading seven points. Their 33 first-half points tied for the sixth-fewest number of points in a first-half in franchise history.

— The turnover battle was lost early by the Bulls. Just six turnovers in each of their last two games, they had 13 in the first half and 19 (season-high) for the whole game. If nothing else, the Bulls have thrived protecting the basketball this season. That did not reign true Wednesday, though the Magic rank third in the NBA in steals and in turnovers forced.

— Late-game heroics from Caruso and LaVine helped pull the Bulls back into competition. Solid defensive standings and some clutch 3-point shooting helped the Bulls nearly erase their first-half embarrassment. But, Paolo Banchero — last season’s Rookie of the Year — sunk a turnaround shot over Caruso to ruin the Bulls’ comeback efforts with 1.4 seconds left.

— We’ve talked about the importance of the Bulls capitalizing on this stretch of their schedule. After their overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns, the Bulls received three days off before facing the Pistons last Sunday. Including tonight’s game, this four-game stretch is entirely at home against just two teams (Magic, Heat). See the next point for more on this.

— The Bulls get a chance to correct their mistakes against the Magic, again. This time, the game counts towards group play for the In-Season Tournament. It’s a solid litmus test to see how they can compete in the postseason. Can the Bulls make things right on Friday?

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“In talking to some people around the league, the scouts are jamming themselves into Bulls games because they realize that at some point, the Bulls may break this team up. And they’re all gathering intelligence like, ‘What’s gonna happen with the Bulls?'” Windhorst said on NBA Today.

The trade rumors have been flying since this past offseason.

It’s been well-reported by outlets, including K.C. Johnson with NBC Sports Chicago, that LaVine fell into trade conversations with the Philadelphia 76ers during the James Harden trade commotion, and with the Portland Trail Blazers while they were shopping Damian Lillard. Johnson reported the Trail Blazers never seriously pursued LaVine, however.

What’s more, DeMar DeRozan and the Bulls are reportedly “far apart” in contract talks for an extension, according to Shams Charania. DeRozan is playing on the last year of his deal this season before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

The NBA’s Feb. 9 trade deadline could prove significant for the Bulls, who know their time left together is running out if they can’t figure out a way to create postseason success.

But, it doesn’t matter how many teams want to send scouts to Bulls games, the question is — what does the Bulls’ front office want to do?

They’ve preached continuity for multiple seasons now. And they’ve shown their commitment to the team in place by extending LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White to long-term deals.

What happens if things go south for the Bulls near the deadline?

Stay tuned. Teams are ready for the worst-case scenario from Chicago.

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Here are 10 observations from the game:

— Again, the Bulls were able to stay healthy, avoiding missing anyone from the lineup. The Suns, who have been banged up significantly to start this season, returned Bradley Beal for his first game of the season. They were, however, without Devin Booker. Yet again, another team leaves breathing room for the Bulls on account of injuries.

— The first five minutes of this game did NOT go in the Bulls’ favor. The Suns, at one point, led 22-6 about five minutes into the game. Billy Donovan opted to dip into the reserves early, checking Alex Caruso into the game at about the 7:30 mark.

— On that last note, Caruso put the Bulls right back in the game. He hit three straight 3-point shots in the first quarter to cut the Suns’ lead to single-digits. His nine points catapulted the Bulls on a 16-4 run in the middle of the quarter. He finished with 19 points and three steals. More on him later.

— The Bulls fought back valiantly in the second quarter — and the whole game, for that matter — tying the Suns at the half, 57-57, on account of keeping the Suns to 21 points in the second quarter. The difference? The bench finished with a +48 plus/minus. The starters? The exact opposite: -48.

— It wasn’t just one player who helped carry the Bulls back into the game offensively. The Bulls put three starters — not including Zach LaVine — in double-digits in the first half. Vucevic (12), DeMar DeRozan (11) and Coby White (11) all brought their best in the first half. The Bulls remained hot in the first half from downtown (6-of-13) and got to the free-throw line exceptionally well (16-of-19).

— Since the Bulls dropped off significantly against the Denver Nuggets in the second half, losing by 21 points, the Bulls have underlined, highlighted and preached keeping their foot on the gas. They accomplished that feat against the Utah Jazz on Monday, holding onto their halftime lead and breaking out the victory cigars with Dalen Terry, Terry Taylor and Julian Phillips all getting garbage time minutes.

— There are a lot of Suns names for the Bulls to keep an eye on. But Grayson Allen is a sneaky qualifier for KYP (know your personnel). The Bulls left him open constantly from beyond the 3-point line and he made them pay. He finished with 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting and 8-of-13 from the 3-point line.

— Donovan should seriously consider the idea of starting Caruso. Unfortunately, as Donovan illustrated on Monday, he’s trying to manage Caruso’s minutes to prevent injury. He’s already been playing with a banged-up shoulder — one that doesn’t limit him, but forces him into a heating pack every time he’s on the bench. Still, Torrey Craig has struggled in the starting line and Caruso is thriving on both ends of the floor, evidenced by Wednesday’s game.

Here’s what Donovan said Monday about the idea of starting Caruso:

“I have thought a lot about that. I think the challenge is when you start getting into a situation where you start him you’re exceeding into situations where he’s potentially playing over 30 minutes per game. I’m really trying to be careful managing him.”

— Rebounding needs to be a top priority for the Bulls’ focus going forward. Wednesday’s game marks the third straight game the Bulls have been out-rebounded. They lost tonight’s battle 53-38 against the Phoenix Suns. We know Vucevic is an elite defensive rebounder, but this needs to expand into a collaborative effort moving forward. Honestly, the Suns’ rebounding probably helped them erase their turnover differential (21-14) with the Bulls.

— Defense was imperative down the stretch. We’ve talked countlessly about the Bulls staying rigid on the defensive end, especially in the second half. The Suns didn’t make a field goal in the last 4:30 of regulation. Caruso played a huge role, contesting Durant’s final attempt to win the game at the buzzer. That made all the difference in giving the Bulls a chance to win in overtime.

Unfortunately, they came up just short in the end, despite a valiant, admirable effort from the Bulls.

The Bulls get a sizeable break, as they won’t play again until Sunday at home against the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons defeated the Bulls earlier this season, how will they respond?

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Here are 10 observations from the game:

— The Bulls have been banged up recently. But when the game starts, they pull it together. That rang true on Monday, as the Bulls played a fully healthy lineup. Ayo Dosunmu, who missed the last two games (illness), made his return to the team against the Jazz.

— Quickly, the Bulls found their rhythm from beyond the arc. They shot 6-of-9 from downtown in the first quarter. They finished 10-of-21 for the first half, good for 47.6% from behind the arc. The Jazz shot 10-of-40 in the first half from downtown. The Bulls finished shooting 52.9% and the Jazz 37.5%.

— Jevon Carter provided Jevon Carter minutes in the first half. He hit three 3-point shots and added two steals to his early stat sheet. More on him in the next bullet point.

— Upon Dosunmu’s return to the floor, he forced the question — how will Billy Donovan spread the minutes between Dosunmu, Carter and Coby White? He answered that in the first half. White dominated, playing 16 minutes. Carter played eight minutes, Dosunmu six. Here’s how it finished: White (29), Carter (17), Dosunmu (16).

— Andre Drummond reached the career 10,000-rebound mark in the second quarter. This was fitting, considering he notched five rebounds in the first half from eight minutes on the floor. Oh, did I mention they were ALL offensive rebounds? He earned a quick eight points from them. He finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds.

— Lauri Markkanen, expectedly, became the center of attention for the Bulls on the defensive end. The former Bull put up 14 points in the first half off 4-of-6 shooting and two perfect trips from the line. The Jazz run a lot of action to try and get him open from beyond the arc. And when the Bulls force him to dish the rock, he does, as he turned those possessions into three early assists.

— The real reason the Bulls led the Jazz 66-52 in the first half? Turnovers. The Jazz turned the ball over 15 times to the Bulls’ squeaky clean four giveaways (23-8, by the end). The Bulls notched nine steals and three blocks in the first half alone, reminiscent of some solid defense. Remember, the Bulls similarly produced some top-tier defense against the Nuggets, last game, in the first half. Can they keep it up this time in the second half?

— The bench provided terrific offensive help, totaling 52 points. Williams (10), Drummond (12), Carter (12), Caruso (10), Dosunmu (8) were the driving force of the game.

—- The Patrick Williams bench experiment underwent its third trial on Monday night. For a second time, in my opinion, it worked. He scored 10 points and notched three rebounds in 23 bench minutes.

— To answer the question from point No. 7, they kept it up. Outside of Markkanen (29 points), the Jazz’ key players were quiet. Jordan Clarkson (7 points), John Collins (14 points) and Walker Kessler (15 points) couldn’t get much done offensively.

The Bulls moved past their “get right” game against a struggling Jazz team. Their Monday night win marked the end of their three-game losing skid. Now, they’ll get a step up from that with a struggling Phoenix Suns team that is riddled with injury.

Bradley Beal didn’t play on Sunday and Devin Booker is already unlikely to play against the Bulls on Wednesday.

Can the Bulls capitalize on the momentum? Tune in on Wednesday.

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The Bulls’ big man grabbed the offensive board off a missed jumper by DeMar DeRozan in the second quarter against the Utah Jazz. After coming up short on the put-back, he tapped in his own miss for a field goal, along with his fourth and fifth rebounds of the half.

Drummond, 30, sits behind former Bulls legend Johnny “Red” Kerr on the all-time NBA rebounds list. The latter finished his career with 10,092.

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Here are 10 observations from the game:

— As noted yesterday, Ayo Dosunmu did not play in Saturday’s game due to a respiratory illness. Several players — DeMar DeRozan (questionable, rest), Zach LaVine (probable, back), Patrick Williams (probable, finger) and Alex Caruso (probable, shoulder) — landed on the injury report. All of them, except Dosunmu, played.

— For the second straight game, Billy Donovan stuck with Torrey Craig in the starting lineup and brought Patrick Williams in off the bench. Williams thrived in this role on Friday, scoring 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting with the second line. (More on him later.)

— The Bulls’ defense stood out in the first half. The Nuggets run a very fluid offense on account of Nikola Jokic’s supreme passing vision and ability. But the Bulls clogged the passing lanes and forced turnovers. They kept Jokic to 11 first-half points, while Murray finished with 2 points on account of a hamstring injury that forced him out of the game.

— Against the Nets on Friday, the Bulls failed to execute through Nikola Vucevic, despite Brooklyn’s undersized lineup. That wasn’t the case on Saturday. The Bulls got their big man going quickly. He opened up with 13 points in the first half on 11 shots. Though, he finished with just four second-half points, notching 19.

— The Bulls took a page out of the Nets’ playbook, picking up the pace in their game against the Nuggets. They notched 8 first-quarter fast break points — the most fast break points they’ve scored in a quarter this season. They finished with 16, one more than the Nuggets.

— Jevon Carter stood out on both sides of the ball. A nifty guard, Carter created plays for others, and himself, with his crafty movements and ball handling. He was electric from behind the arc, too, hitting four 3-point shots and finishing with 16 points off the bench. His performance may not bode well for Dosunmu’s minutes when the latter returns from his illness.

— The Nuggets came out of halftime flying on offense. This is where the Bulls lost all control of the game. They opened with an 8-0 run, hitting several 3-point shots from several characters. The Nuggets scored 35 points in the third quarter and 37 in the fourth, giving them 72 second-half points. Yikes.

— The 3-point battle was won by a landslide in favor of the home team. The Nuggets hit nine more 3-point shots than the Bulls, finishing 16-of-36 (44.4%) from behind the arc. The Bulls, unlike their game against the Nets, struggled from downtown. They shot 7-of-27 from 3-point land.

— Williams didn’t quite have the game he executed on Friday night. He finished with seven points on 2-of-7 shooting from the field. He definitely showed some aggression on both sides of the ball. He fielded an offensive rebound and drove the lane, as his 3-point shot wasn’t falling (0-of-5).

— The battle of the stars did not fall in the Bulls’ favor, as you can presume. DeRozan and LaVine combined for 29 points on 11-of-28 shooting from the field. Jokic, while without his main partner in Jamal Murray, got help from Michael Porter Jr. by way of 27 points. They each shot 9-of-16 from the field, respectively.

— The Bulls (2-5) will try to right the ship on Monday back at the United Center against the Utah Jazz (2-5), who have the same number of wins as the Bulls.

Click here to follow the Bulls Talk Podcast.

What does this mean? Let’s break it down.

The Bulls, and the rest of the NBA, are in the midst of “group play” — the first stage of the NBA’s in-season tournament. Everyone in the league has been assigned to a group in their respective conference—five teams per group between six groups league-wide.

Group C — the Bulls’ group — includes the Nets, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic.

The Nets currently lead group play after defeating the Bulls on Friday. The Bulls have three more games to improve their standing. They play the Magic at home on Nov. 17, then the Raptors on Nov. 24 and the Celtics on Nov. 28, the latter two, of which, are road games.

Once each team in the cohort finishes group play, one team will advance to the eight-team tournament — the real in-season tournament. It’s a single-elimination tournament between the six winners of each group, plus two wild card teams.

The wild card will include one team from each conference with the best record in group play games that finished second in its group. Those teams will duke it out in single-elimination until a winner is crowned. The semifinal and final matchup will take place in Las Vegas to determine the winner of the first NBA Cup.

Going back to the Bulls, starting off with a loss is a difficult way to navigate group play. Because there are only four games before each group winner is decided, they don’t have much time to make up the ground they lost Friday.

Still, they have a chance to earn the best record, as of this writing, or tie a team for the best. The tiebreakers for teams with the same record from group play start with the better head-to-head record, then the better point differential, then the higher total points from group play. If those fail, the better regular-season record will determine the team that advances.

The Bulls endured a rough start to group play, but there’s still hope for them to advance to the real tournament. That journey begins Nov. 17 when the Bulls play their second in-season tournament game against the Magic.

Stay tuned.

Click here to follow the Bulls Talk Podcast.

The Bulls, along with the rest of the NBA, changed their court style for the game on Friday night.

Here’s what the United Center court floor looked like on Friday versus the Brooklyn Nets.

The Bulls took their “#SeeRed” slogan quite literally with the floor design.

The floor was a base red with a white Bulls logo in the middle on top of the NBA Cup — the trophy the winner of the In-Season Tournament will receive.

The paint on each end also emulates the NBA Cup. The “Chicago” lettering at both baselines effectively represents the City Edition jerseys the Bulls sported on Friday night.

Click here to follow the Bulls Talk Podcast.

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Here are 10 observations from tonight’s game:

— Torrey Craig got his first start for the Bulls, taking over for Patrick Williams. Heading into the game, Williams went scoreless in two of the last three games. Williams has shown hustle, per usual, this season. But his failure to get anything going on offense forced Billy Donovan’s hand with the starting lineup, moving him to the second unit.

— Ayo Dosunmu missed Friday night’s game and will not travel to Denver with the team due to an upper respiratory illness. Along with Jevon Carter, Dosunmu has been playing terrific two-way minutes off the bench. Donovan rolled with a nine-man rotation on Friday, bringing Williams, Caruso, Carter and Drummond off the bench.

— The Bulls turned the ball over a decent amount early and the Nets took advantage. They scored an early 10 points off Bulls turnovers and generated 14 fast break points to the Bulls’ paltry four. Maybe the Bulls’ turnovers were underlined by the Nets’ lack of, but still, they need to take better care of the ball. Nets put down 35 points in the first quarter.

— Both teams couldn’t miss from the 3-point line in the first half. The Nets, who have the second-best 3-point percentage in the league, knocked down 11 first-half 3’s on 21 attempts. The Bulls hung with them, shooting 9-of-17 from downtown. This game marked only the second game this NBA season where both teams notched 9+ 3-pointers in the first half.

— As Stacey King always says, KYP, or “know your personnel.” The Bulls found a way to keep Cam Thomas and Mikal Bridgers considerably under wraps in the first half on 44% combined shooting. But Royce O’Neal and Dorian Finney-Smith dominated, shooting a combined 8-of-18 (7-of-10 in the first half) from behind the arc.

— On that last point, the Bulls dutifully made adjustments between quarters that stuck for the majority of the game. They closed out on the perimeter, generated turnovers in the paint and forced several shot clock violations. The Bulls allowed the Nets to put up 35 points in the first frame, but just 24 points in the second, 19 in the third, but a critical 31 in the fourth.

— Without Nic Claxton, the Nets rolled out a fairly small lineup. But the Bulls didn’t take advantage of getting the ball to Nikola Vucevic to capitalize. Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn mentioned before the game the Nets’ would need to respect Vucevic in the paint. He ended with 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting.

— Williams heard Donovan’s message of moving him to the bench loud and clear. He finished with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, adding five rebounds and an assist. Will Donovan keep Williams on the bench? Craig wasn’t amazing in the starting lineup (3 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists) but his veteran presence and defensive prowess might fit better with the starters. Williams would certainly have more offensive opportunities off the bench, too.

— Zach LaVine was given the ball for a late shot to try and tie the game down three points. Unfortunately, a well-timed Ben Simmons foul sent him to the free-throw line. The combination of Vucevic and Andre Drummond was able to turn LaVine’s second missed free throw into an offensive rebound, but he couldn’t sink what would’ve been the game-winning shot.

— The Bulls are now 0-1 in the In-Season Tournament. They have three more games on their four-game in-season tournament slate. They play the Orlando Magic at home on Nov. 17, then the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics on Nov. 24 and 28, respectively, each on the road.

HM: How about that aesthetic at the United Center on Friday night? The Bulls changed their court floor for the first time in its history, rocking an all-red floor with a white Bulls logo in the middle over the NBA cup. They donned the 2023-24 City Edition jerseys to match the event, too.

The Bulls play the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night on the road.

Click here to follow the Bulls Talk Podcast.

Here are three things that make the game different than the rest.

First In-Season Tournament Game

Friday’s game against the Nets marks the Bulls’ first in-season tournament game.

What does that mean?

The Bulls, and the rest of the NBA, will play four regular-season games dedicated to the in-season tournament. Between six groups, five teams in each group will play each other once to generate a four-game record. The best record in each group, plus two wild card teams, will advance to the tournament.

It’s a single-elimination tournament between eight teams. The semifinals and finals will each take place in Las Vegas. The winner will take home the NBA Cup and players on each of the final four teams will take home money.

Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament.

Aesthetics

This game marks the first in-season tournament game ever for the Bulls. For that, they’re rolling out the red carpet (literally).

The court floor at the United Center has an all-new design. It’ll be an all-red floor with a white Bulls logo in the middle on top of the NBA Cup. Each paint area will be painted to also mirror the NBA cup.

The Bulls will wear their 2023-24 City Edition jerseys for the first time this season. They were designed to pay tribute to Chicago Stadium with the classic vertical lettering and font.

NBC Sports Chicago and NBC 5 Simulcast

Tonight marks one of four total Bulls and Blackhawks games that will stream live on both NBC Sports Chicago and NBC 5.

However you want to watch tonight’s game, you have a couple of options to do so via NBC’s simulcast. Tune in at 6:30 p.m. CT for Bulls Pregame Live and at 7 p.m. CT for tipoff.

Can’t watch the game? Follow along on @NBCSBulls, or “Bulls Talk” on Twitter (X) for live clips. Get all of your Bulls content and more at NBCSportsChicago.com.

Click here to follow the Bulls Talk Podcast.

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That team is the Chicago Bulls, and there’s a good guess as to why that angry red cattle has stood the test of time.

For starters, it’s a fantastic logo. Period.

While that would certainly be a good enough reason to stick with tradition, it probably has more to do with a guy named Michael Jordan. Doesn’t it always?

As far as marketing goes, a sports brand being synonymous with the greatest, most famous athlete in human history is like winning the lottery. People associate the Bulls with winning. That’s not a brand reputation you’d be wise to mess with, especially when not much winning has happened since.

At the end of the day, it could have been any logo. But It’s hard to imagine a world in which the Jordan dynasty isn’t draped in red, white and black against the backdrop of a pissed off, white-horned bull on tan hardwood.

There are two, possibly three, men to thank for that.

Dick Klein, founder and first owner of the franchise, wanted a team nickname that “denoted strength and power, tied into the city’s meatpacking tradition and the Chicago Amphitheater’s (first home court of the Bulls) proximity to the famed Chicago Stockyards,” according to the team’s official website. He suggested “Matadors” or “Toreadors” to his family as potential team names, and his son apparently responded with, “Dad, that’s a bunch of bull!”

And thus, a mascot was born. Klein was particularly into the whole one syllable thing.

Dean Wessel, an American commercial designer, is widely cited as the brains behind the Bulls’ logo.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Wessel designed the logo as a favor to Klein in exchange for free tickets to games. The two lived in the same neighborhood and had once coached Little League together.

“Mr. Wessel sketched the logo, coloring its face red at Klein’s request and then, also at his request, adding the same color to the tips of the bull’s horn to represent blood,” the Chicago Tribune reported in a 2004 feature story.

It gets a little wonky. In a 2000 obituary, the Chicago Tribune credited an artist named Ted Drake, who designed Notre Dame’s trademark leprechaun logo, with for designing the Bulls’ symbol. Perhaps the two artists worked together on the project. We’ll never know for sure.

Click here to follow the Bulls Talk Podcast.

Not much has changed since the team was founded in 1966-67. But for a handful of game each season, the Bulls have no choice but to deviate from their classic threads in favor of a special uniform designed by Nike. All 30 teams release a new “City Edition” uniform every season designed to “represent the stories, history and heritage that make each franchise unique – honoring the inherent bond between, court, community and culture,” according to the NBA.

The NBA unveiled the City Edition concept in 2017 when Nike took over as the league’s official jersey manufacturer.

Here’s a brief history of all seven Bulls City Edition uniforms. Each was uniquely crafted to pay homage to the city we call home.

2017-18

The first Nike NBA City Edition jersey the Bulls ever donned was inspired by the Chicago flag. A white uniform with red and blue accents, the jersey featured four red stars running vertical down side, the iconic script Chicago font across the chest and the words “Sweet Home” near the bottom tag.

2018-19

The Bulls paid homage to the city’s flag again with their second set of City Editions. This time, the jersey was black with four red six-pointed stars sandwiched between two blue stripes across the chest.

The stripes represented the color of Lake Michigan and the two branches of the Chicago River. The stars represented four major events in Chicago’s history: Fort Dearborn, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, and the Century of Progress Exposition of 1933–34.

2019-20

These powder blue uniforms were a nod to the city’s famous waterfronts: Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. Only a large Chicago Bulls logo was displayed on the front of the jersey.

2020-21

The Bulls finally deviated from the Chicago flag and went for a design inspired by Chicago’s architectural history, with a focus on the infamous art deco style and ironwork framing that permeates the city. It paid homage to the gold trim found on many buildings in downtown Chicago, as well as the signage font used at the United Center.

The phrase “No Little Plans” was stitched near the bottom as an ode to Daniel Burnham, the city planner who designed the city after the great Chicago fire of 1871. He was also the executive director of works for the 1893 World’s Fair. 

2021-22

This “Moments Mixtape” inspired uniform paid multiple homages to the team’s history. On the front of this bright red jersey was a nod to the diagonal Chicago script font of the 1980s, the decade in which Michael Jordan was drafted.

The shorts feature red pinstripes on a black diamond background trimmed with red, white and black taping — a callback to the dynastic 1990s. The white side taping and numbering hearkens back to the founding of the franchise in the late 1960s.

2022-23

The rust color was intended to reflect the famous bridges crossing the Chicago river. The “Y” shape patterned throughout the uniform was drawn from the Chicago Municipal “Y,” which appears in the shape of the three branches of the Chicago River that stretch across the city and unite at the heart of the city’s downtown.

2023-24

The Bulls’ newest City Edition uniforms give a strong nod to the building that preceded the United Center, the famed — and razed — Chicago Stadium.

The jersey features the phrase “Madhouse on Madison,” given to the building for its architectural design that made the noise from the first and second balconies so loud, as well as the famed pipe organ.

The “Madhouse on Madison” is where the Bulls’ first three-peat teams played, and Friday’s uniforms pay tribute in details ranging from the parallel “Chicago” on the jersey that replicates the signage outside Chicago Stadium to the two parallel stripes on the shorts representing “the four-corner window patterning” on the old barn.

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What’s the in-season NBA tournament? What the heck is the NBA Cup? Let’s break it down

How does the in-season tournament work?

Between November and December, all 30 NBA teams will discretely, in some sense, participate in the NBA’s in-season tournament. They will play four regular-season games between that time frame that count towards playing in the in-season tournament.

The NBA preemptively grouped five teams into six groups between both conferences as their initial opponents in the tournament. Each team will play every adversary in their group, accounting for four games. Two on the road, two at home.

The preliminary games will be played on seven November dates: four Fridays (Nov. 3, 10, 17 and 24) and three Tuesdays (Nov. 14, 21 and 28). The best record from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, along with two wild card teams, which are decided from the best records outside of the advancing team. One from each conference.

The quarterfinals will be played on Dec. 4 and 5 at the higher-seeded team, and the semifinals and championship game will be on Dec. 7 and 9 in Las Vegas. Four teams will make it to the semifinals and two to the championship. The championship does not count toward regular season play. Technically, those two teams will play 83 regular season games, instead of 82.

What are the groups for the in-season tournament?

Here are the groupings for this season:

• East A: Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons
• East B: Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets
• East C: Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic
• West A: Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers
• West B: Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets
• West C: Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs

Why will teams want to do this?

By making regular season games count for the NBA tournament, there’s no reason not to put forth effort. If the NBA followed European soccer-style tournaments by having those games separate from regular season play, then the teams wouldn’t have to try.

But, these in-season tournament games determine your standings for the playoffs. It would be a disadvantage for any NBA team not to try during these games.

Another incentive the NBA added is money. The players on the winning team will each get $500,000. And the runners-up will get $200,000. The losing players of the semifinals will each get $100,000, and the losing players of the quarterfinals will get $50,000.

Why is the NBA doing this?

November and December are arguably the most boring parts of the NBA’s regular season schedule. They’re months away from the end of the season and the playoffs. This adds some flare to their mundane schedule.

The in-season tournament is supposed to act as a cash cow for the league, too. The winning prize is the NBA Cup, which sooner or later will have a sponsorship, as will the “In-season tournament.”

Further, the NBA can sell the television rights exclusively for these tournament games, as they expect viewership to be larger than any other game. Especially considering the actual playoff component, people will tune in to see the regular season championship unfold in Las Vegas.

When do the Bulls play their in-season tournament games?

Here is the Bulls schedule for the in-season tournament:

Friday, Nov. 3 vs. Brooklyn Nets

Friday, Nov. 17 vs. Orlando Magic

Friday, Nov. 24 vs. Toronto Raptors

Tuesday, Nov. 28 @ Boston Celtics

Click here to follow the Bulls Talk Podcast.

How does it work?

Each team will play four games against the adversaries of their respective groups to determine their tournament record. The best tournament record from each of the six groups, plus two wild cards, will move on to the actual tournament.

Here is the Bulls’ schedule for their tournament games, which are part of the regular season:

Friday, Nov. 3 vs. Brooklyn Nets

Friday, Nov. 17 vs. Orlando Magic

Friday, Nov. 24 vs. Toronto Raptors

Tuesday, Nov. 28 @ Boston Celtics

Here are the six groups for the tournament. Each team will play every team in their respective group to determine their tournament record—the team with the best record advances.

• East A: Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons
• East B: Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets
• East C: Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic
• West A: Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers
• West B: Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets
• West C: Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs

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Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nicola Vucevic will lead the team once again in the 2023-24 NBA season. After winning a play-in game last year, the Bulls will have their eyes on a playoff berth.

The Bulls kick off their regular season Wednesday at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Coverage begins at 6:30 CT with Bulls Pregame Live on NBC Sports Chicago, followed by a 7 p.m. tipoff at the United Center with a mic’d up Zach LaVine.

Adam Amin, Stacey King and the rest of the NBC Sports Chicago crew will be here all season long to follow Billy Donovan’s squad.

Here is how you can tune into Bulls games on NBC Sports Chicago:

How to watch Bulls games on NBC Sports Chicago

All local Bulls games will air on NBC Sports Chicago during the 2023-24 NBA season.

You can check out the Bulls’ full schedule here.

How to stream Bulls games on NBC Sports Chicago

Fans can stream local Bulls games on NBC.com and the NBC Sports App.

NBC Sports Chicago Bulls broadcast team

Adam Amin will call play-by-play alongside analyst Stacey King for NBC Sports Chicago.

NBC Sports Chicago Bulls Pregame and Postgame Live

Bulls Pregame Live will tip-off before every Bulls game broadcasted on NBC Sports Chicago, and Bulls Postgame Live will start after the final buzzer sounds.

Each year, Nike unveils a new alternate uniform for each team, dubbed the “City Edition. The NBA has stated that the special jerseys are meant to “represent the stories, history and heritage that make each franchise unique – honoring the inherent bond between, court, community and culture.”

There are hits and misses every year, but for the most part, the City Editions have been well-received since Nike debuted the concept when it took over as the league’s official jersey manufacturer back in 2017.

Fans, however, are not as pleased with the 2023-24 batch of uniforms, with the general consensus being that Nike fumbled most of this year’s designs.

Here are some fan reactions to encapsulate how a lot of people are feeling about their favorite team’s alternate jersey for this season.

This popular X user thinks they can do better. To be honest, I don’t hate it.

This was low-key one of the better jerseys, too.

As if this user needed another reason to be depressed.

This person is threating legal action. Quite frankly, he may have a case.

Peaceful protest is a First Amendment right.

Wizards forward and known fashionista Kyle Kuzma chimed in with a thoughtful critique of the City Edition concept as a whole.

Does anyone know where they were going with this font layout?

The Nets’ jerseys were designed by American artist Brian Donnelly, professionally known as KAWS. Nonetheless, Steph was not impressed.

This TikTok user gave a solid break down of where some of these design choices went wrong.

Disappointed fans can take solace in the fact that the teams will only have to wear this jersey for a handful of games throughout the season.

The Bulls debut their City Edition uniforms at home on Nov. 3 against the Nets. Here’s a list of all the other dates Zach LaVine and Co. will be rocking their new threads.

Click here to follow the Bulls Talk Podcast.

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Green, 30, played the last 2.5 seasons with the Bulls. Last season, he played 32 games, averaging 5.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. He shot 56.5% from the field and 37.1% from beyond the arc.

He was notorious for his frontman qualities, despite his clear guard framework. He’s a persistent defender with incredible hustle and pristine airborne qualities. Green was a staple in Billy Donovan’s rotation.

The Bulls initially acquired him at the 2021 NBA trade deadline as part of a three-team trade that brought Green and Daniel Theis to Chicago. That summer, he signed a multi-year deal with the Bulls. However, the Bulls opted not to sign him back to the team this past offseason.

Green joins a stacked Warriors roster coached by former Bull Steve Kerr.

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Each team in the league will rotate between four or five jerseys. The uniforms are sorted into four editions — Association, Icon, Statement and City. Here’s the breakdown for the Bulls this year:

Association Jersey = white

Icon Jersey = red

Statement Edition = black pinstripe

This year’s City Edition uniform has not yet been formally released, though photos of what appears to be the Bulls’ were leaked on social media last month. The team will don their new City Editions for the first time on November 3 at home against the Nets.

The Bulls will rock with white home jerseys and red road jerseys, and will sprinkle in their Statement and City Edition threads throughout the year.

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This season marks the seventh year the NBA is going ahead with their City Edition jerseys.

Last season, the Bulls donned a white-based City Edition jersey bordered with red stripes down the sides, with “Chicago” and their number posted on the front. Here are the Bulls’ City Edition jerseys from the past six seasons.

Thoughts on the (possibly) new threads for the Bulls?

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Markkanen, 25, reported to the Finnish military in April. The big man shaved his head in preparation for his attendance with the military, too.

Back then, he said he didn’t believe his participation would affect his training for next season. Finnish citizens are required to partake in military service before the age of 30. 

“It’s mandatory, we have to do it, but at the same time we take pride in it, too,” Markkanen said. “I think it sets an example to serve. And I’m confident I can do it in a way that it’s not going to affect my preparation for next season, either.”

Surely, he’ll want to return to the floor after a monstrous season with the Utah Jazz. He averaged 25.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game to earn himself a finalist spot for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. Earlier in the season, he received his first All-Star nod in the Western Conference, too. 

Originally drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the No. 7 pick in the 2017 draft, he spent the first four years of his career in Chicago. He averaged 15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on 44 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from beyond the arc. 

The Bulls elected to trade Markkanen in a sign-and-trade move to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Derrick Jones Jr. and draft capital. Shortly after playing in Cleveland, the Cavaliers traded him to the Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell. There, he’s thrived and is one of the young pieces Danny Ainge and the Jazz front office hope to build around. 

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On Friday, the Bulls social media team published some highlights of the team playing softball at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Here are some highlights from the day. The Bulls donned sleek Bulls baseball jerseys and took to the fields to show off their skills.

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The Bulls dropped their regular season schedule on Thursday with an unbelievably rad Pokemon-themed video.

The nearly five-minute-long video shows Benny the Bull in an original Game Boy-style universe competing in challenges at the United Center. His opponents include, Victor Wembanyama, Gregg Popovich, Nikola Jokić, LeBron James and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Some familiar faces show up to help Benny on his missions, too. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan compete in challenges, and Joakim Noah shows up to take a jab at the city of Cleveland.

Oh, and Chicago Bulls icon Diar DeRozan is called on to distract Benny’s opponents.

Quite frankly, it’s brilliant.

Information about purchasing season tickets and single-game tickets for the 2023-24 regular season can be found here.

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Against the Brooklyn Nets last season, they honed in on that attribute, recording a 2-1 record against their Eastern Conference foe. Nets guard Cam Thomas reaffirmed their defensive prestige.

“I don’t play much but when I do play the Chicago Bulls play good defense on me,” Thomas told Zach Schmaker. “Pat Williams, (Alex) Caruso, all those guys play really solid defense on that end. It is what it is.”

Thomas and the Nets played the Bulls three times last season. Though, Thomas played just two games against the Bulls, scoring 22 and 20 points in each contest.

During their first of two meetings in February, Thomas shot 3-of-16 from the field, then 6-of-15. Over the first contest, the Bulls made Thomas earn his share at the free-throw line, giving him 13 attempts at the charity stripe. He made all 13.

Caruso was earmarked one of the league’s best defenders last season, making the NBA’s All-Defense team. He recorded his best floor rating (+6) and defensive box plus/minus (3.3) of his career last season.

Williams, while without the defensive accolades Caruso possesses, has been one of the Bulls’ best defenders since joining the team. He recorded the second-best defensive rating (113) of his career last season, along with his best DBPM (-0.4).

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The Bulls guard has been thrown around in trade rumors every which way this offseason. It’s been well reported by NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson the Bulls have engaged in talks about their franchise cornerpiece this offseason.

But LaVine’s not buying into the rumors.

“It is always rumors,” LaVine told NBC Sports Bay Area.

The New York Knicks reportedly had their eyes on LaVine until they decided the injury history with his knee and contract status were too much to bare for them.

Johnson reported his name landed in preliminary discussions with the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers in trades with James Harden and Damian Lillard, respectively.

It doesn’t seem to end. But after a 40-42 season that saw the Bulls fail to advance from the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, the front office is trying to keep their options open.

How does LaVine feel about the trade rumors?

“I’ve been with the Bulls for seven years. I’ve had my name in trade talks,” LaVine said. You don’t love it, but you understand the business. I’ve been traded before, so you understand it.”

The Bulls did, in fact, trade for LaVine from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a package deal for Jimmy Butler. So he understands the business side. And since LaVine’s been traded to the Bulls, he’s earned two All-Star nods and a maximum contract deal in 2022.

Hence, until the front office tells him otherwise, he’s committed to being a Chicago Bull and assumes he’ll remain just that. He doesn’t foresee him being traded in the near future.

“I always rep my city whichever team I’m playing for to the best,” LaVine said. “And Chicago’s loved me and called me one of their own since I’ve been there. I don’t see anything happening anytime soon. But if it does, Chicago always has my love.”

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The exception, if it’s used, allows the Bulls to sign a player to a one-year deal for up to that amount, or trade for, or claim a player making that amount or less who is in the last season of his deal.

If the Bulls used the full amount of the exception, they would project to enter the luxury tax, a penalty they have paid only once in franchise history.

As it stands, the Bulls sit roughly $8 million below the luxury tax threshold of $165.4 million with three roster spots remaining to fill. The Bulls have a $5.2 million qualifying offer on Ayo Dosunmu, making him a restricted free agent.

One roster-building path would be to re-sign Dosunmu at his qualifying offer—or lower on a long-term deal—and fill the last two spots with veteran minimum exceptions. This would likely keep the Bulls under the luxury tax.

However, the disabled player exception gives management flexibility and creativity should they have larger designs. The Bulls, however, do face a hard cap of $172.4 million that they cannot exceed.

Last month, executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas said the team isn’t expecting Ball to return this season. The versatile point guard, such a crucial piece to the team’s style of play, hasn’t played since January 2022 and has undergone three surgeries on his left knee since then.

The latest surgery involved a cartilage transplant, widely considered a last-ditch effort to save Ball’s career.

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Second, an in-game flopping penalty.

A non-unsportsmanlike technical foul can be deemed on a player by a referee who calls an in-game flop. The flop called on the offending players’ team will earn the opposing team a free throw. Referees don’t have to stop play to call a flop; they can wait until the next stop in live action, if needed, to make the call.

One caveat — possession does not change and flopping violations cannot be directly reviewed from a coach’s challenge. They can, however, be added to a call from a different play.

The current flopping penalties will stay in place, too, synonymous with that of a technical foul. Players will be charged $2,000 for each technical foul, now including flopping violations. The fine will increase for repeated offenses.

The flopping violation will run on a one-year trial for next season, with a decision on its effectiveness required next offseason.

How will this rule affect the NBA? The Bulls?

The NBA is trying to cut down on flopping, a measure taken by players in an attempt to draw a charging violation on opposing teams. Without the required physical force necessary to uphold a charge, players will mimic the force needed without contact to sell a foul.

The decision to eradicate flopping is a fan-centric move, as most NBA heads complain about the inordinate amount of acting in NBA games. Real contact deserves real rewards, not fake. The move to put it into question was unanimous, too.

As for the Bulls, they owned the sixth-most charges in the NBA last season, grabbing 52. Alex Caruso led the way with 14 charges (not counting Patrick Beverley’s 21 on the season).

This doesn’t mean the Bulls are in trouble for flopping violations. Simply, they attempt a lot of charges, which could put them in danger of a violation if they don’t accrue the necessary contact.

Play smart, and the Bulls will be fine in this area.

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With popular beverages like Pepsi Zero Sugar and STARRY — its new lemon-lime flavored soda — PepsiCo will deliver its brand of drinks around the stadium. They’re also implementing the Pepsi Grab & Go store all across the arena.

“Chicagoans live and breathe sports, entertainment, and creativity. Our athletes, artists, and fans are some of the most passionate in the world and the United Center hosts the city’s most unforgettable moments,” said Kalen Thornton, VP of Sports, Gaming and Entertainment, PBNA. “Our company’s longstanding presence here in Chicago goes back more than 100 years, where we’ve fueled iconic athletes in the game and celebrated fandom off the court.”

PepsiCo is also stepping into the community service projects the triopoly has in place, becoming a sponsor of the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation’s new Job Exposure Pilot Program. The program “aims to increase awareness of career fields and job opportunities among young people through a partnership with West Side after-school and school organizations,” according to the release.

“The expanded partnership with the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks is the ultimate opportunity for us to continue giving back to our neighbors and support our culture,” Thornton said. “We can’t wait to lift up Chicago fans, its teams and players, and our city’s vibrant community with epic experiences brought to you by iconic brands like Pepsi, our new lemon-lime flavored soda STARRY, fan-favorite MTN DEW and more.”

On July 20, fans are invited to Union Station to sample the drinks, play basketball and hockey minigames, earn a chance to win Blackhawks and Bulls tickets and take photos with Tommy Hawk and Benny the Bull. The event takes place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. CST.

“Together with the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks, the United Center is committed to elevating the fan experience by partnering with brands who lead with innovation and offer best-in-class products,” said Joe Myhra, Senior Vice President, United Center. “We are thrilled to collaborate with PepsiCo in the coming years as we work to create iconic experiences for fans at the arena in addition to expanding our collective impact in our surrounding community.”

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Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich

For the second straight offseason, the Chicago Bulls moved quickly to sign a two-way player shortly after the NBA Draft concluded.

In 2022, the Bulls targeted Marquette forward Justin Lewis, who, unfortunately, then missed the year with an ACL injury, surgery and rehabilitation.

Last month, the Bulls moved to secure Connecticut big man Adama Sanogo, whose signing they officially announced Monday night.

Both Lewis and Sanogo are in Las Vegas, where the Bulls resume NBA Summer League play Tuesday night against the Sacramento Kings. For Sanogo, who grew up in Mali playing soccer before switching his focus to basketball, it’s an opportunity he isn’t taking lightly.

“If they give me a two-way, they’re giving me a chance to prove myself to them,” Sanogo said last week in Chicago following a practice at the Advocate Center. “I’ll show them how I can help this team to be one of the best in the NBA. I want to do whatever they want me to do to get a roster spot.

“I may not get all the time I want in summer league. But the time I may get, I’m going to use that to show them I’m a great teammate and I compete and I want to win.”

Sanogo, a burly, 6-foot-9-inch big man, earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the NCAA Final Four as UConn won the national championship. His earnestness is palpable in one conversation.

“Like, 10 years later I’m going to be like, ‘All right, I’m a champion,’” he said of the Huskies’ title run. “That feeling is going to be there forever.”

So is the night the Bulls called, tempering the disappointment of not getting drafted with a two-way contract offer.

“That’s a feeling I will never forget for the rest of my life,” Sanogo said.

The Bulls already employ one traditional big man from UConn on the NBA roster in Andre Drummond. But he was the ninth overall pick by the Detroit Pistons in 2012. Sanogo’s path will be much tougher.

His first two games in Las Vegas showed an ability to rebound and set solid screens. But his shooting will need to improve, as will his athleticism. No longer will he be able merely to bully smaller players as he did sometimes in college, where he averaged 17.2 points and 7.7 rebounds last season.

“My defense, being able to switch 1 through 5,” Sanogo said of his focus in summer league. “Being able to stretch the floor a little bit, being able to catch-and-shoot. And work on my body a little bit. Those three things for sure.”

Sanogo said Bam Adebayo and Xavier Tillman are current NBA players he admires. If the amiable big man becomes even a small copy of those NBA regulars, the Bulls would be pleased with their signing.

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Rose hasn’t lived up to the three-year $43 million contract he signed with the Knicks in 2020. He served a valuable first season, averaging 14.9 points and 4.2 assists per game on nearly 27 minutes per game. On shooting splits of 48.7/41.1/88.3, he offered efficient play as a backup point guard.

Unfortunately, injuries have kept him off the floor for the majority of his second stint with the Knicks. Last season, he averaged 12.5 minutes per game in the 27 games he played; Rose averaged 5.6 points per game on 38% shooting from the floor.

Rose’s free agency begs the question for Chicago fans — would the Bulls consider bringing Rose onto the team?

It’s no secret the Bulls need point guard help. On Thursday, the team officially announced its stance on Lonzo Ball, declaring him most likely out for the entirety of next season. They also mentioned their intent to extend qualifying offers to both Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, who are point guards.

Maybe, the Bulls’ front office notches both their point guards to returning deals and calls it a day on the point guard position. That, or going to free agency to bring in a veteran point guard, seems like the most probable option.

Rose is on a heavy decline. His knee injuries have curbed his ability to stay on the court. And his efficiency is down tremendously. The Bulls could bring him on a veteran minimum to lift the spirits of Bulls fans, but he wouldn’t have any usage on the court. As the Bulls are exceedingly close to the luxury tax line, they’ll want to maximize every dollar they have at this point, too.

One feasible way the Bulls could sign Rose is if he decided to retire. Rose, 34, just finished his 15th season in the NBA. He’s at the tail end of his career and is quickly losing value on the floor. Should Rose decide to retire, the Bulls most certainly will sign him to a one-day contract so he can retire as a Chicago Bull.

For now, however, I wouldn’t expect the Bulls to chase Rose in free agency.

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The Bulls will play at least five games on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus. Their other set games are July 8 against the Memphis Grizzlies at 4 p.m. CT; July 11 against the Sacramento Kings at 9 p.m. CT and July 13 against the Cleveland Cavaliers at 2 p.m. CT.

Other than this year’s second-round pick, Julian Phillips, and sophomore guard Dalen Terry, the Bulls’ Summer League roster is unknown at this point. The two-way players of Justin Lewis, Terry Taylor and Adama Sanogo are safe bets, as well.

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But Anthony, who officially announced his retirement from basketball in a poignant social media post on Monday, had multiple links to the franchise over the years, always leaving a “what if?” shadow as his 19-year career progressed.

The Bulls finally acquired Anthony from the Houston Rockets in a January 2019 trade, but the move was merely for financial reasons and he never reported to Chicago before the Bulls waived him as planned on February 1.

That transaction came nearly a decade after Anthony landed in trade rumors surrounding the Bulls and Denver Nuggets, who drafted the ten-time All-Star third overall in 2003 as part of a robust class that included LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Kirk Hinrich for the Bulls. The Nuggets showed major interest in Joakim Noah at that time, whom the Bulls wanted to keep.

In fact, Noah’s heart and soul proved one of the most attractive pieces to Anthony as he pondered joining the Bulls in free agency in 2014, just over three years after the Nuggets traded him to the New York Knicks.

The Bulls rolled out the red carpet for Anthony’s anticipated free-agent visit on a gorgeous summer day in 2014. Banners with pictures of Anthony in a Bulls’ No. 7 uniform lined Madison Street. Derrick Rose even joined in a brief recruiting pitch for Anthony, an atypical move for the loyal and mild-mannered Rose. And Anthony donned a hard hat alongside then-coach Tom Thibodeau to tour the unfinished, but soon-to-be-gleaming Advocate Center.

Instead, Anthony chose to re-sign with the Knicks and the Bulls quickly pivoted to sign Pau Gasol as their backup plan. Gasol earned two straight All-Star berths with the Bulls. In an interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Anthony later confirmed how close he was to choosing the Bulls. 

“I was going to Chicago. Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, I was there, right? I was there,” Anthony said. “And then I started getting whispers behind the scenes. ‘Yo, look, this person ain’t gonna be there. It ain’t really right.’ This and that. It was all of that started to come up in the midst of my decision making. I wasn’t gonna let anything cloud that,” Anthony told Smith. “I met with New York (Knicks) last. Like, I think it was the last team I met with because I knew that I was ready to move on from that situation because of what I was dealing with and going through in New York.”

Those Bulls teams also had Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson, but Thibodeau’s cold war with management that eventually led to Thibodeau’s firing in 2015 gave Anthony pause.

Anthony, who spent the 2017-18 season with Billy Donovan in Oklahoma City, retires as the ninth-leading scorer in NBA history. He’s also one of the most decorated players in USA Basketball history, winning three gold and one bronze medal at four Olympics ranging from 2004 in Athens to 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

Butler’s coming-out party as a young player trying to find his way with the Bulls and minutes from Thibodeau came during a high-profile matchup at Madison Square Garden. But even Butler admitted all he did was compete hard and make Anthony work for his points.

Nobody truly could stop one of the best pure scorers the game ever has seen in a one-on-one matchup. With a 23.9 points-per-game scoring average in 45 career games against the Bulls, Chicago knows that well.

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