Bulls' Top Takeaways from 1st Month of 2021-22 NBA Season

Among the Chicago Bulls faithful, pessimists and optimists have one thing in common.

They both undersold what Chicago could do in the 2021-22 NBA season.

The Bulls, who have had a losing record each of the past four seasons, spent big this summer to change their fate—and to appease All-Star scoring guard Zach LaVine, who will be one of the most sought-after players in 2022 free agency. So far, so great on both fronts.

Chicago has twice as many wins (10) as losses (five), LaVine has substantial support with scoring and distributing and the Bulls are making noise that resonates far beyond the Windy City limits.

With one month of the campaign in the books, let's spotlight the top takeaways from this fast-rising team.

The Free-Agency Additions Are Killing It

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Hats off to executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, general manager Marc Eversley and the rest of the Bulls front office. They had an offseason that won't soon be forgotten.

Basically, every dollar spent this summer is already paying for itself.

DeMar DeRozan can present a credible MVP case. Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso have simultaneously perked up both the playmaking and the perimeter defense. Javonte Green has found his niche with athleticism and defensive activity. Ayo Dosunmu has forced his way into the rotation as a rookie second-rounder.

That has been nothing short of a transformational haul, and it's hard not to be impressed by how well all of the pieces fit. The Bulls have a ton of talent, but their chemistry is so great that the whole outweighs the sum of its parts. That's a powerful force.

Chicago Will Need Nikola Vucevic's Scoring

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There were two major concerns when the Bulls brought in DeRozan to form a Big Three with LaVine and Nikola Vucevic: Could they create enough offensive balance to bring out their best, and would they get enough defensive stops for that to matter?

While Chicago has built a top-10 offense (and, perhaps improbably, a top-10 defense too), per NBA.com, Vucevic was having a hard time finding his place in it before entering the health and safety protocols. Over the past three seasons, he averaged 21.3 points on 49.2/37.3/80.2 shooting. Through his first 11 games this year, he was down to 13.6 points on 39.5/26.7/73.7 shooting.

His shooting will improve. He's too good for it not to. The question is how much of his old scoring will resurface. He went from being a focal point for the Orlando Magic to being the Bulls' third banana. He also hasn't completed a calendar year with any of Chicago's guards, so developing two-man chemistry remains a work in progress.

Clearly, the Bulls can live with the growing pains. But for them to realize their greatest ambitions, they will need Vucevic to rediscover what made him a difference-maker.

The Ceiling Has Risen

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Early in the season, it's always tricky to tell what is a hot or a cold start and what is a sustainable performance. That's why most evaluators choose to leave their assessments largely untouched until 20, 30 or even 40 games are in the books.

There are times, though, when it makes sense to revisit projections ahead of schedule. This is one of them.

The Bulls look good. Maybe even great. If you thought—as many did—this club might max out fighting to escape the play-in tournament, the bar has been raised.

This success feels legitimate, and Chicago can take another big step forward by getting Vucevic closer to his All-Star form. The Bulls may not escape the Eastern Conference, let alone capture their first world title without Michael Jordan, but they are in the conversation for both.