The NBA loves to push a good storyline.
Even when it involves a Bulls team that could be leaning more toward the lottery than the postseason, the league made sure its recent offseason didn’t go unnoticed.
That’s why with the release Thursday of the 2024-25 regular-season schedule, the home opener on Oct. 26 really stood out. The Bulls will welcome in Alex Caruso and the Thunder to the United Center, allowing Caruso to extract some revenge for being traded and former Oklahoma City starting guard Josh Giddey to try to prove why his old team was wrong for giving up on him.
Could it end up being a game filed in the blowout department for the Bulls? Definitely, especially considering the Thunder could be one of the favorites to come out of the Western Conference.
But it won’t be short on drama.
Here are five other Bulls games that fall under that soap-opera category that the league covets so much.
Oct. 23 at New Orleans
Everyone loves the season opener, and for the Bulls it will come against Zion Williamson and the Pelicans? The drama comes from the Bulls’ rotation. Will Zach LaVine still be on the team or somehow traded. If he is on the team, can he play nice? And what about Lonzo Ball, who once played for the Pelicans for two seasons before joining the Bulls? Is he back from three left knee surgeries and getting minutes? So much to be answered and all in Game 1.
Jan. 12 vs. Sacramento
The second major homecoming of the season, as the Bulls host the Kings and their new leader DeMar DeRozan. All the veteran did in his three years as a Bull was hit clutch shots and try to lead a bunch of young guys that needed leadership. While it only produced one playoff appearance, it was quite a ride with DeRozan. The Bulls opted to move on from him in midsummer, sending him west in a sign-and-trade.
Feb. 5 at Minnesota
The final game before the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6. It might not have any more drama than that for the Bulls.
March 8 at Miami
Back to the scene of the crime, taking on a Heat team that has eliminated the Bulls from the play-in tournament the last two seasons. There likely won’t be a third considering the trajectory of both organizations, but who knows. Expect Jimmy Butler to continue haunting his old team.
March 15 at Houston
The Rockets? No big deal? Maybe, but it’s the start of a six-city, 10-day odyssey that has “tank for Cooper Flagg” written all over it. The Bulls will start off against the Rockets, and then take on the Jazz, Suns, Kings Lakers and Nuggets.
The mission was completed Saturday night when the United States won gold for the fifth consecutive Games, holding off France — in Paris, no less — 98-87.
August was a big hurdle for the often-injured point guard. Playing scrimmages doesn’t mean Ball is even close to cleared for an NBA season, and he’s definitely not jumping Josh Giddey for the starting point guard spot.