Bulls 2-Step Into Free Agency (w/ Big Dave)

CHGO's Big Dave returns to Bulls Gold as we record "live" during NBA Free Agency. We start with our reactions to the Bulls drafting Noa Essengue 12th overall and discuss his upside and whether the Bulls are in position to maximize his talent. Then we move into Josh Giddey's contract negotiations and wonder if the Bulls front office is finally figuring out the right way to negotiate contracts. We go into the Lonzo Ball for Isaac Okoro trade, and Dave gives us some optimism for the newest Bull. We also wonder why the Bulls continue to disregard draft capital in trade discussions. We then discuss if Jonathan Kuminga is a good fit for the team. Then we wrap the show with our best pitch to the Bulls to not trade Ayo Dosunmu. 

Swish Theory's Matt Powers joins us for draft discussion a week out from the big night. We navigate through Swish Theory's Big Board with him, starting with Ace Bailey, and what the news of his drop in value could mean for a team like the Bulls. Then we transition into Collin Murray-Boyles, as Matt explains why Swish Theory has him rated so high. We also touch base on Derik Queen and whether he can overcome the defensive concerns surrounding his game. We also discuss Noa Essengue, Rasheer Fleming, Egor Demin, and 2nd round prospects that could be on the Bulls radar next week. 

There's more draft discussion 14 days out. We start with a roundup of the recent draft rumors, centering around the Bulls interest in Egor Demin. We go through some of the players we've settled on at the top of our boards. Then we wonder if there's a more coveted prospect who could end up falling on draft night to the Bulls. We also get into the Bulls interest in Drake Powell and if it foreshadows a potential trade down scenario. We wrap with a discussion on the Indiana Pacers and if their playoff run can be replicated going forward. 

No Ceilings' Corey Tulaba returns to Bulls Gold to discuss the 2025 NBA Draft. Corey explains why this is still a strong draft and why the Bulls still have a good range of prospects available to them at 12. We discuss why Thomas Sorber has a play style that's eerily familiar to Bulls fans. Corey breaks down why the defensive concerns of Derik Queen are overblown and how he can succeed at the next level. Could Kasparas Jakučionis the next Tyrese Haliburton type of steal? The guys then try to determine which of the prospects is an "AK Guy", and Corey has an easy answer. We close the show with Corey's thoughts on the Bulls current situation and what he's looking to see from the team going forward. 

Bulls Gold is back! Minutes after the draft lottery ended, we reacted to the Bulls staying at 12 in the lottery. Should the Bulls have any regrets about their approach to the season? We also break down if there are any silver linings to take away from such a weird season. Then, we give our early takeaways on who the Bulls could target with the 12th pick. Then we get into a conversation about what the Bulls can potentially do in the offseason and if moving up in the draft is a worthwhile move. We close with a discussion about the front office and a temperature check on our confidence in the front office. 

Chicago Tribune's Julia Poe joins us for reaction to the Bulls 3-3 start to the season. We begin with the Bulls fast paced, three-point shooting offense that's quickly become their identity. How sustainable is this approach for the season? Then we shift into discussion about Zach LaVine's success off ball and how Josh Giddey and Lonzo Ball are contributing to it. How optimistic should we be about Giddey's play so far? What has Jalen Smith meant to the team's success so far? We have a conversation about Patrick Williams struggles and the identity he wants to find as a player. Are the Bulls approaching Matas Buzelis development the right way? That and more.

Drew Stevens of The Bigs joins us to preview the Bulls season opener. We recap the offseason and try to figure out how the Bulls rotation will shake out. Which players need to get opportunities the most this season? Then we get into discussion about Josh Giddey and his (lack of) contract negotiations. Are we any more encouraged about his fit with this team? We also get into which players have the best shot at being moved at the deadline, Coby White and Ayo's long-term value, and we give our season win total predictions.

In this episode, we start with a quick review of the Bulls offseason and direction moving forward. Are the Bulls bad enough to secure their first round pick from the Spurs? Salim and Edward have different thoughts on just how poor this year's team could be. Then, we shift into Zach LaVine's consistently non-existent trade market. Which teams could be desperate enough to create a market for LaVine during the season? We also got into Summer League discussion with a lot of praise for Julian Phillips and Matas Buzelis. Then we wrapped with a discussion on Josh Giddey's next contract. What should be the Bulls walkaway price on Giddey? 

CHGO's Will Gottlieb returns for analysis of the Bulls free agent activity. We begin with the Bulls signing Pacers Center Jalen Smith, and the optimism that there's a lot of upside left in his game. Then we discuss Patrick Williams $90M extension. Did the Bulls make a good call committing to Williams before the start of free agency? We transition into DeMar DeRozan's FA market. Will the Lakers make a move for DeRozan or will another team come out of nowhere to sign him? We then reacted to more non-updates on Zach LaVine's trade market. Is the perception on LaVine getting out of hand? All this and much more. 

We react to a busy couple of weeks in Chicago. We give our reaction to the Bulls selecting Matas Buzelis 11th overall. How does Buzelis' two-way upside fit with the Bulls going forward, and can he improve his jump shot? We also get into the the Alex Caruso-Josh Giddey trade. Was Giddey the best value the Bulls could've got for Caruso? We look at how Giddey fits with the team long-term and whether he can be a real building block for the team. Then we get into the Bulls new direction, as the team is seemingly embracing a rebuild. What could the team look like in a few weeks and will the Bulls be able to improve their draft capital? We also get into rumors surrounding Zach LaVine's future, DeMar DeRozan's free agency, and whether we're worried about the latest update on Patrick Williams' injury recovery.