Locked On Bulls - Daily Podcast On The Chicago Bulls

Who are the BEST and WORST teams in the NBA heading into the 2026-27 season? With opening night just around the corner, Locked On NBA Daily reveals its official 30-team NBA Power Rankings, organized into S-through-F tiers! Wes Goldberg, Matt Moore and Haize unveil rankings voted on by hosts from all 30 Locked On NBA team podcasts, debating the biggest surprises, overrated contenders and underrated playoff hopefuls. The Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and defending champion New York Knicks headline the exclusive S Tier. But do Victor Wembanyama's Spurs belong alongside the NBA's elite? Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics are among the teams trying to break into that top group. And why are Giannis Antetokounmpo's Miami Heat only in the B Tier? Are the Golden State Warriors really a C-tier team? Have the Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings hit rock bottom?
Plus, reactions from Locked On team hosts and predictions for which teams will rise or fall. Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

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The Chicago Bulls may not be done reshaping the roster, and Dalton Knecht is now a name to watch. 👀🐂
On today’s episode of Locked On Bulls, Haize and Pat The Designer react to reporting that the Los Angeles Lakers contacted Chicago about Dalton Knecht, with the Bulls mentioned alongside Milwaukee and Utah as teams the Lakers reached out to while trying to trim their roster. Knecht was the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but his value has fallen after an uneven start to his career. Pasted text
The guys debate whether Bryson Graham should take another low-cost swing on a former first-round pick after already finding developmental value in players like Leonard Miller and Jordan Hawkins. Would Knecht’s movement shooting fit next to Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson? Or does Chicago already have too many players competing for similar perimeter minutes?
And if the Lakers may eventually release him, should the Bulls give up anything at all?
Haize and Pat also dive into the growing concern around Patrick Williams.
Williams averaged just 12.1 minutes, 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds during preseason, while shooting 28.6% from three. Those numbers are not disastrous in isolation, but they become much harder to ignore when Williams is earning $18 million this season and competing with Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson, Leonard Miller and Isaac Okoro for forward minutes. Pasted text
The question is no longer simply whether Patrick Williams can become the player Chicago once hoped for.
Does he even belong in Tiago Splitter’s best rotation right now?
The guys discuss whether his salary should matter when setting the rotation, whether the Bulls need to rebuild his trade value, and if attaching an asset to move the contract would actually help the rebuild.
Plus, Haize and Pat break down one of the most encouraging developments from preseason: Tiago Splitter may already be finding the style that best fits this roster.
Chicago has emphasized offensive rebounding, aggressive switching, quick decisions and relentless rim pressure. In the preseason finale against Minnesota, the Bulls scored 133 points, 76 points in the paint, grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and threw down 15 dunks. Pasted text
That raises a fascinating question: what if Chicago’s biggest advantage is not elite shooting or star power, but simply being more athletic, more aggressive and better at creating extra possessions than opponents?
With players like Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis, Leonard Miller, Jalen Smith and Tobe Awaka, Splitter may have the personnel to make offensive rebounding and rim pressure part of the Bulls’ identity.
The Bulls may not have a superstar-driven identity yet, but Tiago Splitter appears to be building one around pace, physicality, extra possessions and aggressive young players.
Now Bryson Graham has another decision to make: keep collecting upside plays like Dalton Knecht, or trust the roster already in place.
🎙️ Tune in to Locked On Bulls as Haize and Pat break down the Dalton Knecht trade buzz, Patrick Williams’ uncertain role and whether Tiago Splitter has already found the formula that can make Chicago better than the sum of its parts.

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Did the Chicago Bulls quietly win the Ayo Dosunmu trade? And is national media seriously underrating Josh Giddey?
On today’s episode of **Locked On Bulls**, Haize and Pat The Designer revisit one of the most important moves of the Bryson Graham era: **Chicago’s trade of Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips to Minnesota**.
The Bulls received **Leonard Miller, Rob Dillingham and four second-round picks**, then later turned Dillingham into **Buddy Hield**. Meanwhile, Miller has emerged as one of Chicago’s most intriguing young players. Pasted text
Ayo remains a proven NBA contributor and signed a reported **five-year, $112 million extension** with Minnesota, but Chicago has now turned one outgoing player into several pieces of its rebuild. Pasted text
So Haize and Pat ask the real question: **if Minnesota offered Ayo back today for Leonard Miller, Buddy Hield and the remaining assets, would the Bulls even say yes?**
The guys also dive into **The Ringer’s criticism of Josh Giddey** after ranking him No. 83 in its latest NBA Top 100. The concern is not his raw production. Giddey averaged **17 points, 9.1 assists and 8.3 rebounds** last season. The concern is whether those numbers translate into winning impact.
The Ringer highlighted Giddey’s struggles finishing drives, his pull-up shooting efficiency and his turnover rate, while questioning whether he can become a true high-level offensive engine. Pasted text
That creates a great Bulls debate: **is Giddey a future All-Star, or a high-level complementary player who happens to put up All-Star-looking numbers?**
Haize and Pat break down whether Giddey makes **Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson, Leonard Miller and Norman Powell** better enough to outweigh his scoring limitations, and whether Chicago eventually needs to add a true top-30 NBA player to raise the ceiling of the rebuild.
Plus, the guys discuss **Jalen Smith’s growing value heading into a contract year**.
Smith scored **15 points, grabbed seven rebounds and hit three threes against Milwaukee**, continuing to show why his floor spacing gives Chicago something very different from Nic Claxton. Pasted text
That raises a difficult front-office question. If Smith continues shooting near 40% from three, should the Bulls commit long-term money to him? Or could his rising value make him one of Bryson Graham’s best trade assets before the deadline?
## Topics Include:
- Did the Bulls win the Ayo Dosunmu trade?
- Leonard Miller’s emergence
- Turning Rob Dillingham into Buddy Hield
- Would Chicago reverse the Ayo trade today?
- The Ringer ranking Josh Giddey No. 83
- Is Giddey’s production translating to winning?
- Giddey’s finishing and pull-up shooting concerns
- Future All-Star or elite complementary player?
- Jalen Smith’s contract-year breakout
- Jalen Smith vs Nic Claxton
- Should Chicago extend or trade Smith?
- Bulls roster-building under Bryson Graham
The Bulls are reaching the point where the rebuild is no longer just about collecting young talent. **Now Chicago has to decide which players truly raise the ceiling, which trades aged well, and which contracts are worth paying.**
🎙️ **Tune in to Locked On Bulls as Haize and Pat debate the Ayo Dosunmu trade, Josh Giddey’s national-media criticism and what the Bulls should do with Jalen Smith before his value gets even more expensive.**
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The Chicago Bulls’ preseason just created a fascinating new rotation debate: did undrafted rookie Jaylin Sellers already move ahead of first-round pick Dailyn Swain? 👀🐂
On today’s episode of Locked On Bulls, Haize and Pat The Designer react to Sellers making his preseason debut and immediately receiving meaningful first-quarter minutes from Tiago Splitter. Sellers responded with 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting, two made threes and two steals in just under 15 minutes, while Swain played a little over 10 minutes and did not enter until much later in the game. Pasted text
That raises a bigger question about the new Bulls regime: does draft position matter at all once the competition starts?
Chicago invested the No. 15 pick in Swain because of his size, versatility and long-term two-way upside. Sellers went undrafted. But if Sellers is already better equipped to shoot, move without the ball and contribute alongside established creators, should Splitter simply reward the player who helps the team more right now?
Haize and Pat also dive into Chicago’s explosive offensive performance against Milwaukee.
The Bulls scored 125 points, made 20 threes, recorded 35 assists and generated 41 points off Milwaukee turnovers. Josh Giddey finished with nine assists, Tre Jones added seven, and Matas Buzelis scored 19 points while knocking down five threes. Pasted text
That sounds fantastic.
But Chicago also committed 21 turnovers.
So is Tiago Splitter building the fast, unselfish and entertaining offense Bulls fans have wanted for years, or is the pace creating a team that could eventually beat itself against better defenses?
The guys discuss whether 50 three-point attempts are sustainable, how much Chicago’s offense depends on forcing turnovers, and whether Matas Buzelis could become the player who makes the system work even when transition opportunities disappear.
Plus, Haize and Pat ask a question that would have sounded ridiculous a few years ago:
Are the Bulls actually in a better position than the Milwaukee Bucks?
Chicago beat Milwaukee by 21 in preseason, though the Bucks rested many of their key players. More importantly, Milwaukee is now navigating a post-Giannis era while Chicago is trying to build around Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson, Leonard Miller, Dailyn Swain and Noa Essengue. Pasted text
Who has the stronger young core? Who is better positioned to win now? And would finishing ahead of Milwaukee actually make this Bulls season a success?
The Bulls are beginning to reveal something important: competition may matter more than reputation under Tiago Splitter. Sellers is pushing for minutes, the offense is moving at a completely different pace, and Chicago may be closer to the middle of the Eastern Conference than many expected.
🎙️ Tune in to Locked On Bulls as Haize and Pat debate Jaylin Sellers vs. Dailyn Swain, break down Tiago Splitter’s high-powered but risky offense, and ask whether Chicago has actually moved ahead of Milwaukee.
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The Chicago Bulls are one week away from opening night, and three major questions are starting to take shape around the future of this roster. 👀🐂
On today’s episode of Locked On Bulls, Haize and Pat The Designer start with the biggest long-term debate surrounding Chicago’s young core: who eventually becomes the Bulls’ No. 1 player, Caleb Wilson or Matas Buzelis?
Both forwards have the size, athleticism and two-way upside to become foundational pieces, but they may develop into very different types of stars.
Does Caleb Wilson’s explosiveness, physical tools and growing creation ability give him the higher ceiling? Or is Matas Buzelis’ combination of shooting, size, confidence and three years of NBA development more likely to make him Chicago’s primary option?
The guys debate what Tiago Splitter should prioritize when developing both players and whether the Bulls even need to choose one as the clear No. 1 yet.
Then the conversation turns to an immediate concern: Nic Claxton may not be ready for opening night.
Claxton remains sidelined with a hamstring injury and is expected to be reevaluated shortly before Chicago’s October 21 opener in Toronto. That leaves very little time to return to practice, rebuild conditioning and be fully prepared for regular-season basketball.
That matters because so much of Tiago Splitter’s defensive system was designed around Claxton’s ability to protect the rim, switch onto guards and cover for Chicago’s aggressive perimeter defense.
If Claxton cannot go, should Jalen Smith start at center? Does Zach Collins become the answer if healthy? Or should Chicago experiment with Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis and Leonard Miller in smaller frontcourt combinations?
Haize and Pat also ask whether the injury situation proves the Bulls should stop entertaining Jalen Smith trade conversations and keep as much center depth as possible.
Plus, the guys dive into one of Chicago’s most interesting developmental swings: Jordan Hawkins.
The former No. 14 overall pick made his Bulls preseason debut and immediately caught the attention of his former UConn coach Dan Hurley, who publicly celebrated Hawkins’ new opportunity with a simple message: “Free Hawk.”
Could Bryson Graham have found another undervalued young player?
Hawkins entered the NBA with a reputation as an elite movement shooter, but his first few seasons did not match lottery expectations. Now Chicago gets a chance to develop him on a two-way contract with almost no financial risk.
The guys debate whether Hawkins fits Tiago Splitter’s offense better than his previous situations, whether he can eventually push for real rotation minutes, and how his development could impact veterans like Buddy Hield and Norman Powell.

The Bulls have spent the offseason talking about development, versatility and depth. Now those ideas are being tested before the regular season even begins.
🎙️ Tune in to Locked On Bulls as Haize and Pat debate Caleb Wilson vs. Matas Buzelis, break down growing concerns around Nic Claxton’s availability, and discuss whether Jordan Hawkins could become Bryson Graham’s latest low-risk development win.
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