Chicago Bulls 2026-27
The Chicago Bulls went 31-51 in 2025-26 and ranked 22nd in net rating and 22nd in defense. The sportsbooks set their 2026-27 win total at 29.5. Our model has them at 32 wins, and our projected record, which weights the line three to one, is 30-52, the No. 13 seed in the East. The model and the line are within five wins of each other, so there's no lean.
The question
Can Nic Claxton's hamstring heal in time to anchor a 22nd-ranked defense, and how fast does No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson take a major role under a first-year coach?
Projected starters
Reporting confidence: medium.
Bench rotation
Isaac Okoro · Tre Jones · Buddy Hield · P. Williams (first name not shown on RealGM) · Dailyn Swain · Jalen Smith · Zach Collins · Leonard Miller · Tobe Awaka
Players at 1.73 or better on AQI
None. Every champion since 2001-02 had at least one. Why that matters.
Top-three salaries, 2025-26 games
Josh Giddey 54; Nic Claxton 69; Norman Powell 58 (73% of possible games)
Injuries
- Nic Claxton · OutHamstring (Oct 4-5)
- Matas Buzelis · Day-to-dayRight ankle; left Oct 9 vs MEM. Said he was "just a little sore" and "I think I will be ready for Sunday" (Oct 10)
- Zach Collins · Out (preseason)Quadriceps
- Tre Jones · Out (preseason)Hip; had not played in preseason as of Oct 9
- Jalen Smith · Out (preseason)Left foot
- Jaylin Sellers · Out (preseason)Back
Rookies to watch
- Caleb Wilson (No. 4): Projected starter. 21 pts (5-11 3PT) in 31:37 vs MEM on Oct 9.
- Dailyn Swain (No. 15): Running the second unit / backup point guard with Tre Jones out. Had 6 assists vs PHX.
Roster and contracts
| Player | Pos | Age | 2026-27 salary | AQI | AQI season | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Giddey | G | 24 | $25.0M | -1.25 | 2025-26 | |
| Nic Claxton | C | 27 | $23.1M | -2.56 | 2025-26 | Day-To-Day |
| Patrick Williams | F | 25 | $18.0M | -1.59 | 2025-26 | |
| Isaac Okoro | F | 25 | $11.8M | -1.36 | 2025-26 | |
| Buddy Hield | G | 33 | $9.7M | 0.76 | 2024-25 | |
| Jalen Smith | F | 26 | $9.4M | 0.78 | 2025-26 | |
| Tre Jones | G | 26 | $8.0M | -0.79 | 2025-26 | |
| Jordan Hawkins | G | 24 | $7.0M | — | ||
| Matas Buzelis | F | 21 | $5.7M | -1.56 | 2025-26 | |
| Noa Essengue | F | 19 | $5.7M | — | ||
| Leonard Miller | F | 22 | $2.4M | — | ||
| Tobe AwakaRookie | F | 22 | — | — | ||
| Brandon Boston Jr. | G | 24 | — | — | ||
| Jalen Bridges | F | 25 | — | — | ||
| Zach Collins | F | 28 | — | — | Day-To-Day | |
| Drew Peterson | F | 26 | — | — | ||
| Norman Powell | G | 33 | — | 0.30 | 2025-26 | |
| Orlando Robinson | C | 26 | — | — | ||
| Jaylin SellersRookie | G | 23 | — | — | Day-To-Day | |
| Isaiah Stevens | G | 25 | — | — | ||
| Dailyn SwainRookie | G | 21 | — | — | ||
| Caleb WilsonRookie | F | 20 | — | — |
AQI is a player's on-court net rating × usage × (true shooting ÷ 0.550): his 2025-26 number if he played 1,000 minutes, otherwise his latest 1,500-minute season. Highlighted players are at or above 1.73, the floor every champion's best player has cleared. Salaries and injury designations from ESPN as of October 13, 2026.
Common questions
What is the Chicago Bulls win total for 2026-27?
The median win total across BetMGM, DraftKings, Caesars, bet365 and BetRivers is 29.5 (BetMGM 29.5 · BetRivers 29.5 · Caesars 29.5 · DraftKings 29.5).
How many games will the Bulls win in 2026-27?
DataDunkNBA projects 30-52. The model and the line are within five wins of each other, so there's no lean.
Who is injured for the Bulls?
Nic Claxton: Out (Hamstring (Oct 4-5)); Matas Buzelis: Day-to-day (Right ankle; left Oct 9 vs MEM. Said he was "just a little sore" and "I think I will be ready for Sunday" (Oct 10)); Zach Collins: Out (preseason) (Quadriceps); Tre Jones: Out (preseason) (Hip; had not played in preseason as of Oct 9); Jalen Smith: Out (preseason) (Left foot); Jaylin Sellers: Out (preseason) (Back).
East projected standings
| Seed | Team | Line | Our record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York Knicks | 52.5 | 52-30 |
| 2 | Boston Celtics | 51.5 | 52-30 |
| 3 | Detroit Pistons | 48.5 | 50-32 |
| 4 | Philadelphia 76ers | 50.5 | 48-34 |
| 5 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 48.5 | 48-34 |
| 6 | Toronto Raptors | 46.5 | 46-36 |
| 7 | Miami Heat | 46.5 | 45-37 |
| 8 | Orlando Magic | 43.5 | 43-39 |
| 9 | Atlanta Hawks | 43.5 | 43-39 |
| 10 | Charlotte Hornets | 38.5 | 40-42 |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | 43.5 | 40-42 |
| 12 | Washington Wizards | 34.5 | 32-50 |
| 13 | Chicago Bulls | 29.5 | 30-52 |
| 14 | Milwaukee Bucks | 25.5 | 27-55 |
| 15 | Brooklyn Nets | 24.5 | 25-57 |
Read the full reasoning for every team in Vegas vs. the Numbers: our 2026-27 predictions, and how the contender tests work in the four tests preview and the AQI explainer.