The Bulls’ early season collapse continues against the Pacers and rebuild talk gains serious traction

The Chicago Bulls slipped further after their 103 – 101 loss to the Pacers on Saturday night, a result that pushed them onto a worrying path toward irrelevance. Chicago opened the season with a five game burst and later sat at 8-6, but they have now dropped four of their last five to fall to 9-10.

It marks their first dip below the break even mark this year and places them in the tenth spot in the Eastern Conference. That position points toward a fourth straight trip to the NBA Play In Tournament after missing the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. If they end up in the same place again, the front office will need to confront some major decisions. Tonight’s third straight rough outing added fuel to at least one trade idea that has started to gain traction.

After their 6-1 start to the season, the Bulls are 3-8 since.

If Chicago continues to fall off, rival teams will begin to inquire on the possibility of acquiring Nikola Vucevic.

Almost traded last year, Vucevic has yearned to finish his career on a true title-contending team. pic.twitter.com/ckBOAos6cy

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) November 29, 2025

The Bulls watched their week unravel quickly. They fell to a New Orleans Pelicans team that entered Monday with only two wins, dropped another to a Charlotte Hornets group sitting at four victories, and then stumbled again against an Indiana Pacers squad that had just three wins before tipoff tonight.

They also played a part in ending long droughts for both New Orleans and Charlotte, lifting the Pelicans out of a nine game skid and helping the Hornets halt a seven game slide. With Chicago sliding this fast, the front office could be pushed toward meaningful changes as the season continues to shift in the wrong direction.

Nikola Vucevic and the bumbling Bulls

Nikola Vucevic has delivered steady production for Chicago with 16.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, efficient shooting, and several important late game buckets, yet his overall impact has raised new questions.

His presence around the rim has not offered much stability, his early success from long range has cooled off, and his defensive issues in multiple areas have become tougher for the Bulls to manage. Chicago may now look at him as a possible trade piece, hoping he finishes the 2025 calendar year on a strong note and builds enough value to interest a team chasing a deeper postseason run.

Bulls look ready to finish what they started in the offseason and dive fully into a rebuild. This group needs a sweeping reset, especially in the frontcourt, where size has been a constant issue. Matas Buzelis and Patrick Williams are natural small forwards who have been pushed into larger roles because the roster lacks true interior help, and Vucevic has offered minimal impact as a defender near the basket. If the losses keep piling up, there is little reason to keep a 35 year old center on an expiring deal.

Dropping three straight games to teams at the bottom of the standings has pushed Chicago into an early crisis. A season that once hinted at growth and renewed energy has instead unraveled, leaving the Bulls stuck with a product that looks headed for another long and unproductive campaign.

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