Today’s Hottest Take: The Pelicans are in a Better Position than the Chicago Bulls

There are countless ways to win in the NBA, but every single one of them starts with a star. You can argue offensive schemes, roster construction or depth charts all day long, but the truth never changes: a star moves the needle, and a superstar shifts the entire trajectory of a franchise. They carry the scoring load. They bail you out late in the shot clock. They give you confidence in crunch time. Stars get you into the playoffs; superstars give you a legitimate seat at the title-contender table.

That’s why, right now, the New Orleans Pelicans are in a better long-term position than the Chicago Bulls.

Chicago might have more reliable rotation pieces. They might even have a deeper 3–10 than most teams in the league. But what they lack is the one ingredient you simply can’t fake or manufacture: a franchise-defining star, let alone a true superstar capable of changing the ceiling of the organization. The Pelicans, on the other hand, have Zion Williamson, a player who, when healthy, impacts winning on a level the Bulls can’t currently touch.

When Zion plays, the Pelicans’ offense jumps by 12 points per game. Their free-throw attempts spike by seven. That’s not just talent, that’s gravitational force. Their issues aren’t about fit or roster makeup. They’re about health, continuity and youth. New Orleans has an average age of 24.3. Historically, teams that young don’t win big right away. The average NBA champion is around 28.2 years old, meaning the Pelicans aren’t behind schedule, they haven’t even hit their competitive prime.

The Bulls find themselves in a similar age range (24.6), but with a completely different outlook. Coby White can score. Josh Giddeycan make plays. Matas Buzelis has shown flashes. Chicago is not void of talent; they’re void of a tier of talent. Superstars are finite, maybe 8-10 of them exist at any given time, and the Bulls don’t have one. They don’t even have a surefire path to getting one.

What You Need to Know: Regardless of Injuries, You Have to Beat These Teams

Last Saturday, the Bulls beat the Washington Wizards by the same number of games the Wizards had won all season, just a measly one. Even with a stronger roster, Chicago trailed for most of the night and fell behind by as many as 16 in the second quarter. That’s become a pattern. They got blown out by the Pelicans in New Orleans. They lost to Charlotte, a team with only four wins. Then they dropped a game to an injury-riddled Pacers squad that entered with just two victories.

The difference in those matchups? Star power and takeover ability. Brandon Miller a young, raw, but supremely talented player, took over for Charlotte. Pascal Siakam, a seasoned All-Star, closed the door for Indiana. These are the types of players who win you games you probably shouldn’t win on paper, and in a season where the Eastern Conference is wide open, those are the matchups the Bulls have to capitalize on. Chicago simply doesn’t have a player who can reliably put the game in a headlock when things start slipping.

Before You Go: Is There a Path Out?

Technically, yes but it’s murky, risky and far from guaranteed.

The Bulls have never landed a superstar free agent, and nothing about their current trajectory suggests that streak is about to change. Their most realistic path is through the draft. The problem? They haven’t drafted in the top five since 2020, when they selected Patrick Williams, a pick that hasn’t developed into what the franchise hoped he could be. They own their 2026 first-round pick, but if they miss the playoffs again, they’ll likely land in the early-teens range. It’s possible to find franchise players there. Examples like Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell prove that, but those are exceptions, not expectations.

And even then, as good as Booker and Mitchell are, they’re still not viewed in the same tier as the true superstars who shape championship windows.

If the Bulls want out of this cycle of mediocrity, they must commit fully and aggressively to finding their next superstar. Whether that’s through the draft, a bold trade, or a complete organizational reset, the message has to be clear: you don’t revive a franchise by adding solid pieces around the edges. You revive it by finding the centerpiece everything else revolves around.

Until that happens, Chicago will remain stuck in the NBA’s most dangerous place: not terrible, not great, and nowhere close to contention.