Is the Chicago Bulls' Start to the Season the Hardest of Any NBA Team?

The Chicago Bulls were handed one of the toughest draws of any team to begin the year, especially when we consider their inexperience.

Mar 16, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3), left, forward Matas Buzelis (14), center, and guard Yuki Kawamura (8) are seen on the bench during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The harsh reality of a rebuild may set in fast for Chicago Bulls fans.

The NBA officially released the 2026-27 schedule on Thursday, giving us a nearly complete look at what rests ahead for this new-look franchise in Year 1. To be sure, regardless of how the games are organized, this projects to be a far more fun season than in years past. New front office leader Bryson Graham has dived headfirst into a youth movement, which is headlined by a potentially dynamic wing duo of Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson.

Still, a team with this much inexperience is bound to face some massive ups and downs. And it sure looks like the first couple of weeks will fall under the latter category.

The Bulls' start to 2026-27 is downright brutal. While the first three games may not appear catastrophic, a full look at the first 13 games is enough to induce a big gulp.

Chicago Bulls First 13 Games

Oct. 21 – @ TOR
Oct. 23 – @ MIL
Oct. 24 – vs. WAS
Oct. 26 – @ BOS
Oct. 28 – vs. NYK
Oct. 30 – @ BOS
Nov. 2 – @ PHI
Nov. 4 – @ NYK
Nov. 8 – vs. PHI
Nov. 11 – vs. SAS
Nov. 13 – vs. ATL
Nov. 14 – @ MIN
Nov. 16 – @ CLE

Ok ... maybe two big gulps?

Starting things off in Toronto will be far from easy, especially if Kawhi Leonard is in town by the time the season tips off. A trip to face a fellow rebuilding team in Milwaukee may give the Bulls a chance at their first win, but we also shouldn't look past some of the experience the Bucks have. Between Tyler Herro, Jamie Jaquez Jr., and Myles Turner, this is still a group that can give a team like Chicago some trouble.

The NBA also did the Bulls no favors by almost immediately giving them their first back-to-back. After facing the Bucks, they will head back down I-94 for their home opener against the Wizards one night later.

Speaking of which, this isn't your same old Wizards team. Not only did they just add No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa, but they have their sights set on the playoffs with Trae Young and Anthony Davis in town.

Nevertheless, Game 4 of the season is where things really ramp up. The Bulls will play the Boston Celtics twice in three games. Oh, and who's sandwiched in between? Just the reigning NBA champions, whom they also face again a week later!

Chicago will see the revamped 76ers twice in the first 13 games, as well as face Victor Wembanyama, the new Anthony Edwards-LaMelo Ball duo, and the always-annoying Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jun 17, 2026; Chicago, Il, USA; New Chicago Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter speaks during a press conference at Advocate Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

To make matters worse, nine of these 13 games will be on the road. This includes six of their first eight games coming away from the United Center, which is their most to start a season since the shortened 2011-12 campaign.

Whether the Bulls can pull off two or three wins feels like a genuine question after looking at this gauntlet. Sure, weird things can happen at the beginning of a season, which we saw last year when the team started 6-1. But there was also some real continuity on that team. This is an entirely new group that still has to establish a whole new identity and style of play.

If one thing is for sure, this should be a fantastic challenge for new head coach Tiago Splitter. A rough start to the year is all it can take to shake a young team's confidence. His job is to keep their heads straight and get the most out of them, no matter the win-loss column.

There is also a chance that being thrown into the fire this early pays off down the road. Again, as long as Splitter can manage expectations appropriately, this group should learn a lot about how they need to play from the jump.

Does that mean it should lead to some kind of massive mid-season turnaround? Not necessarily, but they will have every reason to put together some winning stretches.

Let's not forget that tanking has essentially been outlawed in the NBA. The league has flattened the lottery odds significantly, even deciding to punish those teams that end up in the bottom three in the standings. The best place to finish will be in the 4-10 range, meaning the Bulls can't simply accept their fate if things start out ugly.

Again, the win-loss column may not be priority No. 1 this season, and that's a good thing to remember as we look at these first 13 games. But you have to imagine Splitter and Co. were hoping for a slightly easier slate to begin this new era.

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