An ignored talent of the new-look Bulls will be massively important to future success

The Chicago Bulls fielded one of the best playmaking groups in the NBA last year, but they still have work to do if they want to put an end to their postseason failures.

Head coach Billy Donovan transitioned -- pun intended -- from a half-court scheme built around DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic to an up-tempo system that finished second in the league in pace. Some of the pieces to lead that plan are already set with unselfish floor generals in Josh Giddey (probably) and Tre Jones, along with a true combo guard like Coby White.

Kevin Huerter, Ayo Dosunmu and Vucevic are all overlooked assist men who can generate shots for others when the situation calls for it.

Creation is already a strength of this Chicago team that favors running, gunning and chucking threes, but it could get even better, which would be a significant boon for Donovan and Co.

The Chicago Bulls are one of the best playmaking teams in the NBA

The Bulls finished sixth in scoring last season, partially on the back of that aforementioned blistering pace. But they didn't score a lot of points simply because they racked up a ton of possessions. They also averaged the fifth-most assists per game (29.1), fewer than two shy of the league-leading Denver Nuggets.

Giddey led Chicago with 7.2 dimes a night, but five more Bulls averaged more than three per game (not including the now-departed Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball). Jones (4.9), Ayo Dosunmu (4.9), White (4.5), Vucevic (3.5) and Huerter (3.2) were all above-average playmakers in 2024-25.

Matas Buzelis had 58 assists in the final 31 games of the season once he entered the starting lineup, and the organization expects him to dramatically increase that number this year. If he develops that part of his game the way the Bulls hope he will, it will mean a 6-foot-10 point forward next to a 6-foot-8 point guard in Giddey. White is 6-foot-5 himself, as is Dosunmu. Huerter is 6-foot-7 and Vucevic, for all his flaws, is a splendid facilitator for a center. It would open up several new, intriguing options.

Chicago is clearly all in on pushing the pace, creating full-court havoc and taking advantage of scrambling defenses. Even when things get bogged down late in the shot clock, Giddey and White can create shots for themselves or for teammates. Decision makers inside the building believe Buzelis is primed to do the same, albeit on a less inventive and stat-stuffing level.

If the Bulls are going to break through their play-in malaise and become a playoff contender again, they'll have to lean even more into their playmaking skills.

Eagles Cut Ties With Former First Round Ahead of Week 2 Battle With Chiefs

The Philadelphia Eagles opened the 2025 campaign with a 24-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, and while the win was a welcome sight, there are several areas the team needs to improve. That will be especially important since they will be taking on the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl LIX rematch in Week 2.

With star guard Landon Dickerson banged up already on the team’s offensive line, having depth at this spot is going to be crucial for Philadelphia. On Saturday, however, they ended up releasing a former first-round pick whom they had recently promoted to the active squad as they prepare for their big battle with the Chiefs.

Eagles Waive Offensive Lineman Kenyon Green

Even though they won the Super Bowl last year, the Eagles were among the busiest teams in the league this offseason. One move they made saw them pick up Kenyon Green from the Houston Texans. The No. 15 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Green was never able to find his footing with the Texans, which led Philly to take a flier on him.

While Green’s first-round draft billing seemingly gave him an inside track to land a backup job on the Eagles’ o-line, he struggled throughout training camp, and it became clear as time went on that he was on the roster bubble. Green ended up getting released as part of the team’s final roster cuts, but he was quickly re-signed to the practice squad.

Ahead of Philadelphia’s clash with Dallas, Green was promoted to the active squad, but he ended up being inactive for the game. While it initially seemed like he could stick around as a depth option, that ended up not being the case, as the Eagles released Green on Saturday as they turn their attention to Week 2.

“The Eagles announced on Saturday that they have waived offensive lineman Kenyon Green,” Chris McPherson wrote on the team’s official website. “The former first-round pick was inactive for Thursday night’s season-opening win over the Dallas Cowboys.”

Could Kenyon Green Return to Eagles’ Practice Squad?

Considering how he was selected with a high pick in the first round of the draft, it’s clear that Green has the potential to be a starting-caliber talent in the NFL. The Eagles have enough talent on their offensive line that they could work on developing Green behind the scenes, but to this point, he has not shown enough to warrant a consistent spot on the team’s 53-man roster.

While Green has been released, he could end up quickly returning to Philadelphia on its practice squad. Of course, if an opportunity to latch on with another team’s roster pops up, Green would likely take that, but it doesn’t seem all that likely that it will happen. It will be worth keeping tabs on Green to see if he does end up returning to the Eagles later this week, but for now, the team’s primary focus is on getting ready for the Chiefs.