Dan Bernstein Unfiltered – “NBA Champion Will Perdue on the Chicago Bulls Start to the Season”
Podcast: Dan Bernstein Unfiltered (312 Sports)
Episode: 119 – Organizations Win Championships
Date: November 18, 2025
Guests: Dan Bernstein (Host), Jason Bernstein, Will Perdue (former Bulls center, NBA Champion)
Episode Overview
This episode centers on a thorough, candid analysis of the Chicago Bulls’ surprising start to the 2025 NBA season. Host Dan Bernstein, joined by his son Jason and special guest Will Perdue, delves into the Bulls’ energetic style, lack of rim protection, roster depth, and broader questions about the team’s direction and aspirations. The conversation highlights unique insights from Perdue’s championship experience and explores both tactical basketball minutiae and the “big picture” of Bulls culture.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Bulls’ Early Season Performance and Depth (01:07–04:47)
- Current Record: Bulls are 7–6, 8th in the East.
- Notable Injury Impact: Missing key players (e.g., Kobe White), yet managing wins, including a remarkable double-overtime victory over Utah and an improbable win against Denver on the second night of a back-to-back.
Will Perdue:
“I enjoy watching them...that record of seven and six is kind of where they are as far as the quality of the team...They might have the best bench in the league when you talk about, from 6 to 10 as far as depth.” — (02:19)
Key Point: Bulls play “up or down” to opposition, which creates inconsistency but also excitement.
2. Playoff Ceiling, Star Power, and Conference Context (04:47–07:40)
- Eastern Conference Overview: Injuries and uneven quality among top East teams create an opening for the Bulls to potentially secure a playoff spot if healthy.
- Lack of a Go-to Playoff Star: The Bulls lack a definitive star who can “go get a bucket” when the game slows in the playoffs.
- Defensive Weakness: 21st in defensive rating—subpar for postseason success.
Will Perdue:
“You still don’t have that guy, right, that you can go to in the playoffs...The game slows down in the playoffs...And that to me is a disadvantage to this Bulls team.” — (06:36)
3. Style, Three-Point Reliance, and Rim Protection (07:40–12:45)
- Offensive Philosophy: Emphasis on pace and three-point shooting (not just speed, but what the pace produces).
- Volatility Issue: Win/loss variance hinges on bench players hitting threes (e.g., Javon Carter), making results swingy.
- Lack of Rim Protection: Bulls struggle to block shots and defend inside, making sustained success at this tempo questionable.
Dan Bernstein:
“I don’t know how you can sustain this without rim protection. Their inability to block a shot makes it hard to sustain winning at this tempo.” — (08:48)
4. The Vucevic Debate and Old School vs. Modern Offense (11:55–14:52)
- Vucevic’s Role: Fans’ love/hate relationship. He’s often targeted in pick-and-roll, struggling on defense.
- Offensive Strategy Tension: Debate between old-school “inside-out” (post the big man) vs. analytics-driven, three-point-heavy “outside-in” approach.
Will Perdue:
“Just because that’s old school basketball doesn’t mean you can’t score from inside out...the game has changed. It works from outside in instead of inside out. That’s just what the game is. It’s all about analytics.” — (12:45)
5. Setting Organizational Standards and the Benchmark of Contenders (14:15–16:41)
- Contender Benchmark: Comparison with teams like Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 1 in offense and defense, deep with draft assets), Celtics, Heat, Lakers, Spurs, and Nuggets.
- Bulls' Organizational Goal: Discussion on whether Bulls’ current strategy aligns with championship ambition or just “fun basketball.”
Will Perdue:
“You got to figure out a way — your defense has to be better than 21st if you really want to make an impact in the playoffs...The reason why I say this is now to me, about the organization is because the team is who the team is.” — (15:00)
6. Trade Speculation and the Need for a Star (18:32–22:36)
- Depth vs. Star Power: Depth is good, but “you need star power in this league.”
- Trade Speculation: Joking about Anthony Davis (too old, injury-prone); serious intrigue in possibly reacquiring Lowry Markkanen.
- Chemistry and Locker Room Fit: Perdue shares behind-the-scenes stories about respect and chemistry (e.g., Rodman’s respect for Jordan and Phil Jackson as the key to his buy-in).
Will Perdue:
“What made Jerry Krause and Phil Jackson feel like they could trust Dennis Rodman? ... Michael [Jordan] ... he respected him and he was gonna play...That’s my point: do we think Anthony Davis as a player...would be ready to buy into whatever the Bulls have right now?” — (21:06)
7. Emerging Bulls Identity and Chemistry (23:06–25:19)
- Patrick Williams Shows Edge: Not typically aggressive, Williams gets involved in an altercation, showing new assertiveness.
- Bench and Role Players: Praised for team-first play and high effort, with specific mention of Trey Jones and Jalen Smith.
Dan Bernstein:
“Patrick the Mr. Passive, Ferdinand the Bull out there picking flowers...for him to do that, it said something...Trey Jones plays hard, man. He’s a really good second unit point guard.” — (23:06)
8. Rotations, Kobe White vs. Tre Jones, and Lineups (25:18–33:48)
- Debate: Best Fit at PG: Tre Jones vs. Kobe White in starting lineup.
- Kobe off the Bench?: Explores possibility of maximizing his scoring punch as a 6th man.
- Late-Game Scoring: Giddy seen as primary ballhandler/facilitator; Kobe’s catch-and-shoot game lauded; debate over who “takes the last shot.”
- IQ and Smarts: Kevin Huerter’s basketball IQ called out as crucial for closing lineups.
Will Perdue:
“[Kevin Huerter] needs to be on the floor in late game situations...his basketball IQ blows me away.” — (33:05)
“Sometimes you make a mistake by putting your best shooters on the floor. Sometimes you got to put your smartest players on the floor.” — (31:43)
9. The Patrick Williams Conundrum and Rotation Fit (34:23–36:49)
- Starter vs. Bench Role: Patrick Williams may be better with the second unit; struggles to impact the game as a starter among higher-usage players.
- Offensive Limitations: Both Williams and Okoro are limited offensively; Okoro’s motor is praised.
Will Perdue:
“If you put [P. Will] in that starting lineup, he then basically becomes your fifth option...he has a tendency to stand around...” — (35:08)
10. Frontcourt Minutes, Injuries, and Load Management (36:49–41:13)
- Jalen Smith’s Overextension: Performing well but asked to play above his best role due to injuries to Zach Collins.
- Minute Distribution: Praise for Billy Donovan’s management, especially after grueling games and travel.
- Need for Depth: Fast pace demands 10-11 man rotations.
11. Historic Win Over Denver and Bulls’ Resilience (41:13–42:39)
- Bulls break Denver’s streak as virtually unbeatable on back-to-backs.
- Reinforces Bulls’ surprising competitiveness and “never out of it” attitude.
12. Fun/Nostalgia Segment: Aaron Gordon Statistical Comps (42:39–51:13)
- Dan runs through an eclectic list of Aaron Gordon’s statistical NBA comps (e.g., Karan Butler, Kenyon Martin, Robert Horry, Orlando Woolridge, Juwan Howard), prompting stories and quick takes.
- Will Perdue shares anecdotes, especially about Junior Bridgeman and Cliff Levingston.
13. NBA Trivia Showdown (53:02–63:11)
-
Triple Double Teammates Trivia (Dan’s Question):
- Notable Answers: Russell Westbrook (4x), Nikola Jokic, Bam Adebayo & Jimmy Butler (twice).
- Will and Jason try to guess.
-
Bulls’ Winning Percentage Since 2010 (Jason’s Question):
- Answer: Carlos Boozer (65.4%) — most successful by this metric, surprising the panel.
14. The Bulls’ Path to a Star: Development or Trade? (64:23–68:01)
- Will Perdue:
- Where does the “star” come from? Unlikely via free agency under current CBA.
- Dan posits the answer lies in finding and fostering a hidden gem (e.g., Giannis, Jokic).
- Bulls’ front office must “develop” rather than buy a star due to salary realities.
Dan Bernstein:
“It is going to be the proper development of a raw drafted talent...like Giannis...like Jokic — somebody shrewdly picked, developed, and committed.” — (65:44/66:34)
15. Near-Term Bulls Schedule and Expectations (68:42–70:15)
- Favorable upcoming schedule: Portland, Miami, Washington, New Orleans, Charlotte, Indiana, Orlando—all winnable—with playoff positioning implications.
- Potential player to monitor: Trey Murphy (Pelicans) as possible trade target.
16. Closing Banter and Memorable Moments (71:05–End)
- Light-hearted comparison of Jason Bernstein’s look to Harold Ramis (“the third Ghostbuster”).
- Closing with laughs, gratitude for Will Perdue’s presence, Thanksgiving well-wishes, and one last Chicago reference.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Bulls’ Identity:
- “Fun to watch. Never out of a game and make it exciting.” — Will Perdue (02:19)
- On Standards in Chicago:
- “That’s the standard here. So we should talk about it that way.” — Dan Bernstein (09:39)
- On Star Power:
- “You need star power in this league...it can’t just be depth.” — Jason Bernstein (19:04)
- On Bulls’ Long-Term Outlook:
- “Where is that level of player going to come from? ...you’re not going to get somebody in free agency...players are always going to follow the money.” — Will Perdue (64:36)
- On Team Chemistry:
- “I don’t really mind some of that. And I’m not saying I want guys fighting...but for Patrick, hey, man, that’s Patrick — Mr. Passive, Ferdinand the Bull out there picking flowers...for him to do that, it said something to me.” — Dan Bernstein (23:06)
- Most Unexpected Stat:
- “Carlos Boozer, as a Chicago Bull, went 183 and 97 for a win percentage of 65.4%.” — Jason Bernstein (63:26)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 01:07 — Bulls’ season summary and initial reactions
- 02:19 — Perdue’s assessment of roster depth
- 04:47 — Playoff ceiling, missing ‘the guy’, and conference context
- 09:39 — Setting the championship standard
- 12:45 — Analytics, three-pointers, and offense evolution
- 15:00 — Benchmark: contenders vs. the Bulls’ direction
- 18:43 — Depth vs. star power; trade speculation
- 23:06 — Patrick Williams asserts himself, bench praise
- 25:18 — Kobe White vs. Tre Jones debate
- 33:05 — Praising Kevin Huerter’s IQ for late-game situations
- 34:23 — The Patrick Williams conundrum
- 36:49 — Frontcourt minutes and load management
- 41:13 — Bulls break Denver’s streak (historic win context)
- 42:39 — Aaron Gordon statistical comps (fun segment)
- 53:02 — NBA trivia showdown begins
- 63:26 — Winning percentage answer: Carlos Boozer
- 64:23 — Where the next Bulls’ star will come from
- 68:42 — Upcoming schedule, playoff implications
- 71:05 — “Harold Ramis” banter and goodbyes
Tone and Atmosphere
The tone is quintessentially Chicago: direct, informed, spirited, unfiltered, and occasionally irreverent. There’s authentic camaraderie between Bernstein, his son, and Perdue, blending sharp basketball insights with humor and local flavor. The episode is loaded with anecdotes, nuanced game breakdowns, and off-court context—making it as valuable for loyal Bulls fans as it is entertaining for basketball buffs in general.
Note: All advertisements, preamble, and outro content have been omitted from this summary. For full basketball insights, refer to the indicated timestamps.