The Chicago Bulls are in a tough spot-and not just because of their six-game losing streak heading into the All-Star break. At 24-31 on the season and having dropped nine of their last ten, the Bulls find themselves in that murky middle ground of the NBA standings: not quite bad enough to secure prime lottery odds, but nowhere near contending either.
And thanks to the NBA’s recent crackdown on tanking, that middle ground just got a whole lot more complicated.
The league has made it clear that teams intentionally losing games to chase better draft positioning will face consequences. That puts Chicago in a delicate position.
They’re currently sitting 10th in the Draft Lottery odds, trailing teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and the Memphis Grizzlies-the latter holding the eighth-best odds. In a vacuum, the strategic move might be to lean into the losses, increase their lottery chances, and hope the ping-pong balls bounce their way come May 10.
But this is the Bulls we’re talking about. Under the leadership of Artūras Karnišovas, the front office has been nothing if not cautious.
Chicago isn’t exactly known for bold, tank-heavy strategies. In fact, they’ve consistently resisted the idea of bottoming out, even when it might make long-term sense.
That philosophy is still intact, even after a flurry of recent trades that sent out several core players in exchange for an eye-popping 14 second-round picks. The message?
This is a rebuild-just not the scorched-earth kind. The Bulls are clearing cap space, collecting assets, and trying to stay somewhat competitive in the process.
But that’s easier said than done with a roster that’s been dramatically reshaped midseason.
The current lineup is heavy on new faces still learning how to play together. Collin Sexton, Anfernee Simons, Jaden Ivey, Nick Richards, Guerschon Yabusele, and Leonard Miller are all adjusting to new roles, new teammates, and a new system. Chemistry takes time, and right now, the Bulls are clearly still searching for it.
That’s part of why they don’t need to tank-the losses are coming organically. This group is raw, unpolished, and still figuring things out on the fly.
The effort is there, but the cohesion isn’t. And in a league where even the smallest breakdowns get punished, that’s enough to keep the Bulls on the wrong side of the scoreboard most nights.
Still, this approach is very much in line with how the organization has historically operated. The Bulls have rarely embraced full teardown modes. Even in down years, they’ve looked to remain competitive, to fight through adversity, and to avoid the stigma-and now the penalties-of tanking.
So while fans might be eyeing the Draft Lottery with increasing interest, don’t expect Chicago to start pulling starters or sitting players under mysterious “injury management” labels. That’s just not how this front office does business.
Whether that’s the right call in the long run remains to be seen. But for now, the Bulls are walking the line between rebuilding and remaining respectable.
It’s not an easy path, especially in a league that rewards extremes. But it’s the one Chicago has chosen-and they’re sticking to it.