The Chicago Bulls have finally hit the reset button after three consecutive seasons of play-in tournament heartbreaks. By trading away their veteran core, they've embraced a full-scale rebuild. However, their timing might leave them stuck in the dreaded late-lottery zone, as even a nine-game skid hasn't improved their lottery odds significantly.
In a whirlwind of trade deadline activity, the Bulls sent Nikola Vucevic packing to the Boston Celtics, while Coby White found a new home with the Charlotte Hornets. Kevin Huerter moved to the Detroit Pistons, and Ayo Dosunmu joined the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite these moves, the delay in making them means Chicago might remain in late-lottery limbo.
Back in 2021, the Bulls made bold moves by acquiring Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, and DeMar DeRozan, while securing Zach LaVine with a hefty contract. The team showed promise, even leading the Eastern Conference at times during the 2021-22 season. But a knee injury to Ball derailed their playoff hopes, ending in a first-round exit.
For the next three seasons, the Bulls hovered around mediocrity, winning 40, 39, and 39 games respectively. It was a tough spot-veteran-laden but not playoff-caliber, and not bad enough to snag a top draft pick, landing them at No. 11 and No. 12 in recent drafts.
At the trade deadline, Chicago sat at 24-28, tied with the Charlotte Hornets for the league's 11th-worst record, giving them a mere 2 percent shot at the first overall pick. Despite a losing streak, their odds only slightly improved to 4.5 percent.
Now, the Bulls are looking to build around Josh Giddey, who’s putting up impressive numbers with 18.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game. He's locked in at $25M annually through 2028-29. Alongside him, Patrick Williams is on a long-term deal, though his production has dipped to 6.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.
Second-year forward Matas Buzelis is providing some spark with 15 points per game, but beyond that, the roster lacks solid building blocks. Rookie Noa Essengue’s season was cut short after just three minutes of action due to shoulder surgery. The Bulls do have significant salary-cap room this summer, but their strategy for utilizing it remains unclear, apart from potentially re-signing deadline additions Anfernee Simons and Jaden Ivey.
Curiously, the Bulls have shown little interest in stockpiling first-round picks. Over the past two years, they traded away their veterans, plus Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Alex Caruso, only to reclaim their own 2025 pick, initially dealt to acquire DeRozan.
Prioritizing first-round picks should have been key, yet the Bulls seem unfazed by this, limiting their access to top-tier talent. Their current record is poor, but not quite poor enough to guarantee a high lottery selection.
It appears the Bulls are banking on a stroke of lottery luck and attracting free agents who prioritize financial gain over immediate success. Their prolonged indecision has left them with limited options and insufficient time to execute a full-scale tanking strategy.