The Chicago Bulls are stuck in the NBA’s version of quicksand - not sinking fast enough to hit bottom, but not climbing anywhere near the top either. And based on the latest reports, it doesn’t look like they’re in any rush to change that.
According to league insider Jake Fischer, the Bulls are floating Coby White’s name in trade conversations, but there’s no indication they’re looking to overhaul the roster. That tracks with what we’ve seen from the front office under Arturas Karnisovas - a regime that’s been reluctant to make major moves, even as the team continues to tread water.
Right now, Chicago sits in the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. And if that sounds familiar, it should - the Bulls have been circling that same drain for the better part of a decade.
Since the 2015-16 season, they’ve finished 9th, 8th, 13th (twice), 11th (twice), 6th, 9th (twice), and now 10th. That’s the NBA’s dreaded middle ground - not good enough to make real playoff noise, not bad enough to land a top lottery pick and hit reset.
It’s the kind of spot that calls for a hard look in the mirror. Most teams in this position would be looking to move expiring contracts, stockpile draft capital, and build around their most promising young pieces - in this case, Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis.
But according to Fischer, the Bulls might actually be looking to buy at the deadline. That’s a head-scratcher, given how far they are from contending.
This isn’t just about one bad season or a rough stretch of injuries. It’s about a franchise that’s been stuck in neutral for years, refusing to pick a direction.
Bulls fans aren’t asking for miracles - they’re asking for a plan. And right now, it’s hard to see one.
If Chicago’s current situation feels familiar, that’s because it mirrors what the Detroit Pistons went through not long ago. For over a decade, Detroit lived in that same gray area - too good to tank, too flawed to compete.
After winning 59 games in 2007-08, the Pistons spent the next 11 seasons hovering around the 30-win mark. They cycled through coaches, handed out big contracts to the wrong players, and tried to force a contender out of mismatched parts.
Sound familiar?
Both teams made the same mistakes - overpaying for role players, misidentifying franchise cornerstones, and doubling down on mediocrity. The Pistons tried to build around Andre Drummond.
The Bulls did the same with Zach LaVine. Neither was a true No. 1 option.
Detroit gave big money to Josh Smith. Chicago has done the same with Patrick Williams.
The results? Predictably disappointing.
But eventually, the Pistons hit the reset button. They tore it all down, embraced the rebuild, and got a little lottery luck along the way.
Landing the No. 1 pick and drafting Cade Cunningham gave them a real foundation to build on. It wasn’t easy - they spent years at the bottom of the standings - but now they’re reaping the rewards with a young core and a clear direction.
That’s the kind of long-term vision the Bulls are missing.
Right now, Chicago is clinging to the 10th seed like it’s a lifeline, when in reality, it’s an anchor. They’re trying to patch up a sinking ship instead of building a new one. And until they make the tough decision to bottom out and start fresh, they’re likely to stay right where they’ve been - stuck in the NBA’s no man’s land, with no real path forward.