After three seasons of losses in the play-in tournament, the Chicago Bulls have decided to trade their veteran players and start a rebuild. Despite a difficult nine-game losing streak, their lottery position remains unchanged.
The Bulls traded Nikola Vucevic to the Boston Celtics, Coby White to the Charlotte Hornets, Kevin Huerter to the Detroit Pistons, and Ayo Dosunmu to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the trade deadline. However, by waiting until February, they may be stuck with low lottery odds.
Bulls kept veterans too long
The Bulls made bold moves in 2021, acquiring Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, and DeMar DeRozan, while securing a significant deal for Zach LaVine. This group led the Eastern Conference at times during the 2021-22 season, but a knee injury to Ball impacted their playoff chances, resulting in a first-round exit.
For the next three seasons, they aimed to make the playoffs while finishing with records of 40, 39, and 39 wins. The team was filled with experienced players, but their performance was not strong enough to secure a playoff spot, nor poor enough to earn high draft picks, landing instead at No. 11 and No. 12 in recent drafts.
At the trade deadline, the Bulls held a record of 24-28, tied with the Charlotte Hornets for the league’s 11th-worst record, giving them just a 2 percent chance at the top draft pick. Despite losing every game since, they remain the ninth-worst team, raising their odds of a top pick to 4.5 percent.
Bulls aiming to build around Giddey
Currently, only two Bulls players have long-term contracts. Josh Giddey, averaging 18.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 8.5 assists, is signed for $25 million a year until 2028-29. Forward Patrick Williams makes $18 million a year, averaging 6.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while getting the least playing time of his career.
Second-year forward Matas Buzelis is averaging 15 points, but outside him, there are few prospects. Rookie Noa Essengue had limited play time before shoulder surgery ended his season. The Bulls have significant salary-cap space this summer but lack a clear strategy, except for possibly re-signing recent acquisitions Anfernee Simons and Jaden Ivey.
The Bulls also seem to undervalue first-round draft picks. Over the past two years, they have traded veterans, including Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Alex Caruso. The only first-rounder they have received is their own 2025 pick, which was originally traded to get DeRozan.
Acquiring first-round picks should have been a priority, yet the Bulls appear uninterested in obtaining them, limiting their ability to attract top talent. Their current record, while poor, is not bad enough for a high lottery pick.
The Bulls seem to be relying on luck and are likely to attract free agents more interested in salary than success as they aim to rebuild. Their prolonged indecision has left them with limited options.