It’s been years since the Chicago Bulls were a championship contender or even a top-four team in the Eastern Conference. They’ve been stuck in the worst possible position any NBA team could aspire to be. They’re not bad enough to land a top pick nor good enough to be a perennial playoff contender.
On top of that, the front office hasn’t been aggressive in their pursuit of star free agents, either. That has led to a never-ending cycle. Fortunately for the fans, this might finally change.
According to a report by The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the team could pull the trigger to trade both Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic before the trade deadline:
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“As The Athletic reported in mid-December, Denver is among the teams that have shown serious interest in the 29-year-old, two-time All-Star. In the case of the 34-year-old Vučević, a two-time All-Star who is one of just seven players averaging at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists, Golden State is known to be among his suitors. He has one season left on his deal after this one (worth $21.5 million),” Amick wrote.
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The Bulls haven’t made a trade at the deadline for three consecutive seasons.
The Chicago Bulls refuse to tank
As crazy as it might sound, Chicago Bulls fans agree that the team would be better off losing some games and blowing up the roster to land a franchise player from the NBA draft. Coach Billy Donovan, however, shut down that notion, as that’s not the way the organization does things:
“No one’s saying to me, ‘Hey, listen, wait a second with this draft pick right now; we need to make sure (to tank),’” Donovan told the media. “It’s been, always, the integrity of competition and playing, and I appreciate that.”
That’s what all teams should strive for, at least on paper. But the NBA draft system essentially rewards bad teams. It’s not ideal, and it’s made some teams get stuck at the bottom of the league for years, but it’s just the way things are done. The Bulls are currently No. 10 in the East and closer to the bottom than to the top.
