As if things couldn’t look any less bleak, one of the more respected NBA pundits recently came down harshly on the Chicago Bulls and their future. In an episode of The Bill Simmons podcast, Simmons named the Bulls roster as the worst situation in the Eastern Conference over the next five years.

Simmons adamantly stated that the only player on the roster he likes is 20-year-old Matas Buzelis. The NBA historian later rattled off each of Chicago’s not-so-good contracts, namely Patrick Williams’, Isaac Okoro’s (even though it’s not bad), and Coby White’s potentially lucrative extension, which have put, or will place, the Bulls in a relatively bad spot.

Simmons points to ownership as the Bulls’ as detrimental

However, the Bulls’ current roster state isn’t what irks Simmons the most. It’s the ownership. Simmons harped on Chicago’s aversion to paying the luxury tax, which Jerry Reinsdorf has done twice since 2002—a perplexing revelation considering the Bulls play in the NBA’s third-largest market.

Furthermore, Simmons stated what every Bulls fan, NBA fan, and even casual connoisseur has pondered: What’s the Bulls’ direction? The answer to that question remains muddled in mystery. Yet, the mystery will soon reveal itself. Chicago has taken steps to the right ship, offloading numerous veterans over the last year in favor of youth. In are Josh Giddey, Noa Essengue, and Okoro; out are Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and, most recently, Lonzo Ball.

Chicago only rosters one player north of 30 years old—Nikola Vučević, whose name has frequented the rumor mill as a trade candidate. The 34-year-old center has been linked to the Golden State Warriors for the better part of the year. Nevertheless, the Warriors are reportedly no longer interested in Vooch, bringing the Bulls back to square one.

Still, regardless of the Bulls’ recent on-court endeavors and string of solid transactions, Simmons points to ownership as what’s holding the roster and consequently the entire organization back. Being in such a big market, represented by one of the greatest athletes to ever live, should have its perks, right? Wrong. Although Chicago is atop the NBA in attendance numbers year after year, it’s easy to forget about the Bulls and Michael Jordan as a member of the team.

Turning things around won’t just be by building a complete roster. Simmons is right; it starts and ends with ownership. If the Bulls’ ideology is to enter the 2026 offseason with bounds of money to throw at free agents, then Reinsdorf must be willing to pay the luxury tax to build a competitive team.