Is it difficult being a Bulls fan? Does the sun come up in the morning?
The NBA trade deadline passed last Thursday at 2:00 p.m., shocking fans after days of superstar movement, headlined by the riveting Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis swap. While fan bases across the league analyze and discuss their team’s direction, Bulls fans are left completely puzzled following a confusing deadline in Chicago.
Going into the weekend, the Bulls sat in 10th place in the Eastern Conference with a disappointing record of 22-29. This poor performance at the start of the season gave some Bulls fans hope that the front office would see this record as a sign to tear it down and finally rebuild. Fans and analysts across Chicago media were calling for the Bulls to blow it up and join the race to the bottom that could potentially land future superstar Cooper Flagg, the most highly sought-after rookie in recent years. Other fans hoped that moves would be made to reverse the team’s direction and surround all-stars Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic with a cast capable of making the playoffs. Unfortunately for Bulls fans, neither happened and the fan base is more confused than ever.
The deadline started with a painful yet promising move from Chicago. The Bulls traded franchise face Zach LaVine to the Kings and, in return, received three role players and their first-round pick back for this season. While this package was certainly a little disappointing given that LaVine is averaging nearly 24 points per game on over 50% from the field and 40% from 3, it gave fans hope that the front office had finally accepted its fate and committed to a rebuild.
Following the LaVine trade, fans anxiously awaited the team’s moves, hoping to see other win-now players such as Nikola Vucevic, Colby White, and Patrick Williams dealt as well. To the surprise of the entire fan base, those moves never happened. It is now past the deadline, and 34-year-old Nikola Vucevic, who is having a career year, Patrick Williams and his 90 million dollar contract, and our new #1 option Colby White are all still with Chicago, and the Bulls still sit at 22-30.
Bulls VP of Basketball OPs Arkuras Karnisovas addressed the media yesterday, hoping to reveal his vision for the Bulls. He described it this way, “We are in a transitional phase, and there is more to come.” Given that the deadline has passed and no more moves are to be made this season, this quote left listeners with more questions than answers.
This is a complete disaster for the Chicago Bulls franchise. It is vital not to stay in the “middle “of professional sports standings after years without playoff success or high draft picks. That sets a franchise back years and creates irreparable tension in the fan base. It is no longer the direction in which the Bulls are headed; it is their situation. The last three seasons have ended early for the Bulls, twice in the play-in and once in the first round of the playoffs, yet they have also had no top 10 draft picks since Patrick Williams in 2020.
One could argue that the Zach LaVine trade signaled a rebuild. However, looking at the Bulls’ roster, it becomes clear that they are not rebuilding. Nikola Vucevic is 34 years old and averages 20 points and 10 rebounds. A rebuilding team would never hold onto a player at that level and age. Patrick Williams is on a 90-million-dollar contract and has regressed yearly since his rookie season.
A rebuilding team would never keep that contract unless it came in a trade with assets. Point guard Colby White is the only player who could be a part of a rebuild. At age 24, White is averaging an impressive 19 points and five assists. Adding in deadline acquisition Tre Jones, the Bulls now have six point guards–that’s right, six, and that’s an overload.
There’s yet another reason for Bulls fans to be concerned. VP Arkuras said during his post-deadline press conference that a Bulls play-in appearance would be worth it to him over having a high draft pick. While all teams, including rebuilding teams, should try to win, having a front office that prays to get lucky and squeeze into meaningful postseason games instead of picking a clear-cut direction is an undeniable recipe for failure.
Given all that, it’s hard to conclude that the Bulls are rebuilding. Their 22-30 record certainly doesn’t look like a team trying to win, leaving the Bulls and their fan base in the same painful place: the middle.
Credit fans, though. Eight of the ten most-attended NBA games this season were played at the United Center. Unfortunately for Chicago, a loyal fan base and a mega-sized market aren’t enough to deter this team from the pain of being in the middle.
All we can do is preach and hope that changes are made.
