Chicago Bulls: Let the tank begin with the 2017-18 season preview

NEW YORK - JUNE 21: NBA Draft Prospect, Lauri Markkanen speaks to the media during media availability as part of the 2017 NBA Draft on June 21, 2017 at the Grand Hyatt New York in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK - JUNE 21: NBA Draft Prospect, Lauri Markkanen speaks to the media during media availability as part of the 2017 NBA Draft on June 21, 2017 at the Grand Hyatt New York in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Chicago Bulls fans may not have much to cheer about, but...
CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 23: Fans cheer during the game between the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics in Game Four during the Eastern Quarterfinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2017 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

This season’s going to be bad, but next summer and beyond could be good

Here’s the thing, Bulls fans: the Bulls are going to suck.

I don’t want to sugarcoat it for you because you deserve better than the spinning of subjects you hear from Gar Forman and John Paxson at their annual 2-3 press conferences each season. I’m not going to use Derrick Rose‘s knee injuries as an excuse here. They’re going to be awful to watch and the interest of the Bulls will be as low as it was during those early 2000’s days when Fred Hoiberg was a player, not a coach.

But, it may not all be bad soon. I want to emphasize the “may” in that previous sentence because we all know who is in charge of this franchise and if past history is a telling sign, it’s going to be a rough few years for Bulls basketball.

However, optimism here is fine. Let’s add this up. The Bulls are going to be one of the worst teams in the league this season. What usually happens the next year unless you’re the Brooklyn Nets? You get a high draft pick at your disposal. The Bulls could very well have the top overall pick and have their choice at any prospect on the planet. That’s a real thing that could totally happen.

And for those that are saying, “Yeah, with the Bulls’ luck, though … they’ll pick fourth or fifth.” Once again, that’s a real thing that could also happen, too. And, that’s not terrible. It’s not the most ideal thing in the world to get a Miles Bridges or a Robert Williams instead of Luka Doncic or Marvin Bagley III, but it’s not bad either.

I know John Paxson and Gar Forman still have jobs and that makes a lot of people mad. The more things change around them, the more they stay the same.

The only thing I can to say back to that is, it might not be completely bad in the future. Who knows? Maybe these kids can play and many of us that critique GarPaxDorf with a microscope are proven wrong. Maybe Fred Hoiberg is a better coach than we’ve given him credit for.

Hell, maybe the Bulls get the No. 1 pick, take a stud, get a great free agent next summer and become a place players want to play for.

Or maybe, Bulls fans are stuck in the seventh circle of Hell for the next 3-5 years and GarPaxDorf all live to be 200 years old and still run the Bulls as the cheapest franchise in sports.

Let’s just watch it all play out and try not to think about the fact that the Bulls have lost trade after trade, have one of the league’s worst front offices and one of the worst rosters in the NBA today.

Next: Way-too-early look at mock draft selections for 2018

#TrustThePaxcess

(Oh, god. Don’t use that. That’s terrible. I’m trying to delete it.)