Chicago Bulls: What to expect for the immediate future

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 10: Coby White of the Chicago Bulls meets with the media in the press lounge due to restricted locker room access because of new NBA rules about the coronavirus at the United Center on March 10, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Cavaliers 108-103. 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. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 10: Coby White of the Chicago Bulls meets with the media in the press lounge due to restricted locker room access because of new NBA rules about the coronavirus at the United Center on March 10, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Cavaliers 108-103. 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. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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The Coronavirus pandemic has turned the world upside down. Here’s what Chicago Bulls fans can expect for the immediate future of their favorite team.

The NBA community received shocking news last night when, per Shams Charania, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, and the NBA subsequently suspended the rest of the season for an undetermined amount of time.

Obviously, this issue is much bigger than basketball and is certainly much bigger than the Chicago Bulls, but what can fans of the team expect going forward? Let’s try our best to dive into it.

The Bulls technically haven’t been eliminated from the playoffs yet, but let’s be real: They aren’t going to make the playoffs. That means whatever the NBA decides to do in terms of handling the rest of this season, whether it’s moving right to the playoffs or just shifting the whole season back a few weeks, won’t make a difference to the Bulls. They might have to play out some regular-season games, or maybe their season will just be over. Either way, it doesn’t really matter.

Where basketball was about to get interesting for Bulls fans was in the NCAA tournament.

Chicago is heading toward the draft lottery again, so this is the time of year when fans start to do their scouting for players they like in the NCAA tournament.

As of this instant, the NCAA tournament will still be played, but with no fans in attendance. After all of the developments in the last 24 hours, though, I can’t imagine a world where the tournament gets played. If the NBA is smart enough to shut down games for the safety of the public, the NCAA should be too. Maybe that’s expecting too much from the NCAA, though.

So for right now, it looks like Bulls fans will have to hold off on watching their team and also hold off on college scouting.

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Again, all of this basketball talk is relatively trivial right now. There are far more important things to focus on. But if you’re a Bulls fan, nothing much will change, other than some required patience. The team will still be bad when all of this is over.