Warning: What you’re about to read is not an overreaction.
The Chicago Bulls must blow it up. And sure, there isn’t much left to blow up, but whatever remains needs to be demolished. The Bulls are 9–12 and have dropped five straight. The worst part? Their last five opponents are a combined 31–78. Yes, it’s that bad.
Chicago’s path forward: a full rebuild
Sure, 9–12 isn’t a disaster—not when one of your best players has only played five games. But this is different. The Bulls haven’t been terrible these last few years, but they haven’t been particularly good either. Chicago has been mired in mediocrity, and nothing is changing with this roster. In truth, nine wins might be worse than Charlotte’s six or Brooklyn’s five, at least in the grand scheme.
Thus, a 9–12 record through the first quarter of the season paints an eerily familiar picture. Chicago will finish with around 35–40 wins, sneak into the Play-In Tournament, lose, then select a prospect in the 10–14 range in one of the most heralded drafts in years.
It’s a recipe for disaster, one that the Bulls have been baking year after year, and it must stop now. Chicago’s first-round pick is out for the season, the offense is rapidly declining, and the defense is downright dreadful.
On the bright side, the trade deadline is looming, and the Bulls are just 5.5 games ahead of last-place Washington Wizards. Now is the time. Chicago needs to sell, figure out the keepers, and start hoarding draft picks before it falls into the same trap it has year after year.
Three moves the Bulls must start making
Nearly half the Bulls’ roster is on expiring contracts, making much of it easily tradeable. Trading players such as Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter, or even Nikola Vucevic wouldn’t require any salary cap gymnastics. Each player holds significant value and could be moved to acquire future draft picks.
Of Chicago’s expiring contracts, only Dosunmu and Coby White are truly worth keeping. There’s even an argument to part with one before paying a hefty sum for both. This shows just how many players on the roster are expendable. Chicago’s only real keepers are Dosunmu, White, Matas Buzelis, Essengue, and Giddey.
Fortunately, parting ways with players comes with the chance to identify overlooked reserves. Dalen Terry or Julian Phillips, for example, may be better than advertised—neither has received much meaningful action. Look at Oklahoma City, a team that has a knack for uncovering gems during losing seasons: Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and Jaylin Williams all emerged before the Thunder’s NBA Championship run.
Sure, emulating the Thunder isn’t easy, but their roster-building success comes from smart trades, a committed rebuilding phase, and uncovering talent from all available sources. It's an equation, but not one that's impossible to solve.
The Bulls don’t have anything to lose at this point. Selling needs to start now, draft picks must be prioritized, and another near-500 record should be treated as the worst-case scenario. It’s still early in the season, the perfect time for Chicago to make such a serious move. It may seem drastic, but it’s necessary, and it can’t wait any longer.