Let's face it: the Chicago Bulls will finish the season with a bottom-10 record in the NBA; there's no doubt about it. However, the possibility of finishing even lower in the standings is a possibility. Since trading franchise stalwart Zach LaVine, the Bulls are 1-5, with the sole victory coming against the Miami Heat.
In Chicago's four losses since the trade, they've been outscored by an average of 24.5 points per game. The vast average margin of a defeat is a direct consequence of trading a 24.0 point-per-game game scorer for three role players. Nevertheless, that was the Bulls' intent. Subtraction by addition, if you will.
Despite a four-game losing streak and only four victories in their last 17 contests, the Bulls somehow remain in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Since January 1, the Bulls and the bottom third of the East have remained stagnant. Only the Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets have swapped 13th and 14th positions. Instead of focusing on the Bulls' place in the standings, we'll shift to understanding where several experts have ranked Chicago in various power rankings.
NBA Power Rankings Roundup
Bleacher Report
Power Ranking: 25th
Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey has Chicago at 25th in his iteration of the All-Star break power rankings. The Bulls rank below two teams with worse records—the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers. Although Bleacher Report ranks the Bulls below their intra-conference foes, there's no reason to believe this placement is concrete. Neither the Nets nor the Sixers have much to gain by stacking up wins.
The reasoning behind Chicago's sixth-worst ranking echoes what was mentioned at the beginning of the article. Chicago is 4-13 since mid-January and has been atrocious in recent outings. The Bulls have defeated only two teams with winning records since the calendar flipped.
ESPN
Power Ranking: 24th
ESPN isn't as cynical as Bleacher Report when assessing the Bulls. The NBA Insiders who slotted Chicago 24th focused on the positives instead of the negatives. ESPN's Jamal Collier shouted out rookie Matas Buzelis in Chicago's blurb, denoting his statistical progression since becoming a starter.
While Bleacher Report ranked the Bulls below the Nets, ESPN has Brooklyn at 25. The 76ers remain above the Bulls, at 23. The rest of the rankings are similar, with the obvious bottom-dwellers, Toronto, Charlotte, the Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans, and Washington Wizards rounding out the bottom fifth.
NBA.com
Power Ranking: 27th
We've hit a new nadir. 27th is the lowest Chicago has been ranked all season long. NBA.com's John Schuhmann has the Nets, Raptors, and Jazz ahead of the Bulls. Schuhmann was keen to point out the Bulls' recent struggles. The four-game losing streak was noted, but so was Chicago's porous defense and declining offense.
Even though the Bulls have increased pace, three-point, and assist rates, their offense is considerably worse than a season ago. Chicago averages 1.6 fewer points per 100 possessions than the 2023-24 campaign. Perhaps a super-charged offense doesn't always lead to increased efficiency.
The Athletic
Power Ranking: 24th
Lastly, The Athletic cuts the Bulls and Buzelis some slack. The Athletic's Law Murray curiously has the Portland Trail Blazers below Chicago in his iteration. The Bulls haven't seen much movement in The Athletic's Power Rankings, hanging in at 24 despite being losers of four straight.
Aside from the Bulls, The Athletic also shouted Buzelis. Even though the rookie failed to impress in his first dunk contest, Murray took note of the rookie's walk-out song choice, "Bulls on Parade,' and gave him his flowers for competing in the Rising Stars Challenge.