NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bulls remain one of the most interesting teams to watch as the 2024 NBA trade deadline nears. Built around multiple veteran assets, they have continuously struggled to climb up the Eastern Conference totem pole and show that their roster is worth further investment.
Many believe the time to press the reset button is now, but all indications thus far have suggested the Bulls aren’t quite ready to do just that. I understand how frustrating all of this can be, so I put together some tips and tricks that might be able to help us survive a chaotic trade season.
Enjoy!
Cry Once a Day
A good old fashion cry never hurts. If you’re able to work this into your morning routine now, you won’t have to worry about it come Feb. 8!
No News Isn’t Always or Bad News … or Good News
Despite having some of the most obvious trade candidates in the NBA, the Chicago Bulls aren’t mentioned in many rumors. One inferred reason is that Arturas Karnisovas likes to keep things close to the vest. Whether it be the Nikola Vucevic blindside or the quiet offseasons, this organization has now become known for being tight-lipped. If you don’t believe me, Eric Pincus from Bleacher Report even stressed this exact point in his latest intel piece:
“The Bulls have a reputation for keeping their intentions relatively quiet. There’s no real noise that players such as DeMar DeRozan or Alex Caruso might become available. The team has shopped LaVine, but the Bulls remain an enigma to many.”
On the one hand, this is why we can never lose hope. We’ve seen them surprise us with a franchise-changing deadline and offseason before. Who is to say they will not do it again after two straight seasons of disappointment? Not to mention, it’s not as if this isn’t a decent strategy, especially with the number of assets they do have. If the Bulls hold their chips until the very end with time of the essence, opposing front offices could become desperate to get a deal done.
On the other hand, the lack of rumors and reports could be because Karnisovas and Marc Eversley are feeding each other grapes on a beach in Cabo. We’ve seen this front office convince themselves to sit out multiple transactional periods. They have shown an unwillingness to build with an aggressive mindset OR take their foot off the gas to fix the roster. Instead, they have tripled down on this core with the false hope that things would magically turn around. So how the heck can we be sure they will not do that again?
Watch a Few Lonzo Ball Games
Believe it or not, basketball can be fun. Lonzo Ball reminded us of that during his first 35 games as a Chicago Bull. Over the past three seasons, this was the only time real hope hugged the city like a 10-foot stuffed animal. It can’t hurt to re-live some of that hope.
My only recommendation is NOT to go down too deep of a rabbit hole. The more you watch this version of the Chicago Bulls, the more likely you are to become as brainwashed as this current front office.
It’s OK to Feel Meh About a Trade
The best NBA trades are usually those that leave fans feeling somewhat indifferent. For example, while I imagine Kings fans are floored to have a competitive basketball team, they probably have a hard time watching Tyrese Haliburton. More recently, I’m sure Knicks fans have been completely satisfied with what they’ve gotten from OG Anunoby, but it did come at the expense of two likely future starters.
In other words, if your immediate reaction to a potential Bulls trade doesn’t have you running shirtless around the United Center, that’s ok. And this is especially true for what we might see the Bulls seek out at this deadline. If they do end up pressing the reset button, we might watch a few draft picks and underwhelming salaries come back. We’ll then have to wait to see what that all leads to down the road.
I’m not saying prepare yourself for disappointment, but I also don’t want anyone to get their hopes up too high. A lot of solid trades start off feeling like meh returns.
Michael Jordan
Do the Bulls have to stop living in the past? Absolutely. But that doesn’t mean you do!
The GOAT played for the city of Chicago. No matter how much the basketball gods try to hurt you, they can’t take that away.
A Rumor is Oftentimes Just a Rumor
If the Zach LaVine discourse has taught us anything, it’s that we can’t put too much faith into the rumor mill. While it’s important to keep tabs on which teams are interested in which players, let’s remember how hard it is to get a trade done.
Just because the Kings are interested in Zach LaVine doesn’t mean they’re going to be willing to meet the Bulls’ asking price. And just because the Lakers are interested in Zach LaVine doesn’t mean the Bulls will accept their crappy offer. Likewise, just because the 76ers have the flexibility to make a trade work doesn’t mean they’re a legitimate suitor.
Trade season is full of smoke screens and worthless phone calls, which leads me to my next tip …
Proceed With Caution Toward Rival Execs
When a report drops a “rival executive” as their primary source, we should probably take that with a grain of salt. To be clear, I’m not advising to throw it out entirely, but there is always the risk of ulterior motives coming into play.
Opposing teams can leak information in hopes of shrinking leverage. Similarly, they might exaggerate details in hopes that it strikes fear in another organization. All is fair in love and trade negotiations, but there is plenty of deception and theatrics that can go on during this time of year. Keep that in mind.
Remember Our Time On This Earth is Limited And Nothing Matters
Need I say more?
