Last year, the Chicago Bulls rejected Tank even though they had good reason to do so. This cost him a blowout with Victor Wenbanyama.
This season, they once again refused to tank, even though they had good reasons to do so again. Fortunately, their timing was much better this time considering the absence of Wenbanyama on this year's draft board.
But with the 2025 draft looming next year, the Bulls really need to put themselves in a position to compete for a superstar prospect. After all, what's the point of just playing in play-ins year after year and not getting anything in the end?
Cooper Flagg represents the next big name and the next big chance for the franchise to have a player they can depend on for 15 years.
At 6-foot-9 and extremely athletic, Flagg is already one of the most intriguing young defenders in the world, and his offensive game has improved as the season has progressed. Raw numbers for blocks and steals can be misleading, but Flagg is picking up both to a degree that is a good testament to his activity level.
His motor never stops, and during the upcoming season at Duke, Flagg will likely spend more time developing his game on the other side of the floor as he hits the ground running after his name is chosen.
While the Bulls haven't been able to secure a proper breakthrough in the flag game (the only chance they'll manage is a 14% chance from the lottery, and that's assuming they end up being one of the three worst teams in the league). Franchises need to achieve their goals. It's all the same.
There's not much to look forward to from this franchise. Zach LaVine will probably be moved by next year's deadline. DeMar DeRozan will be 35 years old if he stays. Nikola Vucevic is regressing month by month. Patrick Williams was dominant.
Coby White is the only one with any real semblance of intrigue, but he's not good enough to lead the team.
Basically, the Bulls don't have a franchise player. They're not going to acquire free agents in free agency because those players rarely become free agents anymore, and even if they do…why sign with the Bulls? I wonder?
That's what the draft says. And you have to participate in it to win. No matter how much Bulls management wants to be rewarded for remaining competitive, if you can call it that, there is no other choice.
In order to become a team that has a chance of being selected high, the team needs to get worse. And it's not just bad. They need to be thoroughly terrifying.
It starts with not re-signing DeRozan, giving Vucevic another shot, pivoting away from LaVine for whatever he can get, and White, who will be hard to keep anyway until his contract expires in 2026. They may even be willing to release it.
Is it a spirit of defeat? Whether it works or not is another matter. After all, teams that develop through the draft must make initial sacrifices to improve the long-term process. The Bulls are no exception in that regard.
And, to be fair, this might be Chicago's best chance to become relevant again. By never standing still and doing anything positive, this organization is handcuffed to the edge of mediocrity and a place where fan interest evaporates.
At least it's understandable that the flag will be waved wide, and it will be respected by a fan base that just wants to see the current situation end.
Unless otherwise noted, all statistics are NBA.com, PBP statistics, cleaning the glass or basketball reference. All salary information can be found at spot rack.all Courtesy of Odds FanDuel Sportsbook.
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