The Chicago Bulls hope to snap their five-game losing streak in a late-afternoon battle with the Phoenix Suns.
On the surface, a matchup with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal feels like it would spell trouble for a 22-win Bulls team. But context matters! This Suns squad has only four more wins to their name, and their downward spiral has only continued with eight losses in their last ten games. They have the sixth-worst defensive rating in the NBA and have given up at least 119 points in eight straight games. This included 127 points to two of the West’s worth teams, the Trail Blazers and the Jazz. Managing fastbreak points has been a problem for the team all year long, but the issue has only gotten worse over this recent 10-game stretch. They are giving up nearly 20 fastbreak points per game, which is behind only the Pelicans for a league-high. If the Bulls can play with the same uptempo identity that led to some early-season success, they will have a decent shot at another upset. Chicago has averaged the eighth-most fastbreak points per game this season. To be sure, they haven’t been nearly as good in this department since Zach LaVine’s departure, but we all know the Bulls have several strong open-floor playmakers in their backcourt. Josh Giddey and Lonzo Ball should be able to pick apart the Suns’ transition defense. With that said, this is the wrong game to be without Ayo Dosunmu, who is currently listed as questionable on the injury report with a shoulder injury. The free throw is another area where the Bulls might be able to make a difference. Phoenix has given up the fourth-most free throw attempts per game over their last 10 contests, which has included three straight games with opponents shooting 22+. While getting to the charity stripe has been a major issue for the Bulls at times this season (they sit 30th in FTAs per game), they have done a better job of it this month. Chicago has actually shot 22.3 attempts per game since Feb. 1, which is about the league average. A big reason for this has been the downhill mentality of Coby White, but Josh Giddey has also looked a little more motivated to use his position size and draw contact.Afternoon hoops on deck.⏰: 4:00 pm CT ?: t.co/dLgvAjeEdl ?: @670TheScore@BCBSIL | #SeeRed pic.twitter.com/aNE1xSE5zH
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 22, 2025 Sam Quinn of CBS Sports ranked all 30 NBA front offices, and I think you can guess where he placed the Chicago Bulls’ brain trust. Arturas Karnisovas and Company finished dead last and received a long list of criticism. Quinn called out their win-loss record, lack of direction, and poor trade returns. I encourage you to read through his full rankings here.“Nico Harrison at least built a Finals team last season. Matt Ishbia deserves credit for his willingness to spend. The Kings have pathways to at least being reasonably competitive. But there’s just no argument whatsoever in favor of how the Bulls operate beyond consistently maximizing revenue and minimizing costs,” Quinn wrote.
I wish I could push back on anything he said, but all of it is completely fair. Might you be able to make a case for a franchise like Sacramento, Phoenix, or even Dallas after the Doncic trade? Sure, but that’s not really the point. The fact of the matter is that you can also make an easy case – as Quinn did – for the Bulls to be the worst-run franchise in the league. How can they make that case harder? Well, it starts with blowing out one end of the candle. They keep trying to skip steps and avoid a full-scale rebuild. Karnisovas has spoken numerous times about rostering young players who already have experience and building a team that has 9-10 good players rather than a couple of true stars. When has this model worked? What Karnisovas should be doing is stockpiling draft capital and investing in player development. Unless you are going to go out and spend for franchise-altering talent in free agency (which is rarely available), trading for one or drafting one is the only way to get the job done. This is why the Bulls at least regaining control of their first-round picks for the foreseeable future was a good thing, but they also need to make that worth it by angling for a high pick. © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports With a rebuild in mind, I keep thinking about the Lonzo Ball extension. While I still think the contract is palatable and could work in the Bulls’ favor, one of the main reasons you do that is with hopes of flipping him for at least a first-round pick later on. Multiple reports have indicated since the deadline that the Bulls were offered a first-round selection, with K.C. Johnson most recently discussing it in his mailbag for Chicago Sports Network. He reiterated what many speculated, saying that Memphis was willing to trade their first-rounder alongside Marcus Smart for Ball. So … why not take that? I understand that Smart is owed nearly double what Ball makes next season, but the Bulls aren’t likely to be competitive next year. They are the kind of team that should happily eat salary in exchange for draft capital. Is the pick expected to be in the late first round? Sure, but the Bulls should be looking to add as much high-upside young talent as they can get, and there is still plenty of potential value to be found in the 20-30 range. Likewise, who is to say that Smart doesn’t become another flippable asset at next year’s trade deadline on an expiring deal? The Wizards took on him and Khris Middleton this deadline in exchange for draft capital and now have a chance to boost the value of both players in the trade market. Could that fail to come to fruition? Yes, but it’s a good risk to take considering their situation. This is the kind of long-term thinking the Bulls seem to lack right now. Zach LaVine’s first game against his former team will be broadcast for all to see! Speaking of which, his reunion with DeMar DeRozan is going about as well as Bulls fans expected. Chris Haynes reported on Saturday morning that head coach Doug Christie had to meet with his starters following a 24-point blowout loss to the Warriors. He reportedly called out their new starting lineup for a lack of defensive effort and communication. I could’ve told ya that!Sources: After Kings suffered 24-point loss at home to Warriors last night, interim head coach Doug Christie called for a meeting with his starters. I take you inside that meeting. #haynesbriefs Brought to you by @MoveInsoles pic.twitter.com/T8UQvhx4x4
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 22, 2025 The Chicago Bears made some notable cuts to the roster on Friday, which Luis discussed more here. As rumors swirl about Seth Jones’ future in Chicago, it has been clarified that the veteran did ask for a trade. Spring training is off to a hot start for the Cubbies! They have picked up two wins over the Dodgers and will now welcome their crosstown rival to Sloan Park.ELSEWHERE AT BN: Check Out BN Fantasy | Subscribe to The BN Newsletter
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