The Chicago Bulls haven’t deviated significantly from their chosen route in recent years, despite strong evidence that they should.The Bulls have been locked in a cycle of not being good enough to compete. It’s not too horrible to get a top draft pick. Rinse, repeat. Arturas Karnisovas has stated that change is on the way, but fans are waiting to see what happens after years of inaction. The Bulls haven’t completed a meaningful deal since 2021, and Karnisovas’ flurry of movements at the time did more harm than good.However, their ineptitude has extended beyond AK, and since 2018, the Bulls have found themselves in some dismal company.
The Chicago Bulls’ postseason record Since 2018, the Chicago Bulls have only won one postseason game, ranking third worst in the NBA. They are only behind the Hornets, who have not made the playoffs since 2016, and the Pistons, who made the playoffs once but were swept.When you only have one more postseason win than Detroit, a team that has struggled since the Obama administration, you should reevaluate your plan. When the Wizards have more playoff wins (3) than you, something is wrong.
It’s not just the playoffs; the Bulls are the NBA’s fifth-worst club during that time, trailing only the Magic, Hornets, Wizards, and Pistons in terms of total victories. The Pistons, Wizards, and Hornets have generally tanked throughout that span, while the Magic have only lately turned things around. These were teams that were largely losing on purpose, whereas the Bulls were mostly wanting to win, and Chicago hardly got past them throughout that six-year span.The Bulls play in one of the NBA’s major cities and consistently lead the league in attendance, but they rank last among small and mid-market clubs in terms of victories. The Bulls may be in Chicago, but they are considerably more akin to the Hornets than to one of the elite big-market teams where they belong.It’s an embarrassing string of regular-season mediocrity punctuated by postseason futility that does not reflect the Chicago Bulls’ history or fans. Whatever the Bulls are doing, it isn’t working, and it’s time to make some adjustments.
