The Bulls defy reporting because they defy logic

we really can have no clue as to what they're thinking

The Bulls have not always been run this incompetently, but through multiple front office regimes they have historically been run with an emphasis on secrecy. They’d prefer nobody covered them at all, as patrons are getting their reliable dinner theater and fans who aren’t spending money on the team are not worth engaging.

And now it’s harder than ever to get a read on what the Bulls may be thinking, because they historically have talked and acted counter to common sense which makes their motivations inscrutable.

All the more reason to be skeptical of any reporting, especially when it comes from dubious-to-fake outlets, or anybody local reporting after the ‘laying groundwork’ lie of 12 months ago.

But more legit reporters include Marc Stein and Eric Pincus, and their recent reports only emphasize how difficult the Bulls are to read:

Stein:

The Bulls are widely expected participate in some sort of in-season trade for the second winter in a row. Rumbles persist this winter that the Bulls are eager to make a move by capitalizing on some of their expiring contracts … with both Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu most frequently mentioned as potential outgoings.

Pincus:

The NBA’s February 5 trade deadline is approaching, and the Chicago Bulls are believed to be among the league’s more active teams seeking a deal.

Per multiple league and agent sources, Chicago is looking to improve postseason chances this season while adding young, athletic players to complement its core duo of Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis.

The Bulls should have leverage heading into negotiations, with plentiful expiring contracts, draft picks and marginal pressure to rush for a bad deal, since the franchise can reach nearly $70 million in cap room this July.

Pincus goes on to propose a fake trade where the Bulls send out a future first rounder and the Portland first rounder (lotto-protected).

This is the fundamental paradox that has paralyzed Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley for years: they cannot ‘capitalize’ in a seller’s market because they don’t want to be sellers. They refuse to make any move that would potentially see them take a step back in the short term, because they have no confidence in their roster depth¹ allowing them to still achieve their goals.

And the biggest flaw of all: that goal is simply that they keep their jobs. They believe mediocrity (whether 6th or 10th seed, in this conference and this year) is not a step in the journey towards contention, but it is the destination. And therefore they are not, actually, that far away, and in fact are too close to risk a smaller move mean taking a short term step back.

It’s worse, or at least more complicated, than a refusal to tank-and-rebuild. Counter AK’s public attitude towards their standing in the league versus that of his counterpart on the Washington Wizards.

Yes, the Wizards have been tanking². But they also have also been aggressive in trades to accumulate assets, even (gasp) second-round picks.

Not every transaction window has to have one big move, and I think AKME’s lack of demonstrated aptitude in trades only further reduces expectations that they could at least make sensible-if-smaller moves that would help their asset base going forward to then make a big move.

And that’s all I’m hoping for³: that after this deadline, the Bulls are better positioned for a big move later. It is not important to me if they are better positioned for this March to ‘make a run and see what this group can do when healthy’.

The thing is, the former attitude would be in congruence with their training camp goal of “competitive, while building”! Due to the conference they play in, the Bulls are going to be ‘competitive’ no matter what rotation players they part with. And their young-and-developing players (uh…so just Matas? who has kind of plateaued⁴) will be part of ‘competitive’ games, where maybe they don’t have to sit down the stretch because the actual win total is immaterial.

Most importantly, while I doubt their ability to communicate this verbally, their actions would reveal that they do accurately see where their team is: nowhere near close to good enough.

(actual ideas to be contained within next post!)

1. and, really, they shouldn’t.

2. not to say tanking is not effective (Pistons!), but the Bulls simply do not want to do it because it’s gross

3. outside of 1) firing AKME, and maybe 1A) a desperate superstar-chasing trade

4. via