Bulls fans aren\u2019t quite accustomed to this much deadline action. And looking at the current state of the roster might evoke an automatic reaction: \u201cWhat the hell?\u201d But for the Bulls front office, there\u2019s a purpose to the strangeness<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Bulls entered this crucial trade window with eight expiring contracts on their books. Only a few of those players \u2014 Ayo Dosunmu<\/a> and Coby White<\/a> \u2014 were considered serious candidates for re-signing or extension. Essentially, the Bulls carry a wealth of cap space with the ability to take on money from other teams while reaping as much value as possible from players who were already on their way out.<\/p>\n There are two ways to use this type of positioning at the deadline. The most straightforward approach is to ship off expiring players for second-round picks or comparable players set to become restricted free agents, such as acquiring Jalen Duren from Detroit. But the other approach is more subtle: offloading genuinely productive players to prevent the Bulls from winning just enough games to squeak into the play-in tournament<\/p>\n Tanking does not happen by demanding coaches or players to lose games on purpose. There may be a scant handful of examples of this strategy being applied in other markets, but in Chicago, it\u2019s always been clear that this burden can\u2019t be placed on the men actually playing the game. These players care. Coach Billy Donovan cares. None of them want to lose, even if it clearly \u2014 and logically \u2014 helps the team in the long term.<\/p>\n Executives are the ones who tank teams. They do so by trading the right players at the right time to ensure a team\u2019s competitiveness dips low enough to guarantee losses. And Karni\u0161ovas appeared to pull that lever on Tuesday, moving two Bulls anchors to create a talent vacuum in the roster.<\/p>\n Heading into this week, the front office felt more willing at this deadline than in prior seasons to make the type of \u201closing moves\u201d that could ultimately benefit the Bulls in the draft. This marks a significant shift away from the team\u2019s prior strategy for midseason roster management, embracing pragmatism to take a step (however small) backward with the intention of long-term improvement.<\/p>\n This is not the type of thing that can be done halfway. If the Bulls don\u2019t complete their intended moves this week \u2014 which could include offloading Dosunmu and\/or White<\/a> \u2014 they could end up in the unfortunate purgatory of being pretty bad. Pretty bad teams are essentially unwatchable, but still not quite abysmal enough to drop out of the play-in tournament and secure a top eight (or top four) draft pick. Pretty bad is the stuff that mires a team in mediocrity. Pretty bad is the mindkiller.<\/p>\n As underwhelming as this season has been, the Bulls are still stuck in the pretty bad sector of the league. But with Karni\u0161ovas\u2019s work this week, their season is beginning to trend in the right direction.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CTC-L-BULLS-76ERS-54_256463240.jpg\")
A fan cheers to get on the big screen in the third quarter during a game between the Bulls and 76ers on Dec. 26, 2025, at the United Center. (Dominic Di Palermo\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n