Chicago Bulls Finally Out of Play-In Picture, But Will It Stay That Way?

The Chicago Bulls have seen their lottery odds improve over the last handful of days and have now lost nine of their last ten games.

Feb 11, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Anfernee Simons (22) drives past Boston Celtics guard Baylor Scheierman (55) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

The basketball might make your eyes bleed, but is that worth it for a chance at Darynn Peterson or Cameron Boozer?

Whether it be their aggressive trade deadline moves or Arturas Karnisovas' words in the aftermath, the Chicago Bulls sure do not appear as hungry to taste the Play-In Tournament. After three straight appearances and three straight ugly losses to the Miami Heat, the organization has finally chosen to go in a different direction. A full rebuild? You will not catch Karnisovas using that term, but it sure feels like that is where this franchise is headed. And that process typically starts with a good old-fashioned tank job.

Might it be too late for the Bulls to really throw their hat in the ring for a top draft spot? Sure, but it's better late than never. The organization still has a chance to improve its lottery odds over the next month and a half, and there is no question that it is already off to a pretty good start.

Chicago Bulls Now Out of Play-In Picture

May 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, US; Representitives of the NBA teams walk onto the stage during the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

In what has become a rare sight for Chicago Bulls fans, the team has recently fallen out of the Play-In Tournament picture in recent days. The team has lost nine of its last ten games and now sits at just 7-14 over its last 21 games. While some of these losses are undoubtedly due to injury trouble, the recent deadline has surely played its own – seemingly purposeful – role in the downward spiral.

The Bulls have yet to win a game since February 5, stacking losses to the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics. Their closest competition came in Brooklyn, where the Nets still managed to drop 34 points in the fourth quarter to beat Chicago with their leading scorer 123-115.

Thanks largely to these losses, the Bulls have now dropped to 11 in the Eastern Conference and seen their gap between the 10 seed grow to 1.5 games. The Hawks are currently holding onto the final Play-In spot with a record of 26-30. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets have managed to surge past both the Bulls and Hawks with their shocking ten wins in 11 games.

At this rate, it sure feels like the Bulls will not have to worry about the Hornets handing them their Play-In spot. The team even acquired Coby White at the deadline to help them push for the postseason. As for the Hawks, they have no incentive to enter the tank race. The San Antonio Spurs have the right to swap first-rounders with the franchise this summer.

The Bulls appear to have a much higher likelihood of slipping further down the Eastern Conference totem pole. With Milwaukee keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo past the trade deadline, many still expect them to fight for a Play-In spot. They even added Cam Thomas in recent days after his release from the Brooklyn Nets in hopes of an athletic boost.

Milwaukee is now only a half-game behind Chicago for the No. 11 spot. The two have one more meeting on the calendar this season, which is set for March 1. With only 27 games left to go, the outcome of that game could hold a lot of weight come lottery time.

To be clear, we can never say never with this Bulls team. There is still a chance that the return of Josh Giddey, Tre Jones, and Jalen Smith after the All-Star break will help the new-look group snap out of their recent funk. Billy Donovan has also proven time and again that he isn't the kind of coach to sit back and watch losses happen. Even if the development of players like Jaden Ivey and Rob Dillingham seems paramount, who's to say the head coach doesn't start to lean on veterans like Anfernee Simons and Collin Sexton more down the stretch? He already moved Ivey to the bench for the Bulls' last battle in Boston.

Nonetheless, the upcoming slate could save the Bulls from themselves. Tankathon currently gives Chicago the fourth-toughest remaining strength of schedule in the NBA. Only the Nuggets, Thunder, and Timberwolves are gearing up for a harder finish to the regular season. Depending on how you look at it, that bodes well for the talent-needy Bulls.