Chicago Bulls' Upcoming Brutal Schedule is Now a Blessing in Disguise

The Chicago Bulls have lost seven of their last eight games, but they might not have it any other way.

While "tanking" has long been a taboo topic for the organization, their recent trade deadline may have suggested a change of heart. The organization moved on from seven different players, including Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter, Julian Phillips, Dalen Terry, and Jevon Carter. In return, they accepted a slew of second-round picks, as well as a couple of young guards in desperate need of a change of scenery.

To be clear, they still acquired a couple of veteran big men and took back the salaries of experienced players like Collin Sexton and Anfernee Simons. But all four are currently on expiring deals, and there sure does not seem to be a clear plan to bring any of them back into the fold for 2025-26.

Even Arturas Karnisovas sat down in front of reporters and set a very different tone. He didn't talk about a Play-In Tournament run or gush about the new talent he had in the building. Instead, the executive set his sights on the future, implying that both the draft and free agency will be essential for this organization in a handful of months.

Of course, whether Karnisovas can be trusted to reconstruct this roster is an extremely fair question. The same can be said about whether or not his intentions are pure. Is he really ok with missing the Play-In Tournament? If so, will he do what it takes to ensure Billy Donovan's Bulls avoid their fourth-straight appearance and improve their draft lottery odds?

The truth is only time will tell, but the Bulls have already stumbled into the 11th seed after dropping their first two games since the deadline. Likewise, even if Karnisovas struggles to stomach an earnest tank, the Bulls' upcoming schedule may prove to be a massive help.

Chicago Bulls' Schedule Only Getting Harder

Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls — Feb 7, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) shoots over Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Four of the Chicago Bulls' next five games will come against teams that currently sit Top 5 in the Eastern Conference. The one outlier is their Monday night meeting with the Brooklyn Nets, who have still found a way to beat the Bulls in two of their three meetings so far this season.

The end of February doesn't get a whole lot easier. While matchups with the Bucks and Trail Blazers may not appear too daunting, a five-game Western Conference road trip that starts in Oklahoma City sure does. Keep scanning through early April, and the Bulls' schedule is tough enough to make you wince.

Tankathon currently lists the Bulls as having the NBA's fourth-toughest remaining strength of schedule. The only teams that currently have it more difficult are the Nuggets, Thunder, and Timberwolves. In fact, of the Top 10 hardest schedules left, the Bulls are the only team that sits outside the playoff picture.

If you look a little closer, you will see that 17 of Chicago's remaining 28 games come against teams that actively rank Top 8 or higher in their respective conference. Easily the worst news for Chicago is that they have two matchups left against both the Thunder and the Knicks on the board. They will also have to battle the 31-win Suns twice, as well.

Isaac Okoro of the Chicago Bulls — Nov 2, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) looks to the basket as Chicago Bulls forward Isaac Okoro (35) defends during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Now, should this new Bulls roster only look more comfortable as the weeks go by? Absolutely, and we shouldn't ignore the fact that they held things close against both the Raptors and Nuggets in their first two outings. This was also without lead facilitator Josh Giddey on the floor. However, chemistry takes time, especially when it comes to closing games out in the fourth quarter against playoff-caliber teams. Can the Bulls really learn to do that well enough to avoid letting this difficult schedule drag them down the totem pole?

At the end of the day, this is the exact kind of calendar that any front office looking to take a step back would love to see. The harder it is, the less bad the optics will be. Instead, as long as they lean more on their developing pieces instead of their veteran assets, the Play-In Tournament should become increasingly out of reach.

Is the fact that this can be seen as a good thing a frustrating thought? Of course, but this is the situation the Bulls have put themselves in. The truth of the matter is that the NBA rewards those who choose to be less competitive. Until that changes, the Bulls are only hurting themselves by refusing to throw their hat in the ring. They have a prime opportunity over the next handful of weeks to evaluate their young pieces and improve lottery odds in the process. If they aren't thinking that way, the next month and a half could prove to be another huge missed opportunity.