It's Groundhog Day for the Chicago Bulls, Whose Identical Record Says It All

If three-straight Play-In appearances are a slap in the face, what CHGO Bulls shared on Wednesday is a kick in the keister that sends you face-first into a pile of snowy street-side sludge.

Sitting 18-21 on the season, every Bulls fan was having hints of deja vu. The team has fought to stay slightly below the .500 threshold year after year in an effort to snag one of the final Play-In slots. If the season ended today, they would be 10th in the Eastern Conference and headed toward another set of do-or-die games for a chance to face the No. 1 seed.

Nevertheless, I'm not sure any of us realized just how similar this year has turned out to be. Whether it be the absence of Zach LaVine, the injury to Coby White, the continued progress of Josh Giddey, or the leap forward for Matas Buzelis, there has been enough to think the Bulls are on a slightly better path than in years past. Nope.

CHGO Bulls kindly reminded us ahead of Wednesday night's game against the Utah Jazz that the Bulls have sat 18-21 through 39 games in each of these past four seasons. This led to a 40-42 record in 2022-23, a 39-43 record in 2023-24, and an identical 39-43 record in 2024-25. Oh, and three-straight Play-In Tournament losses to the Miami Heat, of course!

"We will not accept mediocrity."

Bulls record through 39 games each of the past 4 seasons: 18-21

Final records: 40-42, 39-43, 39-43, __? pic.twitter.com/kROFHaDLaw
— CHGO Bulls (@CHGO_Bulls) January 14, 2026

I hate to be so cliche, but what's the definition of insanity again?

Seriously, this brutal fact goes to show how stuck the Chicago Bulls have been over the last handful of years. While they may think that they have taken steps toward a significant shake-up by moving Zach LaVine and investing in a few younger players, the proof is in the pudding. Clearly, not enough has changed to suggest that this franchise is on any kind of improved path. They continue to be set up for Play-In mediocrity, which many consider the worst possible place to be in the NBA.

Even a worse record would likely have Bulls fans feeling better about the state of the franchise. This could at least inspire more confidence regarding draft lottery odds or a true deadline sell-off.

Indeed, for all the talk that there has been about Arturas Karnisovas and Company becoming the biggest sellers this season, it's something we have to see to believe. The front office has repeatedly refused to press the reset button and accept a more traditional "tank." And, again, we need to look no further than those records above to see precisely that.

So where is the silver lining? Well, the trade deadline is only a few weeks away. The Chicago Bulls have another prime opportunity to press down on the gas and pick a lane. Whether or not they will actually do that is anyone's guess, but we have at least some reason to think it could finally be time.