Should the Chicago Bulls tank for a top-four pick or pursue a play-in spot?

The Chicago Bulls are in a tough spot right now—not good enough to secure an outright playoff spot and not bad enough to earn a shot at a top-four draft pick. For an NBA franchise, this is the worst place to be: right down the middle.

With a 29-36 record and the end of the regular season already in sight, the Bulls are 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, 1.5 games behind the 10th-place Washington Wizards for the last spot in the play-in tournament. On the other hand, they are also two games away from a top-four spot in the NBA Draft Lottery.

This brings up the question: should the Bulls continue pursuing a spot in the postseason, or should they pivot to tanking for a top-four draft selection?

Still not out of it

As horrendous a ride this season has been for the Bulls, the postseason is still within reach. Although Bulls center Nikola Vucevic admitted that a berth in the play-in may not be entirely up to them, he added that they still must win as many games as possible to keep their slim hopes alive.

Deeply-flawed team

However, is it in the Bulls’ best interest to do so? This version of the Bulls is clearly deeply flawed. Whether it’s the lack of credible three-point shooters or a fearsome rim protector, there are gaping holes in the roster that make it difficult to take the next step toward playoff contention.

Having a high draft pick may provide the Bulls with an avenue to a brighter future. It allows them the flexibility to add another potential star to their core of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. If they can hit on the right pick, it could be just what the Bulls need to help them start competing for a championship in years to come.