The Tank Race is About to Enter It's Most Important Lap for the Chicago Bulls

Unlace those sneakers and do not stretch out a single hammy; the tank race is on!

Let me preface what I'm about to say with this: Coaches and players are never going to embrace tank talk, and rightfully so. Their job isn't to go out there and think about ping pong balls. They are paid to win games, and we can't fault them for having the mentality.

At the same time, no one off the court should feel bad for boarding the tank train. The fact of the matter is that the NBA currently rewards teams that are among the league's worst. Until that system is changed (and it sounds like Adam Silver is reviewing different options as we speak), fans and front offices alike are going to view this as a team-building strategy.

Of course, the Bulls have refused to use this strategy for years, despite it likely being in their best interest. But that mentality seemingly changed at this year's trade deadline. Arturas Karnisovas moved on from seven players in return for a haul of second-round picks and a couple of former Top 8 selections. Yes, they still added a few veterans into the mix, but rarely does a sell-off of that magnitude result in more wins. And we need to look no further than Chicago's current 10-game losing streak to see just that.

The Bulls have already seen their lottery odds increase quite a bit since their explosive deadline. Previously sitting on the cusp of the Play-In Tournament, they have now been passed up by both the Hornets and Bucks. This has them sitting with the 9th-best odds at a Top 4 pick (20.3%) and the No. 1 overall selection (4.5%).

So, how much higher might their odds climb? Well, we're going to have our answer soon enough.

Bulls Upcoming Schedule is Huge for Tank Rance

Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls — Feb 3, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green (20) in the first half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Speaking strictly from a lottery odds perspective, staying out of the Play-In Tournament is obviously essential. The good news is this shouldn't prove too challenging for the Chicago Bulls, as they currently sit 3.0 games back of the Charlotte Hornets for the No. 10 spot. However, the Hornets do represent their next opponent, so a win for the Bulls would cut into that cushion.

Chicago will also have a potentially meaningful battle with Milwaukee only two games later. The Bucks have just a 1.5-game lead on the Bulls for the 11th seed. Considering how close these two have been in the standings for the last couple of months, there is a chance that a victory here for Chicago could have a big impact on the final standings come April.

Even more notable, however, are the looming matchups over the Memphis Grizzlies. A recent win over the Utah Jazz for the Grizzlies helped the Bulls gain some ground. Only 1.5 games now stand between the two, meaning the two upcoming games between the squads could likely have a substantial impact on the final standings. If Chicago ended up losing both, they could move into 8th and secure a 26.3 percent chance at a Top 4 pick and a 6.0 percent chance at the top spot.

Moving any higher than No. 8 might be out of the cards, as three full games stand between Chicago and Dallas at No. 7. But, hey, we're also talking about a Bulls roster that has gone nearly a month without a win. The Mavericks at least have Cooper Flagg in the mix, who has only looked better and better as the season has gone on.

It might not end up mattering, but these two will face off in their final game of the regular season. While we may still be talking in hypotheticals, it's not out of the question that lottery odds come down to that very contest. This sure would feel par for the course after a coin flip victory over the Bulls put Dallas in a position to win the 2025 lottery. *Bulls fans shiver*

Once again, I know talking like this can feel taboo. But the truth is that this is exactly what many people are going to be focusing on over the next handful of weeks. The 2026 NBA Draft is among the deepest in years, and we are only about a month away from having a very good idea of which franchises will be in a position to capitalize.