Official Bulls Tankathon 2025 Thread

[boozapalooza]

Wanted to get a formal thread going to follow our tank progress as the season goes on. Aside from Matas’ development this is all we have to look forward to. We currently sit in the 8th worst spot - if were lucky I believe Philly, Brooklyn, and maybe even Toronto can pass us by. I feel good about Philly at minimum passing us up.

Best case scenario we are in the 5th spot with a 42.1% chance at top 4, 31.6% chance at top 3, and 10.5% chance at #1. Not bad. Please rig this Adam Silver and save our once proud franchise.

As of now, there is a big 3 in the draft of Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey, that could turn this thing around for us. All 3 are truly special prospects.

Lets go Philly, Brooklyn, and Toronto!

Brandon Ingram, you just got paid, go earn that money.

[jordanwilliams6]

I’d like to think the Sixers pass us but they just continue to lose. They’ll put the cue in the rack soon to try and keep their protected pick.

I simply cannot believe we’re still in the play-in. The Nets & Raptors are certainly a good chance to finally pass us.

[kodo]

Top 4 pick odds:
5th: 42.1%
6th: 37.2%
7th: 31.9%
8th: 26.2%

[boozapalooza]

I’d like to think the Sixers pass us but they just continue to lose. They’ll put the cue in the rack soon to try and keep their protected pick.

I simply cannot believe we’re still in the play-in. The Nets & Raptors are certainly a good chance to finally pass us.

Idk, regardless of how much they currently suck, as long as Embiid and Maxey are both available they are still a threat to win a playoff series or two. I don’t see Morey or Nurse throwing in the towel. They need PG13 to wake up post all star break more than anything.

Even so, we don’t need them to make the playoffs, just win more games than the Bulls. Which if healthy, they should be able to do with ease.

If they can’t, thats pathetic, and they gotta look to move Embiid this offseason

[MrSparkle]

I don’t think the Sixers are that worried. When Embiid gets the mystery Lonzo leg injury and sits 2 years in a row, then they’ll put their heads down.

Right now, he’s clearly hurt, PG isn’t trying cause he sees it’s a lost cause, the rookie tore his ACL and Maxey had some injuries. They’re gonna sneakily try to get that top pick. Honestly it’s gonna be hard out tanking them.

[samwana]

I’d like to think the Sixers pass us but they just continue to lose. They’ll put the cue in the rack soon to try and keep their protected pick.

I simply cannot believe we’re still in the play-in. The Nets & Raptors are certainly a good chance to finally pass us.

Idk, regardless of how much they currently suck, as long as Embiid and Maxey are both available they are still a threat to win a playoff series or two. I don’t see Morey or Nurse throwing in the towel. They need PG13 to wake up post all star break more than anything.

Even so, we don’t need them to make the playoffs, just win more games than the Bulls. Which if healthy, they should be able to do with ease.

If they can’t, thats pathetic, and they gotta look to move Embiid this offseason

PG got paid, he doesn't have to play anymore. He's done. Hopefully Maxey can pull out some magic wins somewhere.

[League Circles]

If we're gonna hope for something that's outside of team control and also against the odds, might as well hope for winning the first play-in game, losing the second, and winning the lottery from 14th odds.

[ImSlower]

Philly is ruined. Embiid is cooked like an extra well done steak at Denny's. PG is thoroughly checked out and broken. That said, they have to get to bottom 6, right? That's a heck of a gamble. I keep expecting them to win some games also, but they aren't. I don't think we pass under them no matter what they do, barring a shocking return of a healthy Embiid.

I do think Toronto and Brooklyn might pass us. The Raptors sound like a better roster on paper. The Nets are openly giving up players but still winning too much; we might sneak by them with how atrocious this squad looks.

I still think we do the usual and win 5 of 7 soon and stay about 9th. Who knows we have this new guy really... huerting our play on both sides, we might only win 6 more all season if he keeps it up.

[sco]

Philly is ruined. Embiid is cooked like an extra well done steak at Denny's. PG is thoroughly checked out and broken. That said, they have to get to bottom 6, right? That's a heck of a gamble. I keep expecting them to win some games also, but they aren't. I don't think we pass under them no matter what they do, barring a shocking return of a healthy Embiid.

I do think Toronto and Brooklyn might pass us. The Raptors sound like a better roster on paper. The Nets are openly giving up players but still winning too much; we might sneak by them with how atrocious this squad looks.

I still think we do the usual and win 5 of 7 soon and stay about 9th. Who knows we have this new guy really... huerting our play on both sides, we might only win 6 more all season if he keeps it up.

Yeah, wow on Huerter. He has made Pwill look like MJ. WTF happened to the guy who was shooting 40% from 3 on 6 shots a game just a few seasons ago? I guess he never adjusted to a bench role, so we might as well keep him there to end the season.

Also, Vuc, unsurprisingly has gone in the toilet. And look, for this season, it's fine. That said, I wanted to give Smith a good look in the starting role.

[Repeat 3-peat]

Did the tankathon sim, Spurs landed the first and second overall pick lmao. **** that!!!

[Peelboy]

I predict Bulls end up 5th worst, at that point, it's 10.5% #1 and 42% top 4.

Basically, they'll lose out to BKN, PHL (1.5 back each, I assume Embiid will play some rest of year, enough to win, and BKN is just better and close) and TOR (5 back, substantially better than Bulls). Doubt they catch CHA/UTA, but if they can leverage Coby/Pat injuries they could be in complete freefall.

Actually, rereading that they might be better off if Pat is unhurt and gets a ton of min to aid the freefall.

So assuming we get a top 4, who in this draft is the next Pat/Dalen? Need to scout that guy substantially.

[MrSparkle]

I really don’t think we’ll drop. Philly and Brooklyn aren’t stupid. Even Portland. They’re gonna tank while talking about trying to win.

Billy is the one coach out of the group who will go for the fruitless wins.

My 2c is Bulls started too late. And they have the wrong coach to do this. He wins games he shouldn’t, and loses when he should be winning.

Gonna be rolling with 26% odds imo.

[Dez]

I really don’t think we’ll drop. Philly and Brooklyn aren’t stupid. Even Portland. They’re gonna tank while talking about trying to win.

Billy is the one coach out of the group who will go for the fruitless wins.

My 2c is Bulls started too late. And they have the wrong coach to do this. He wins games he shouldn’t, and loses when he should be winning.

Gonna be rolling with 26% odds imo.

Philly can't afford to waste Embiid and PG, they'll pass us and Brooklyn has more talent than we do.

[jnrjr79]

I really don’t think we’ll drop. Philly and Brooklyn aren’t stupid. Even Portland. They’re gonna tank while talking about trying to win.

Billy is the one coach out of the group who will go for the fruitless wins.

My 2c is Bulls started too late. And they have the wrong coach to do this. He wins games he shouldn’t, and loses when he should be winning.

Gonna be rolling with 26% odds imo.

I don't think Morey comes out and says that they think they can "squint" and see a championship team this year if they were already planning to tank. Their pick is only #1-6 protected, so they have to balance the risk of it going away even if they tank and losing yet another year of Embiid. They may pivot, but it won't shock me if they think it's worth it to try to get healthy by the playoffs and make a run.

[ChettheJet]

The one thing I'm sure of is most mock drafts are seriously wrong after about the #8, 9, 10 pick. Real scouting involves more than highlights on post game shows by podcasters.

Of course everybody, including the Bulls, wants to get one of the Top 3 difference makers, there's also going to be 10 disappointed lottery teams, and with the Bulls' usual luck the Big D is coming.

So let's say after they open the big envelopes the Bulls end up #7, 8, 9, 10. After the Top 3 there's a lot of kids who look very good depending on who is doing the looking. So AKME is in that 7-10 group do they just say OK we take the best looking kid. OR do they talk to every team with 2 later picks, Hawks 14 & 21, Thunder 17 &19, Nets 18 & 26 and say we'll trade our pick and one of White, Dosunmu, Giddey, Huerter for your 2 picks? OKC doesn't want 3 rookies, even the Nets don't want 4. Would an earlier pick and an expiring Bulls guard be more to their liking?

The Bulls would shed one guy to resign and get 2 kids who maybe have something and depending on what the Bulls see they get one that could well have gone in that 7-10 range.

[Muzbar]

Sixers next 5 games:
vs Bos, vs Bkn, vs Chi, @NYK & vs GSW

Could potentially win 2 of those games, their game against the Bulls is crucial if they want to try and make the playoffs.

Nets next 5 games:
vs Cle, @Phi, @Was, vs OKC, vs Por

There's 3 potential winnable games in that stretch, they could accidentally pass the Bulls in the win total column.

Blazers next 5 games:
vs LAL, vs CHA, @Uta, @Was, @Bkn

3-4 winnable games there for Blazers, they are getting hit with an injury bug ATM though, even 2 wins would be good for the Bulls lottery chances.

Bulls next 5 games:
@NYK, vs Pho, @Phi, vs LAC, vs Tor

I'd say 2-3 winnable games there, but without Zach to bail them out it may be a bit harder, all it takes is for Coby to have a HOT game for the Bulls to pull out a W.

The Tankathon race is heating up. I thought this would be some interesting info to share.

[jc23]

May 12th is the draft lottery. so save the date.

[MrSparkle]

I really don’t think we’ll drop. Philly and Brooklyn aren’t stupid. Even Portland. They’re gonna tank while talking about trying to win.

Billy is the one coach out of the group who will go for the fruitless wins.

My 2c is Bulls started too late. And they have the wrong coach to do this. He wins games he shouldn’t, and loses when he should be winning.

Gonna be rolling with 26% odds imo.

I don't think Morey comes out and says that they think they can "squint" and see a championship team this year if they were already planning to tank. Their pick is only #1-6 protected, so they have to balance the risk of it going away even if they tank and losing yet another year of Embiid. They may pivot, but it won't shock me if they think it's worth it to try to get healthy by the playoffs and make a run.

I don’t think any GM in their right mind says “I am tanking.”

Furthermore, they’re already 2.5 games behind us with a tough schedule ahead, and it’s everyone’s best interest to rest Embiid (and George) as long as possible. Maxey is also resting.

They’re gonna roll 35% dice for top-4 (way better than us), and live with whatever pick they give up if they lose. Quite frankly, if the lottery was today, they have a close chance of giving up 7-8 than they do keeping 1-6.

If Embiid’s healthy next year, they go right back to contending… either with a top-6 pick or not. This year is totally gone. Morey is too smart to pull an idiotic Arturas “honorable play-in run.”

We’re the idiots! We are literally still in the 10th spot. Watch these futureless scrubs Kilpatrick our way to some 11th pick drop.

[Dez]

They can't afford to waste any of Embiid, him not playing now isn't going to fix him later.

The sand is almost out from that hourglass.

[MrSparkle]

They can't afford to waste any of Embiid, him not playing now isn't going to fix him later.

The sand is almost out from that hourglass.

What in the world are you talking about? How does not playing through a knee injury not help heal the knee? Was Lonzo supposed to just play through his 2y off?