Cash Considerations: A Chicago Bulls Pod

The Bulls have lost six straight games heading into the 2026 NBA All-Star break, with a total blowout in Boston to cap things off. The Bulls have been working in a bunch of new players after the trade deadline while also dealing with injuries to Josh Giddey, Tre Jones and Jalen Smith, so things have been a mess. While the team should look a bit better once healthy, how long will that good health last and just how many more wins are left on the schedule? 
Racking up losses isn't a problem, though, as the priority should be winding up in the lottery while developing the young prospects acquired at the trade deadline. Namely, Rob Dillingham and Jaden Ivey should get a lot of burn. Will Billy Donovan actually play those guys big minutes when the roster is healthy? Or will he push hard to win every game and ride the more veteran players? If it's the latter, is he even the right coach for this team at this point? 
As the Bulls navigate the post-All-Star break schedule, the tanking discourse is kicking into full gear. Is there a fix? Ricky also breaks down some draft prospects for where Chicago is currently projected to land. 
Finally, the Bulls deserve more scorn for the Coby White situation, which saw them losing out on one of their second-round picks because of his nagging calf injury. White played 30 minutes in a blowout loss the day before he was traded, so there's another good reason for ownership to clean house (which won't happen). 
NOTES: 
The Bulls signing Jeremy Sochan was discussed on the show, but he was then signed by the Knicks after recording. 
The Bucks beat the Thunder on Thursday night, pulling them into a tie with the Bulls in the standings. 
There was talk about North Carolina star Caleb Wilson, but news broke after recording that he has a broken hand and will miss time. 
The Jazz and Pacers were fined for tanking measures on Thursday night after recording. 
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The Bulls made seven trades ahead of the 2026 NBA trade deadline, a shocking amount of activity as Arturas Karnisovas totally overhauled the roster. Ricky and Jason recap the entire deadline and discuss the first game afterward, a 16-point loss to the Raptors that saw newcomers Anfernee Simons, Jaden Ivey and Guerschon Yabusele play pretty well. 
The guys then go back and discuss the trades made on Wednesday night and Thursday, starting with the Dalen Terry-for-Yabusele trade and highlighted by Ayo Dosunmu going to the Timberwolves. The Bulls also got Nick Richards in a three-team deal. 
Did Chicago get good value on these trades? And how about the trade deadline overall? While the Bulls were active and did some good things by acquiring some young players and a boatload of second-round draft capital, it still felt a bit messy and incomplete. The Dosunmu and Coby White trades also felt underwhelming, with the issue there stemming from waiting too long to take action. 
But Arturas Karnisovas doesn't regret his delayed actions, and he spoke about his plan in a press conference after the deadline. It was mostly a waste of time, and Ricky once again not only points at AK but ownership for the Bulls' current predicament. 
There are some interesting things to watch for the rest of the season, though, and we'll be watching the standings and whether Chicago will secure a spot in the lottery. 
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The Coby White era in Chicago is over, with the longest-tenured Bull getting traded to the Hornets along with Mike Conley Jr for Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng and three second-round picks. It's an unwhelming draft haul for a player who easily could've fetched more last season, but Arturas Karnisovas has made a habit of holding onto players too long. But even with White's low trade value, it felt like it was time to say goodbye as AK retools the team. It's also a good spot for White as he heads into free agency, and he has a chance to help push the surging Hornets past the Bulls in the standings. 
What comes next? The Bulls have a mess of a roster and are looking to make more moves before Thursday's trade deadline. But even besides that, the focus should be maximizing draft position for a loaded 2026 draft and setting up for a push in free agency for young players on the restricted free agent market. 
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After years and years of calls for it, the Bulls finally traded Nikola Vucevic, sending him to the Celtics for Anfernee Simons. Second-round picks changed hands in the trade, with Chicago set to get a pretty juicy one from the Pelicans. Will the Bulls keep that pick or flip it elsewhere? Jason and Ricky celebrate the Vucevic era finally coming to an end so the franchise can move on, and the veteran big man can play for a contender in Boston. 
Before the Vucevic trade went down, the Bulls got in on another three-team deal, acquiring Jaden Ivey from the Pistons and Mike Conley Jr. from the Timberwolves. Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric are off to Detroit, with Minnesota making the move to maneuver for its Giannis Antetokounmpo pursuit. Conley isn't expected to remain in Chicago. 
What did the Bulls get in Ivey? He's another talented young player who didn't work out with his first team after getting drafted in the lottery, which continues a theme for Arturas Karnisovas acquisitions. While Ivey has untapped potential, there are concerns about his recent injuries. Chicago will also be faced with his restricted free agency this summer. 
What comes next for the Bulls? Are Coby White and/or Ayo Dosunmu next? Will Simons be flipped? Is tanking the rest of the season in order with the Hornets on the rise? There should be more action to come leading up to Thursday's deadline, and the rest of the NBA is already getting crazy with the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade and the James Harden-Darius Garland swap. 
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Jason and Ricky discuss the Bulls going 1-2 in their three-game mini-series against the Heat, which featured a close loss at the United Center, a truly improbable win in Miami with a skeleton crew and a 43-point loss in Miami to cap it all off. The Bulls won the middle game behind 20 3-pointers and a star showing by Ayo Dosunmu in the second half, including a number of clutch baskets down the stretch. However, the final game wasn't even close from the very start, even with Coby White and Nikola Vucevic back in the lineup after missing the win. 
Right after the surprise victory, the Bulls got in on a three-team trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings. Chicago took on Dario Saric and got two second-round picks for the trouble, with Jevon Carter getting waived in the process. While not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, it was a smart piece of business with little cost. Is it a sign of things to come for the rest of the trade deadline action?
The guys then talk about the rest of the trade market and explore the Giannis Antetokounmpo possibility. Could the Bulls make a competitive offer? Should they make an all-in offer with where they're at while considering Giannis' age and injury history? 
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