How NBA's Anti-Tanking Proposals Could Benefit the Chicago Bulls

When the NBA sets out to discourage tanking and revise lottery rules, the Chicago Bulls, a franchise known for refusing to tank, might surprisingly benefit from the new proposals.

Before diving into how the changes would affect Chicago's approach, clarity on the team's current draft-pick situation is essential. The Bulls own their 2026 first-round pick after trading Lauri Markkanen in a 2021 three-team deal that also netted them another first-rounder in 2027 (lottery-protected through 2028).

What's good for the Bulls? The proposals discourage tanking by flattening odds for teams already locked into the lottery. As a franchise that refuses to advocate for tanking, Chicago might sneakily benefit from increased odds under the new system.

As The Athletic's senior columnist David Aldridge pointed out, the future for consistently bad teams, like Utah, Washington and Brooklyn, remains uncertain with odds split more evenly across the league. Consider this scenario: The Bulls finish 10th in 2026 but don't land in the top four. In 2027, they finish 10th again. But Washington, Utah, and Brooklyn are all ineligible for top-four selections because they landed there in 2026. Suddenly, the Bulls' odds become significantly higher because three teams ahead of them are disqualified.

Another significant rule involves locking lottery positions on March 1. Examples like Philadelphia's preservation of their top-six protected pick last season, allowing them to select VJ Edgecombe, and Dallas's decision to tank in April 2023 despite being mathematically alive for a play-in spot to keep their top-10 protected pick and draft Dereck Lively III, would become unfeasible in the future.

The Bulls, by contrast, went 15-5 over their final 20 games last season to secure a play-in berth. If they replicate that competitive approach in future seasons, the March 1 freeze wouldn't affect their draft positioning negatively. In fact, it provides two potential benefits: If the Bulls are play-in hunting in March, they won't face competitive disadvantages from tanking teams resting stars. Teams can't manipulate standings after March 1.

However, if the Bulls are locked into the lottery by March 1, there's theoretically no incentive to play competitively the rest of the season — unless Chicago utilizes this frame to develop its bench and two-ways.

The central irony? While the NBA tries to stop tanking, the Bulls could become surprise beneficiaries. They might secure better draft picks without intentionally losing simply because the rules block serial tankers and create more lottery chaos.

While the proposals are still left on paper, the assumed benefit for Chicago, however, remains short-term. Since lottery odds would become more equivalent under the proposal, middle-of-the-pack and bottom-tier teams — whether concentrating on tanking, deciding to tank midseason, or opting for "soft tanks" — would all earn similar lottery odds. 

The Bulls' competitive advantage exists primarily in scenarios where consistently bad teams are disqualified from consecutive top-four selections, creating vacancies for Chicago to steal without changing their philosophy.