There is no reason to risk a long-term injury to one of the Bulls' two banged-up franchise cornerstones, especially when losing as many of the final five games as possible would greatly benefit Chicago's draft positioning.
For all intents and purposes, the Chicago Bulls' 2025-26 season is over. Friday night's 136-96 drubbing from the New York Knicks made that clear, if it wasn't already.
The past two months of Bulls basketball have been an absolute mess, both on and off the court. Chicago went 0-11 in February and is 5-23 since the start of its trade deadline fire sale. Two of the team's key deadline acquisitions — Anfernee Simons and Jaden Ivey — played 10 games combined for the Bulls, and Ivey is no longer with the team. Jalen Smith and Isaac Okoro have missed extensive amounts of time, while Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey have been banged up as well.
Five games remain in the season. The 29-48 Bulls have nothing left to play for except for a 1.5% increase in their odds to get the No. 1 overall draft pick. But while things seem hopeless, one key decision over the final two weeks may help set the team up for the future.
Giddey and Buzelis are definitively locked into the Bulls' long-term vision, both by age and talent. Noa Essengue is locked into the next year, at minimum, due to his age and draft status, but he's been injured the entire season anyway. Everyone else is essentially auditioning for their next job, whether that's in Chicago or somewhere else.
The Bulls' two franchise cornerstones have been banged up throughout the year, and an injury suffered by one of those two during a meaningless stretch of basketball could potentially hurt the team into next season, or beyond. Giddey missed two games in November due to an ankle sprain, but it's been a hamstring strain that's ailed him for much of the time since.
Apr 3, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) takes a three-point shot past Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) in the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn ImagesOver his first 30 games, Giddey averaged 19.2 points, 9.0 assists, and 8.9 rebounds per game on 46.6% shooting overall and 38.6% from deep. His scoring and efficiency have plummeted in the 24 games since his initial return, dropping to 14.3 points, 9.3 assists and 7.5 rebounds on 42.0% from the floor and 34.1% on threes.
Buzelis, 21, is the ironman. He's played in 156 of 159 possible games since entering the league in 2024, with the only absence this season being a sprained ankle that caused him to miss one game. Still, the lanky wing that stands 6-foot-8 and weighs just 209 pounds has had some awkward falls during his emergent season, and Chicago should be careful moving forward with its most promising asset.
Friday's loss to the Knicks featured a particularly scary play, in which Buzelis' leg slipped and his knee appeared to get caught underneath him. He later re-entered the game with a brace, but the Bulls should not risk Buzelis' health when the team has nothing to gain from winning.
Sitting Giddey, who is questionable ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Suns, will also allow the front office to get a better look at Rob Dillingham in a larger role. Perhaps Yuki Kawamura and Mac McClung will provide flashes as well and prove they deserve another shot next season. Resting Buzelis would also provide another opportunity for Leonard Miller, who has already started to break out since coming to Chicago at the deadline.
And the bottom line is that while an increase from 3.0% to 4.5% odds to get the No. 1 pick by staying ahead of Milwaukee may seem minuscule, the difference between 13.9% and 20.3% odds to get a top-four pick could be the difference between one of the draft's elite prospects and a rotation player.