Da Windy City
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How Chicago Bulls’ tanking plans are affected by LeBron and Cousins deals

By Patrick Sheldon

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 08: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on in the second half against the Golden State Warriors during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 08: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on in the second half against the Golden State Warriors during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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Recent free agent signings of LeBron James and DeMarcus Cousins have a potential impact on the Bulls’ rebuild.

NBA Twitter was on fire Sunday night when LeBron James announced he was signing with the Los Angeles Lakers. Fans were quick to declare the Lakers at least a co-favorite to win the NBA Championship. Not to be outdone, less than 24 hours later, the Golden State Warriors made a splash of their own by signing free agent DeMarcus Cousins. So how does this impact the Chicago Bulls?

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At first, fans might think the LeBron deal is great for the Bulls. It gets the greatest player in the league out of the Eastern Conference. In theory, that should make the road through the conference playoffs a little easier. Losing LeBron also likely eliminates the Cleveland Cavaliers from playoff contention next season, even in the weaker Eastern Conference.

Bulls fans might perceive the Cousins deal as neutral to Bulls fans. For starters, he stayed in the Western Conference. Another reason is that he only signed a one-year deal with a team that was already expected to be playing for a championship next season. At first glance, the only conceivable impact he might have on the Bulls is the Warriors’ margin of victory when the teams play next season.

However, the LeBron and Cousins signings have — or should have — a much more profound impact on the Bulls. The Lakers and Warriors will likely be the prohibitive favorites to win the title for the next few years. Even under the most wildly optimistic scenario, the Bulls have no shot at competing with either of these teams during that span.

To be fair, there are very few teams that have any shot at competing with these teams. In fact, the last few days of free agency have reminded me of Dante’s Inferno. Furthermore, these teams have sent a clear message to the rest of the league — “abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”

Next: Are the Bulls a desirable free agent destination?

As a result, the Bulls must avoid the temptation to accelerate the rebuild too quickly in an attempt to compete for a playoff spot in a weakened conference. If the stars aligned, and they magically made the playoffs, it would be to no end. Rather, the Bulls must use the next few years to stay committed to their rebuild. If they do that, maybe in three years the Bulls will be a super team themselves.

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