Chicago Bulls: 3 potential effects of the Lauri Markkanen injury

Fans could be throwing their hands up yet again

Without Markkanen, the Bulls are a worse team. That doesn’t take a genius to figure out. But, even if LaVine breaks out and the lineup shifts work out in the Bulls’ favor, it still might not be enough to compete with the majority of teams right now — and that should come as no surprise.

Fans have to remember this team is still amidst a full-on rebuild. Regardless of the team looking like they found another gem at no. 7 with Wendell Carter Jr. and regardless of the Bulls bringing in Parker, they still won’t have enough to shock the Eastern Conference.

Without arguably their best player, the Bulls could be bad — really bad. Last year, many of us thought the Bulls were indeed attempting to tank.

And, we were right.

It got so obvious that Adam Silver even issued a warning to Hoiberg.

The Bulls may end up tanking yet again. It isn’t going to come right away, but if the team loses the majority of their games without Markkanen, it’s going to make that decision all the more obvious in the end.

Let’s look at it this way: Another top-10 pick in 2019 could mean the Bulls are ready to compete in the East next year, if it’s the right player. With another year of development for Markkanen, a potential breakout for LaVine and Carter heading in a positive direction, another year of tanking might not be all that bad.