The Bernstein Brief: Moribund Bulls Better Off Losing
By Dan Bernstein--
CBSChicago.com senior columnist
(CBS) If there's anything to be gained from another disconnected and dysfunctional Bulls season, it's right there for them.
They sit at 31-33, holding a half-game lead over the Heat and Bucks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and the Bulls would be best served falling out of it. Better to have the chance at a more valuable draft pick than a meaningless handful of playoff games that accomplish nothing.
Ownership loves the revenue from the home games and the appearance of competitiveness, but keeping up any kind of reputation matters less than ever under a new collective bargaining agreement designed to limit movement of star players.
So let Joffrey Lauvergne and Bobby Portis run around and do whatever it is they're doing. Keep quitting in the second half and fourth quarter by ignoring any coaching and relying on whatever is left of an obviously fatigued Jimmy Butler.
Better yet, shut Butler down for the rest of the year now to ensure both a lottery pick for themselves and a higher likelihood they can trade him for another one when the Bulls finally get the belated guts and brains to do it.
Dan Bernstein is a co-host of 670 The Score's "Bernstein and Goff Show" in afternoon drive. You can follow him on Twitter @dan_bernstein and read more of his columns here.