Bulls need to finish in bottom 10 next season and have roster to do it

It’s not that Arturas Karnisovas avoids the media.

He just never has fully embraced sitting down for on-the-record discussions beyond the bare minimum.

That means the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations basically keeps his interviews seasonal. There’s the fall-camp check-in, the dead-of-winter state of the union at the trade deadline, the spring cleaning when the Bulls fall short once again in April, then the NBA Draft roundup in June.

That’s it.

Besides those four pressers, the lights in the house are off, the shades are drawn and Karnisovas doesn’t want any media members on his lawn.

It’s too bad because this offseason has played out as one of the more interesting ones under Karnisovas since he took the exec seat in April 2020. There’s a youth movement underway that’s being held hostage by lingering veterans. It’s an attempted tank job with a bit too much left in the tank.

If there was a time for Karnisovas to address Bulls fans — and ticket holders — it would be now.

But while the Bulls are still trying to rid themselves of that unwieldy Zach LaVine max contract, as well as do right by finding a home for DeMar DeRozan with a possible sign-and-trade, there’s one important fact to keep in mind: Karnisovas doesn’t have to have the worst team in the NBA to ensure himself of keeping the Bulls’ 2025 first-round pick away from the Spurs. He just has to build a bottom-10 team to maintain the protected pick.

So far, so good.

In the wake of the draft, early free agency and DeRozan’s desire to be elsewhere, there aren’t 10 teams worse than the Bulls.

1. Nets

No team is stripping it down for the 14% chance at Cooper Flagg with as much zeal as the Nets. In trading Mikal Bridges to the Knicks for a handful of future draft picks, they have a team that will dwell in the sewer next season but could get out with a huge influx of talent by 2026-27 if all goes right.

2. Wizards

If anyone figures out what the Wizards have been doing the last decade, can you please let them know. They had to sign Jonas Valanciunas to have some sort of presence in the middle, but as long as Jordan Poole’s contract is on the books, expect ongoing residency in the draft lottery each year.

3. Jazz

Nobody is as obsessed with draft assets as Danny Ainge, and the mad scientist could be at it again. He’s looking to move his best player — Lauri Markkanen — for even more picks in the war chest. Considering how competitive the West will be next season, the Jazz are a 20-plus-win team at best without Markkanen.

4. Hornets

LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are an exciting future backcourt, but there are still way too many holes on the depth chart for the Hornets to be taken seriously. At best, they can move from their 21 wins last season to maybe 25-27. Still bottom-feeders.

5. Pistons

Detroit finally brought an adult into the room to go along with its young talent, signing free agent Tobias Harris to a two-year, $52 million deal. The starting five — Harris, Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren — have some interesting possibilities, but the Pistons likely are another year away.

6. Trail Blazers

Portland is knee-deep in collecting other teams’ throwaway players. The two latest are Deni Avdija and Deandre Ayton. Rookie Donovan Clingan could be the start of a Blazers turnaround, but it’s a long road.

7-9. Bulls, Raptors, Spurs

That’s where these three teams will reside, jockeying for position. The Spurs have the most potential to push for the playoffs because of rising star Victor Wembanyama, while the Raptors and Bulls will be neck and neck as they make sure to stay in lottery futility for at least one more season.