Cash Considerations: A Chicago Bulls Pod

The Bulls are under two weeks from Media Day and the start of training camp, and they just finalized Tiago Splitter's coaching staff. The staff features a nice surprise in the form of franchise legend Taj Gibson, who just retired from the NBA and immediately returned to Chicago as a coach. Ricky and Jason talk all things Taj and why bringing him back is a good move. The Bulls also have a plan in place to replace Stacey King, going with a cycle of Adam Amin sidekicks throughout the season. It's a decision that makes sense given King's larger than life persona that will be just about impossible to replace. The discussion then turns to the Bulls' projected win total and where they stand in the Eastern Conference. While that win total has spiked since the odds first came out, it's still hard to see the Bulls being better than many teams in a suddenly loaded East. What's their ceiling? Finally, there just had to be a little bit of Bears talk after a 59-point season opener. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jason joins Hardwood Knocks' Dan Favale for their annual Bulls season lookahead at the tail end of an eventful offseason that brought about regime change. What's to make of Bryson Graham's first offseason in charge? There was a lot of kicking the can down the road with short-term deals (Norman Powell, Nic Claxton trade, Zach Collins), making the upcoming season an important one for evaluation for new head coach Tiago Splitter before potentially bigger moves later. Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis are at the center of it all as they look to develop into a star forward pairing. How do they fit together and what should we expect to see this upcoming season? Josh Giddey also plays an important role as the point guard of this offense, and he's facing pressure to prove to Graham that he's worth keeping around as a franchise cornerstone. Giddey has improved upon many of his shortcomings, but his inconsistent last season still leaves plenty of questions about his future. Jason then looks at a bunch of the other young players on the roster, including Leonard Miller, Noa Essengue, Dailyn Swain and Rob Dillingham. Essengue and Swain's brutal Summer League performances put a damper on their expectations coming into the season, and it'll be interesting to see how much this group plays under Splitter. The end of the pod looks at a number of topics, including team needs, the rotation and lineup predictions, and season predictions. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After lengthy forays into restricted free agency, both Bennedict Mathurin and Jonathan Kuminga went off the board in the same day. Mathurin is heading to the Pelicans on a two-year, $16 million deal, while Kuminga is going to the Timberwolves on a two-year deal worth over $12 million. The Bulls were reportedly interested in both players, but did they ever really have a chance? And are the Bulls actually missing out here? ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel reported the Bulls as a team that "aggressively" pursued Mathurin via sign-and-trade, though a sign-and-trade would've required a three-year deal and Bryson Graham seemed hesitant to hand out any long-term contracts this summer. Perhaps Graham truly was willing to go that far for Mathurin, but the young guard clearly preferred the Pelicans and will be getting the Clippers to withdraw his qualifying offer in order to sign as an unrestricted free agent. As for Kuminga, the fit didn't seem right with the Bulls even though they've been rumored to be interested going back to the Arturas Karnisovas regime. Kuminga picked a contender in the Timberwolves over more money from the Lakers, so the Bulls likely didn't have much of a chance even though Jake Fischer noted them being "involved to a real degree." Ricky and Jason aren't shedding any tears over missing out on Mathurin and Kuminga, even at these small price points. So, how will the Bulls fill that last roster spot? Will they fill it at all before the season? Or will they take it into the season? Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ricky and Jason break down the Bulls' 2026-27 season schedule and make their annual game-by-game predictions. The start of the season is absolutely brutal, putting the Bulls in a position to start slow. Will that make them more likely to look to sell off certain players as the year goes on? Will a softer close to the schedule help them beat Vegas' projections? Plus, shoutout to the Bulls for once again killing their schedule release video. This year's was inspired by Grand Theft Auto and is a must-watch. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ricky and Jason are back after a hiatus following Bulls Summer League. Since the last podcast, LeBron James surprisingly picked the 76ers in free agency, adding another bombshell move to the pile this offseason. All the crazy player movement sets up what should be a fascinating 2026-27 NBA season with plenty of potential contenders, and Ricky goes over his offseason power rankings. The Bulls are on the other end of the contender spectrum, but they recently popped up in free agency rumors with reported interest in Clippers restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin. While that interest was then downplayed , it's still worth looking into the possibility of Mathurin taking that last roster spot. Or could the Bulls look to pull off a sign-and-trade that would then open up more roster flexibility? Mathurin is a flawed player and something of a one-trick pony, but his talent could be worth the gamble on a team-friendly deal. However, the Kawhi Leonard situation seems to be holding up Mathurin's free agency, leaving the young guard in limbo. The guys wrap up with a look at LeBron's move to the 76ers and just how they're going to make it all work, complete with a Bulls-Sixers trade hypothetical that would help both sides. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Bulls finished 2026 Summer League with a 1-4 record, with Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain and Noa Essengue all sitting the fifth and final game out. The fourth game was an ugly affair against the Lakers, with Swain and Essengue struggling again while Wilson put up nice numbers despite a boatload of turnovers. Wilson producing as Swain and Essengue stumbled was a theme of the entire Vegas experience for the Bulls. While this new front office should be thrilled with what they saw from Wilson, who earned All-Summer League First-Team honors, there are red flags abound with Swain and Essengue. Swain simply played poorly, shooting a ghastly 4-of-31 from the field and playing with zero confidence. The rookie admitted he was overthinking on the court, and it looks like he's a long way from being ready for real NBA minutes. Meanwhile, the Essengue situation was just bizarre. Although he didn't play well, how the Bulls handled him suggests this new regime led by Bryson Graham and Tiago Splitter aren't Essengue fans. The youngster's minutes were jerked around as Summer League went on, and Splitter was very critical of his play. Is Essengue already done in Chicago? While it's too soon to declare him a bust, Ricky thinks the writing is on the wall for the Frenchman's time with the Bulls. It would be a major bummer if the Bulls get absolutely nothing out of Essengue after using a lottery pick on him in 2025, but these summer signs aren't promising. As the Bulls move past Summer League, it does seem as if the roster is mostly set. Perhaps there are more moves to be made once LeBron James makes his decision and the league springs back into action to fill out rosters, but there haven't been many other rumors out there about the Bulls doing anything else. As it stands, the early Vegas odds suggest the Bulls will be one of the worst teams in the NBA. That looks true on paper, but surprises do happen and the Wilson/Matas Buzelis duo should be fun to watch no matter the record. Can this pairing develop into the next great young wing duo in the coming years? Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Caleb Wilson's dominant start to Summer League has Ricky and Jason going all in on the hype surrounding the No. 4 pick. The Bulls rookie took Vegas by storm with a historic 35-point debut against Cameron Boozer and the Grizzlies that saw him make seven 3-pointers, matching the number of triples he hit in his entire lone season at UNC. There's plenty of reason to believe this shooting improvement is real, as Wilson has been putting in a lot of work and he has been cashing in all types of looks from downtown in Vegas. Wilson has also popped in other ways, showing some off-the-dribble juice and pulling off a number of a highlight-reel blocks. The rookie also had arguably the dunk of the summer with his poster against the Jazz. While he hasn't been perfect, with some turnover and free throw issues plaguing him at times, this Summer League run has undoubtedly been a rousing success for the Bulls' new franchise pillar. The question now is if he'll play anymore games or shut it down. As good as Wilson has been, Dailyn Swain has been the exact opposite. Swain has been a disaster, struggling to handle point guard duties and showing a completely inability to make shots. Swain is 3-of-26 from the field and 0-of-7 from 3 so far, missing a number of layups badly and displaying an ugly 3-point shot that needs a lot of work. His inability to finish around the rim has been especially strange given how prolific he was at Texas. Swain showed some better signs as a playmaker in the Bulls' victory over the Wizards, but he still missed all seven of his shots and is 0-of-16 over the last two games. Swain should definitely keep playing in Vegas to get more reps. Meanwhile, Noa Essengue has been a mixed bag and also should see more minutes in Vegas. While Essengue has shown tantalizing flashes as a defender, his offense is very raw and a major work in progress. He needs to get a lot stronger so he's not always getting knocked off his spots and hitting the deck, and he really needs to tighten up his handle and decision-making. Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter benched Essengue to start the second half against the Jazz, and then the second-year forward came off the bench against the Wizards. Is he already in the doghouse? It's not a great sign, but the Frenchman is still trying to catch up after missing almost his entire rookie season. As of now, it doesn't look like Swain or Essengue belong in the Bulls' regular rotation, but a lot can change by the time the season gets going. Finally, ESPN's Jamal Collier wrote a story exposing a number of the failures of the Arturas Karnisovas regime, ultimately highlighting the improved vibes in the building with Bryson Graham leading the show. But will the results be better? Time will tell. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Bulls started NBA free agency by bringing back Zach Collins on a two-year, $17 million contract extension, and then they made their big move by landing Norman Powell on a two-year, $45 million deal. While the Collins deal seemed weird on the surface, the team option on Year 2 helps and he could be a tradable piece almost immediately. The Powell move was telegraphed heading into free agency, and getting him on a two-year deal with a team option is a good piece of business for a Bulls team that badly needed to add shooting. Powell is at nearly 40% from 3-point range for his career and is coming off arguably his two best seasons, making him a solid veteran addition at shooting guard. Ricky and Jason break down these deals and how they fit into Bryson Graham's first offseason as a whole. While it hasn't been a slam dunk, Graham has done a fine job adding both young talent and veterans, with the potential of signing another player with the room exception. Could that be Anfernee Simons? While there were have been some missed opportunities in the draft and with the cap space, Graham is essentially kicking the can down the road with some of these moves and hoping his first-round picks are big winners. Patience is required to see how Graham will turn out as a lead executive, and it'll be interesting to see what he does with this roster at his first trade deadline. Graham's perfectly fine offseason comes amid an NBA that has gone crazy with blockbuster trades. Graham needs to be positioning the Bulls to be in position to make one of those kinds of trades in the coming years, and the hope is steps will be made toward that this upcoming season. Of course, this upcoming season still projects to be bad record-wise given the status of the roster, which is totally fine as long as there's youth development and a building of the asset base. We'll see if Graham has any other moves up his sleeve this offseason. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After crushing the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, Bryson Graham's second round was a bummer given he traded out of both picks. The first trade was selling the No. 56 pick to the Lakers for cash considerations, and then while on the clock the Bulls traded No. 38 to the Pacers for Kam Jones, future second-round pick swaps and cash. Will Jones even make the roster after a rough rookie season with the Pacers? While this was a disappointing outcome that continued an ugly trend from past regimes, there's no reason to overreact about Graham just yet. There's still a lot of offseason left, and Graham did take the time to speak to multiple local media outlets about his moves. Even if some of his explanations fell flat, it was good to actually hear him defend his decisions. With the draft now in the rearview mirror, free agency takes center stage. There has already been a lot of action on the trade front, including a wild LaMelo Ball trade that impacts two former Bulls in Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White. Dosunmu is heading back to the Wolves on a five-year, $112 million contract and will now share a backcourt with Ball and Anthony Edwards, while White is returning to the Hornets on a three-year, $74 million contract to presumably be Ball's replacement. As for the Bulls themselves, they badly need shooting, and there's plenty of smoke billowing around Norman Powell. Is this legit interest or just an agent using them as leverage? Powell would bring much-needed shooting to the roster, but he is 33 years old, so it would have to be a short-term contract. Ricky and Jason look at a number of other possible targets, including a bunch of shooters (guards and bigs) and also Jalen Duren now that it looks like there's a chance he leaves the Pistons. Detroit did beat Chicago to the punch on an Isaiah Joe trade, so that's off the table. Kevin Huerter is also returning to the Pistons. Finally, the Bulls did add some intriguing undrafted free agents, and this year's Summer League roster should be a lot of fun. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Bulls drafted Caleb Wilson with the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, a choice that was telegraphed for quite some time. Then at No. 15, Bryson Graham went with Dailyn Swain, who had been on Ricky's radar for a while. With these two picks, Ricky declares that Graham "crushed" his first draft, bringing hope for the future in Chicago. Ricky breaks down Wilson's game, discusses his SB Nation feature story on the new Bulls star and dismisses comps on both ends of the spectrum to both Kevin Garnett and Tyrus Thomas. As for Swain, the Bulls are getting a slasher who can get into the paint at will and who will bring a lot of versatility to the floor. While the pick brings some questions about the roster's lack of shooting, Swain does have some upside there. Could he wind up being a poor man's Jimmy Butler? With the first round in the books, Ricky names 3 second-round targets and implores the Bulls to possibly even trade up for them. While these draft picks are bringing good vibes, the Nic Claxton trade that went down right before the draft (but can't become official until July) raises some concerns. Once a rising star at center for the Nets, Claxton has declined in recent years, with back issues apparently playing a role. Will a fresh start in Chicago help rejuvenate Claxton and turn him into a fringe DPOY candidate again? Or will he continue to be an average-ish center with no further upside? The good news is the trade cost pretty much nothing but cap space, and Claxton's declining contract is a plus as well. Finally, the guys look ahead to some possible ways to improve the shooting on the roster. Isaiah Joe, anybody? Coby White reunion? Free agency begins in a week after Round 2. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham has finally hired his head coach, luring Tiago Splitter away from the Blazers after he helped lead the franchise back to the playoffs for the first time in five years. It seemed like bringing Splitter back was a no-brainer, but new Blazers owner Tom Dundon's cheapness got in the way. Longtime friend of the program and Blazers insider Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report and Rip City Radio 620 joins Ricky and Jason to talk all about Splitter's brief tenure in place of Chauncey Billups, who was arrested one game into the season due to his involvement in a bombshell gambling scandal. Splitter took over and overcame the tough circumstances to get Portland into and through the play-in tournament, giving Chicago the No. 15 pick before ultimately losing to the Spurs in five games. Highkin goes into detail about why Splitter isn't returning to Portland (Dundon is the main factor), the job he did with the Blazers, what he'll bring to the Bulls and what still needs to improve. It's a hire that makes sense for Chicago given the circumstances, with Splitter and Graham aligned on how to move forward with a rebuilding roster. Splitter was liked and respected by his Blazers players, and now he'll look to enact a culture change for this Bulls franchise. And could Walker Kessler be Splitter's new Donovan Clingan? A report from Sam Amick of The Athletic suggests Kessler isn't happy with the Jazz, which could open the door for the Bulls to make a run in restricted free agency. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ricky is joined by Memphis-based NBA Draft analyst Chip Williams to talk about the Grizzlies' pick at No. 3, which will influence what the Bulls do at No. 4. The consensus outcome for the Grizzlies is Cameron Boozer, but there has been some buzz about Boozer going to the Jazz at No. 2. If that happened, what would the Grizzlies do at No. 3 and how would that impact the Bulls? Chip then gives his full breakdown of Caleb Wilson, who still appears to be the likeliest option for the Bulls at No. 4. While he has Wilson a tier below the top three, he's still the clear No. 4 prospect with a lot of upside. Ricky and Chip talk multiple comps for Wilson and how he'd fit with the Bulls. The discussion then shifts to the No. 15 pick, with talk about Ebuka Okorie, Morez Johnson, Dailyn Swain and more. With the Grizzlies picking at No. 16, they share a lot of interest in what the Bulls will do. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ricky and Jason react to the tragic death of legendary Bulls broadcaster and three-time NBA champion Stacey King, paying tribute to a giant in the Chicago sports landscape. The guys remember King's best calls and nicknames, and Ricky discusses his personal connection to the late announcer. The Bulls will never be the same without King, but the franchise has to soldier on in the wake of his tragic passing. Bryson Graham continues his head coaching search, with finalists coming into focus this week. There's a lot of buzz around Tiago Splitter and Micah Nori, and a final decision should be coming soon. Finally, there's some draft chatter about the Bulls trading up from No. 15. Illinois star Keaton Wagler was among the prospects to get a workout and has gained some buzz for the Bulls, but it's unclear if they'll be able to trade up. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ricky and Jason welcome Maxwell Baumbach of No Ceilings to the show for Bulls NBA Draft talk, but first is an update on the head coaching search and some new hires in the front office who are tight with Bryson Graham from his Pelicans days. There's still not a whole lot of clarity in the head coaching search after Sean Sweeney went to the Magic last week, except that Graham should be picking his finalists very soon. Billy Donovan's top assistant Wes Unseld Jr. is expected to be one of those finalists. Ricky and Maxwell then dive deep on Caleb Wilson, focusing first on his offensive upside before examining his defensive potential. The conversation turns to the No. 15 pick, where Morez Johnson is a popular option but Ricky unleashes a hot take about the possibility of Kingston Flemings falling and being available. Does Maxwell agree that this scenario could play out? This isn't Ricky's hottest take of the pod, as he also proposes a wild trade up involving Matas Buzelis to get Cameron Boozer, who gets an unexpected comparison to one of the greatest players of all time. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bryson Graham's Bulls head coaching search is moving along slowly, with a wide net of candidates and no clear presumptive favorite. As we wait on a head coach, NBA Draft prep continues as Ricky and Jason welcome draft expert Finn Vandergriff of The Double Bonus and The Center Hub to the show. Finn breaks down all things Caleb Wilson and then goes into some of the options with the 15th pick. He also hypes up Noa Essengue and Leonard Miller while looking at how all these players would fit with Matas Buzelis and the rest of the Bulls roster. Plus, some Josh Giddey trade talk and a sneaky free agent point guard target to pursue. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jason and Ricky welcome NBA Draft analyst Latif Love of Love My Takes to the show to recap the NBA Draft Combine and take a deep dive into the Bulls' options with picks 4 and 15. Before all the draft chatter, the guys discuss Bryson Graham hiring Stephen Mervis and Acie Law IV as his top lieutenants in the front office. Next up is the head coaching search, with The Stein Line's Jake Fischer reporting Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney, Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Thunder assistant Dave Bliss, James Borrego and Tiago Splitter among the named candidates. (NOTE: Fischer later also named Hornets assistant Lamar Skeeter and Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt as candidates, but they weren't discussed on this pod.) Moving on to the draft, Ricky breaks down his experience at the combine and some of his highlights at the annual event in Chicago. Ricky and Latif then go back and forth with a full breakdown of Caleb Wilson, the Bulls' likeliest pick at No. 4. They go over strengths, weaknesses and how he fits with the Bulls' other core players. While Wilson is likely a tier below the top three guys in this draft and has a lot to work on, the potential is tantalizing. Ricky and Latif then go over a number of options for the Bulls at No. 15. Will Aday Mara actually still be around? How about Mara's Michigan teammate Morez Johnson? Cameron Carr was a big combine winner, but there are question marks. Plus a look at several others. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bryson Graham and the Bulls got some NBA Draft Lottery luck on Sunday, moving up from No. 9 to No. 4. This sets up Graham especially well for his first offseason as the Bulls' lead exec and will allow him to put his stamp on the roster. Graham acquitted himself well in his introductory press conference earlier in the week before the lottery, and now he'll get to put his money where his mouth is with the No. 4 pick, the No. 15 pick, the No. 38 pick and nearly $60 million in cap space. As for that No. 4 pick, Ricky and Jason break down all the possible scenarios. The likeliest selection right now is UNC's Caleb Wilson (Ricky gives his full sales pitch), but there's always a chance for a surprise, whether it's somebody else falling or a trade. Ricky is a big Cameron Boozer guy, and some of the recent buzz suggests he could drop. Darryn Peterson could also be a fall candidate because of his bizarre freshman season at Kansas, which was apparently caused by heavy creatine usage. Whatever happens, the Bulls should get a great prospect at the top of this draft, and then they'll have a chance to add another at No. 15. What's the ideal outcome for this draft and offseason? nterested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Bulls have their man to run the front office as Arturas Karnisovas' replacement, and it's a bit of a curveball. Instead of bringing Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd back to the franchise as speculated, the Bulls decided to hire Hawks exec Bryson Graham to run the show. Graham, 39, spent 15 years with the Pelicans organization, starting as an intern and rising up to GM before leaving for the Hawks when Joe Dumars took over in NOLA. Ricky and Jason give their immediate reactions to the hire, which is definitely a surprise but brings some excitement given the blank slate Graham will start with. While some fans may be upset with a young first-timer, especially after seeing the Mavericks hire Masai Ujiri earlier in the day, Graham should be given time to prove he's the right man for the job. Of course, Graham is being thrown right into the fire with an important draft coming up with two first-round picks and around $60 million in cap space in free agency. He'll have his chance to put his stamp on the roster right away in addition to building out his front office, reportedly with full autonomy to do as he sees fit. Will the Reinsdorfs be an obstacle to anything Graham wants to do? It's understandable to be skeptical given their history, but hopefully Graham can advocate for himself and do what needs to be done to build the infrastructure needed for long-term success. There's also the matter of hiring a coach, though there hasn't been a whole lot of buzz about candidates just yet. That will come in time, but the immediate focus now turns to Graham's introductory press conference on Wednesday and Sunday's NBA Draft Lottery. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Bulls' front office search is moving forward with a group of finalist candidates: Matt Lloyd, Dennis Lindsey, Bryson Graham and Dave Lewin. Jason and Ricky discuss this candidate list reported by The Stein Line , as well as the details that John Paxson is taking a key role in the search and the Bulls are talking "rebuild" in their interviews. A new hire is expected before the NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, which will be a big day for the Bulls as they learn the fate of their first first-round pick. And as the Bulls move forward under a new regime, the NBA's anti-tanking reforms will have an impact on how they build. (NOTE: This episode was recorded before ESPN's latest report on the league's anti-tanking efforts, which involve different changes than the ones discussed.) Before getting into Ricky's latest SB Nation mock draft , the guys make sure to give a shoutout to Ayo Dosunmu for his heroic 43-point effort for the Timberwolves against the Nuggets. But while it's awesome to see Ayo succeed in the playoffs, trading him still wasn't the wrong move. As for Ricky's mock draft, he gives the Bulls a pair of college teammates at No. 9 and 15, but there are a number of enticing options with both picks. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Billy Donovan finally made his decision on his future with the Bulls, and he's walking away after six seasons. While the Reinsdorfs wanted Donovan to stick around with a new front office, Donovan felt it was better to give them a clean slate and pursue other opportunities. Ricky and Jason give their final thoughts on the Donovan era, which was mostly underwhelming, albeit not necessarily because of him. The bigger failure was above Donovan in the front office, which gave him substandard rosters he squeezed the most out of. But while Donovan is a good coach, getting that clean slate is for the best. This allows the new lead exec to come in and pick his own coach and start a proper rebuild of the roster. A patient approach should be taken given the circumstances, with no reason to try to skip steps in a desperate attempt to get to contention. But who will be running the show? ESPN's Shams Charania released a list of six names , with former Bulls exec Matt Lloyd a notable candidate. While Lloyd's Bulls ties make him seem like a good bet to get the job, perhaps there will be a surprise. Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com ! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.