Chicago Bulls insider says the team has now lost all leverage at the negotiating table

The Bulls are not only losing on the court but perhaps off it as well.

© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls have been downright awful this season. Sitting near the bottom of the league with a 5-14 record, The Athletic’s Bulls insider Darnell Mayberry reports that the team’s downward spiral may mean they won’t have any leverage in upcoming trade negotiations.

This news may come as a disappointment for Bulls fans who had hoped that the team would make strides and push for playoff contention after missing the postseason last season.

May have a hard time getting back fair value

The chief architect of the Bulls’ current roster, executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas, may have painted himself into a corner and left with no other choice but to push the reset button. In a brief conversation with the media earlier this week, Karnisovas said, “We see what everyone is seeing and are just as frustrated. We’re disappointed, but I’m not running from it. It’s my responsibility.”

Mayberry, though, points out that any moves the Bulls make from hereon end may be a bit too late.

“Last season, the Bulls still were seen as a potential threat just finding its way. Now the league knows the Bulls are just bad. Now, it’s no secret Zach LaVine is unhappy and open to a new home. Now everyone knows the Bulls are desperate,” Mayberry wrote.

“If he didn’t like the trade offers before, imagine what teams are offering the Bulls now. Individually, the Bulls’ players might still have trade value. But the Bulls have lost all leverage at the negotiating table,” Mayberry continued.

The plan didn’t work

The Bulls’ front office believed in this team’s core of LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic. Granted, all three are All-Stars with plenty of experience, but the plan obviously failed as this “Big 3” clearly doesn’t work well together. Now, it appears the Bulls may have to settle for whatever they can get to move on from this awful stretch of Bulls basketball.

“Now it feels like the Bulls will be forced to sell low after buying high to bring together this group,” Mayberry explained.

Billy Donovan and Arturas Karnisovas are marked as safe in the Bulls' potential changes