CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls have long carried the burden of unmet expectations.

Ever since the Michael Jordan era, the franchise has struggled to reclaim its place among the NBA’s elite. The last 28 years have produced just one Conference Finals appearance, zero NBA Finals showings, and more seasons spent missing the playoffs than making them. Since 2015, the team has failed to win a single playoff series, has only reached the postseason once since the 2021-22 campaign, and hasn’t drafted a top-ten talent since Patrick Williams was taken fourth overall in 2020. Collectively, these statistics paint a stark picture: prolonged mediocrity.

In professional sports, the ultimate goal is championships. For franchises in decline, a rebuild is often necessary to assemble a roster capable of long-term success, even at the cost of immediate competitiveness. Unfortunately for Bulls fans, neither a genuine rebuild nor a return to contention has materialized in over a quarter-century. While other NBA teams have used rebuilding periods to position themselves for future success, Chicago’s path has been haphazard at best.

Numbers Don’t Lie

Evaluating ownership decisions often starts with the numbers. In most professional sports, revenue streams are relatively insulated from team performance. A franchise can still generate profit through ticket sales, merchandise, and broadcast contracts even if the team underperforms. But when evaluating whether ownership genuinely prioritizes success on the court, it’s the actions—or inactions—taken during periods of mediocrity that matter most.

In the Bulls’ case, ownership under Jerry Reinsdorf appears increasingly indifferent to results. Social media has recently spotlighted these shortcomings, highlighting the franchise’s inability to transition from “good enough to profitable” into a championship-caliber operation. One viral analysis noted, “Every Bulls fan already knows this to be true, and now that it’s reached national attention, does the urgency level rise for the front office to make a move in one direction or the other?”

For a team that has long relied on legacy and brand equity, that question is critical. Fans expect more than just revenue generation—they expect accountability and strategic foresight. In Chicago, it appears, those expectations have consistently gone unmet.

A Pattern of Inaction

Reinsdorf’s approach is not unique to the Bulls. The owner also controls the Chicago White Sox, a team that recently produced one of the worst regular seasons in MLB history. Observers noted a striking lack of corrective action following that failure, emphasizing a broader pattern: Reinsdorf seems willing to accept subpar results as long as the business side of the organization continues to thrive. One social media commentator summed it up bluntly, “MLB should take the team from Reinsdorf for making no attempt at being competitive for years.”

For the Bulls, this pattern has severe consequences. Without decisive action—whether through shrewd trades, aggressive drafting, or proactive roster restructuring—the team risks continued stagnation. Even when talented players are present, a lack of cohesive strategy and investment in long-term success undermines their impact. Fans have grown increasingly frustrated, particularly as revenue continues to climb despite lackluster performance on the court.

The Consequences of Mediocrity

This prolonged mediocrity has ripple effects throughout the organization. Free-agent targets may hesitate to join a franchise known for inconsistent management and underperformance. Player development can stagnate when a clear vision is absent, and young talent may fail to reach its potential in a disjointed system. Moreover, public perception suffers, eroding the goodwill that decades of championship success once built.

The Bulls’ front office, led by Executive VP Artūras Karnišovas, has often been hamstrung by these ownership constraints. Even when opportunities for asset accumulation or bold trades present themselves, the hesitation at the top limits actionable strategy. As a result, Chicago finds itself in a cycle: middling performance generates revenue, revenue reduces urgency, and reduced urgency perpetuates mediocrity.

Hope Is Conditional

Despite this bleak narrative, there is a path forward—but it requires drastic measures. The franchise would need to commit to either a bold rebuild, aggressively trading veterans for draft capital, or doubling down on immediate contention with significant investment in roster upgrades. Short of drafting another player of the caliber of Derrick Rose or Michael Jordan, transformative success appears unlikely. The current structure incentivizes profit over performance, making genuine championship contention an uphill battle.

Until ownership changes priorities, the Bulls’ fans can expect more of the same: competitive enough to sell tickets, but not structured for deep playoff runs. Social media criticism and national scrutiny may raise awareness, but history suggests that without financial or structural incentive, the cycle will persist.

The Bottom Line

For nearly three decades, Chicago has flirted with relevance without ever truly breaking through. The franchise’s legacy, built on Jordan-era triumphs, casts a long shadow that makes every playoff absence feel like a failure. While players, coaches, and front-office personnel change, ownership remains constant, and so does the approach: profitability over championships.

In professional sports, fans accept losing seasons if they are part of a strategic path to future success. But the Bulls’ track record shows no such vision. Without bold ownership intervention, it’s safe to predict that Chicago will continue to be profitable yet perpetually underwhelming, a cautionary tale of what happens when business interests outweigh competitive ambition.