Last night, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 109-102 to push their league-best winning streak to five games. This entire season has been a tale of runs. They began the year 5-0, then dropped five in a row shortly after. Next, they won three out of their next four before chaos ensued, and the team proceeded to lose seven straight. Today, they are riding two wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers, followed by two more over the Atlanta Hawks, having just beaten three teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference standings. While the win streak may provide more excitement and pride for the fan base, there's a looming result to the recent success that not many fans would enjoy.
Stay Silent At The Trade Deadline
If Arturas Karnisovas has done one thing consistently during his tenure in Chicago, it's maintain the message to the media, whether it's been intelligently executed or not, that the franchise's primary goal has always been to win. This has been evident at times, as seen in the retention of Zach LaVine, the addition of DeMar DeRozan, and the trade for Nikola Vucevic. He's rarely pulled the trigger on moves that don't immediately impact winning positively, and has been reluctant to trade away expiring contracts for future assets. With Chicago on a recent surge, the most dangerous proposition is climbing back into playoff contention.
Not a single soul on the Bulls needs to apologize for winning four consecutive games.
— Drew Stevens (@Drew_H_Stevens) December 24, 2025
But Artūras Karnišovas has to know these victories over the Cavs and Hawks don’t hold the same amount of weight as preseason prognostications insisted they would. https://t.co/B7SSDvMJYU
Unfortunately, the worst-case scenario and the most likely one seem to be the same: Karnisovas sees the recent success as evidence that his operation is going well and refuses to move any of the current pieces, fearing that he might miss out on their fourth consecutive NBA Play-In Tournament.
Coby White And Nikola Vucevic Have To Be Traded
At a bare minimum, White and Vucevic, both on expiring deals, need to be traded before February's trade cutoff. White is due to earn nearly triple what he's currently contracted for, and with too many guards on the roster who better fit the current team, he needs to be swapped for assets and young talent. Vucevic is 35 years old, the least athletic and poorest defender on the roster, and has two big men off the bench playing at a higher level.
League sources say Kristaps Porzingis’ future in ATL is uncertain.
— NC Hawks (@HawksOnReal) December 23, 2025
One scenario involving a package for Nikola Vucevic and Coby White. The Hawks are exploring reshuffling the roster, but are not looking to go all-in on an All-Star move.
Thoughts? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/AzVrlMJSqT
While this may not be the trade to execute, both players are reportedly drawing interest from around the league, and Karnisovas has a chance to flip them for critical assets.
Will Chicago fall victim to the same cycle they've seen for the last half-decade, or will Karnisovas show a rare aggression as the trade deadline approaches?
