Chicago’s Rebuild Timeline Rides On One Western Conference Cinderella Story

Many fans in Chicago can admit that the last five years have been a tough product to support. While there have been scattered high points and one playoff appearance sprinkled in, the majority of this decade has been disappointment. From the front-office decisions to ownership’s failure to keep them accountable, to the product on the court, and the finite failure to stack wins and build a successful franchise. As this season winds down, at least having a clear direction moving forward, Bulls fans can hang their hat on the clarity that the organization has gone all-in on a rebuild for the first time since Arturas Karnisovas’s arrival. In parallel with cheering for Chicago to lose to improve their draft positioning and develop young assets, there’s a second storyline worth investing in. Here’s what Bulls fans need to add to their scope of attention as the year winds down, and how they can finally strike some good fortune while riding a team that held the same title odds as Chicago before the season began.

Big Portland Trail Blazers Fans

Any sports fan can relate when they say that rooting for another franchise is widely frowned upon. Chicago to the moon, dismiss any other organizations. Well, for the next month, Bulls fans should pull for the Portland Trail Blazers. Take solace in the fact that they’re in the Western Conference, have little association or history with Chicago, and they can do us a massive favor. If Portland can sneak its way into the Western Conference playoffs and power through the juggernaut field of teams in the Play-In tournament on that side of the bracket, the Bulls will add a second first-round pick to their ammunition toward a rebuild this summer. That selection is lottery-protected, meaning if they don’t qualify for the NBA Playoffs, they would retain the draft slot.

No bigger Blazers fan than a Bulls fan right now.

Next all I need is Arturas Karnisovas fired so someone else can make the draft picks. THIS draft with 2 top 15 picks is wayyyyyy too important for someone with as failed a draft record as this front office to make those picks. https://t.co/3tTBVrSTm6

— Don Lon (@Ball_InMyHand) March 21, 2026

The Reality Of Portland’s Playoff Chances

The good news is that the Blazers will be in the Play-In tournament. The bad news is that they’ll have to go through a combination of the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, or Golden State Warriors. If they can pass the Clippers in the standings, who they trail by half a game, they’ll only have to win one game in Phoenix to qualify for the postseason. The most likely scenario is that they’ll host Golden State, and if they win, visit the loser of the Suns versus the Clippers to battle for the final slot in the dance.

Trail Blazers have two more games left against the Clippers, to whom they’ve lost twice this season.

Conference win-loss percentage will serve as tiebreaker, if needed.

Two shots for them to make the playoffs.

Two shots for the Bulls to secure a second first-round pick. https://t.co/GXDjhL7A0s pic.twitter.com/d0lWDPwAlp

— Drew Stevens (@ByDrewStevens) March 21, 2026

A few more important notes for Chicago include Portland being 4-8 against its three Play-In tournament foes, with a -69 point differential in those dozen games. They also have the second-easiest strength of schedule for the remainder of the year, which should translate into improved seeding heading into the tournament.

Can Deni Avdija carry the Blazers into the playoffs and do the Bulls a massive favor?