No tanks: Bulls' Tre Jones knows all about risk and reward of tanking

Tre Jones understands the power of losing games and tanking.

He was a third-year guard for San Antonio in that 2022-23 campaign, mired in losing and disappointment throughout that season with the specter of a 7-foot-4 French kid looming over the entire bottom half of the league.

The Spurs went into that lottery rolling a 14% chance to hit gold and did just that, ending up with No. 1 and Victor Wembanyama.

A prize that had Jones still smiling when he recalled it this week. The journey to get there, however? Still painful.

“Everyone was excited for sure after the lottery,” Jones said. “We knew (Wembanyama) was a generational talent coming out. You knew about the stories of his workouts and things like that. But to go in and see the work back up the talent once we drafted him, which is what you love to hear, so we were definitely excited about that.

“Obviously, what we weren’t excited about during the season was winning only 22 games, losing however many we did in a row that year (16). It wears on you.”

So while Jones’ current Bulls team isn’t as bad as a few of those Spurs seasons, 29 wins and losing every game in the month of February doesn’t exactly build a team up with confidence.

But that doesn’t mean Jones is naïve to what’s been going on since the trade deadline. Albeit too late in the season, the Bulls front office made the decision to weaken the roster and increase the lottery odds, hoping to take advantage of a very talented 2026 draft class.

While there is no Wemby at the top, there is star power in the top four, and potentially all the way down to where the Bulls currently sit before the lottery shakeup – at No. 9.

That’s the chase for the front office and fan base to embrace. The coaches and players? No thanks.

“There were frustrations that went on (in San Antonio) during that season that weren’t good, so a season like that during the year is very frustrating for us as players because that’s our livelihood, that’s what we get paid to do,” Jones said. “It should be frustrating losing games, but obviously that summer you receive the No. 1 pick and you know who that No. 1 pick is. You know it’s someone that will change the franchise around, potentially.

“But even when we drafted him Year 1, it’s not like we came out and were back. We had another top five pick the following year after that (Stephon Castle No. 4). So yes, you are excited when you get that No. 1 pick because you do know you’re getting that guy that has a chance to change the franchise, but the journey to get there isn’t easy on you.”

With just six games left, the Bulls have a one-game edge in the lottery over Milwaukee, and it was a good sign that they understood the assignment against lowly Indiana on Wednesday, sitting Josh Giddey with left hamstring tightness.

However, they still have the third easiest schedule remaining, with two games in Washington and a season finale in Dallas.

What’s at stake is a 7% difference between No. 9 and No. 10 in hitting lottery top four.

Just don’t try selling Jones on that.

“I’m just a firm believer in I was paid to come here to help this team win and I think every single night I can do that for my team,” Jones said. “There are things going around as far as teams tanking, and it’s something I’ve been a part of in the past. Obviously, there are thoughts about that, but as far as showing up to a game and competing, every game I’m in I feel like I can win, and that’s it.”