On a day he could have re-energized his frustrated fan base with a strong show of leadership, Karnišovas essentially ceded control with one big, “We’ll see what happens.”

Inaction could not last forever. The Chicago Bulls finally made a move at the trade deadline after three consecutive years of standing pat, taking one more step forward toward a future vision of a rebuild.

If the season ended today, the Bulls would finish in a spot that they are very familiar with. Chicago is currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference and they would make the play-in tournament again if the standings stay the same.