NBA Mid-Season Grades: Celtics standout; Warriors, Lakers receive failing marks

Chicago Bulls

It's been an interesting year for the Chicago Bulls, to say the least. Even with all the outside noise that has taken place this season regarding a possible Zach LaVine trade, the Bulls are still in a position where they could make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. At the very least, they should be able to qualify for the Play-In Tournament, short of Chicago absolutely blowing up their roster at the NBA Trade Deadline.

Despite that, even if the Bulls just make the playoffs as a bottom-two seed, this year will still be considered a disappointment. And that's one of the biggest reasons why LaVine will likely get moved ahead of the trade deadline. The Bulls need a new direction and a new face for the franchise. LaVine had his chance and it simply didn't work out for him in Chicago.

The big question for the Bulls is what's next. Will the Bulls completely revamp their roster between now and the start of next season? Will they make the slight adjustment of just trading away LaVine? We'll have a better idea of what lies ahead for the Bulls depending on what they do at the trade deadline. At least for now, though, it's been an underwhelming season for Chicago.

Grade: C-