The Chicago Bulls are struggling, and it's not just on the court as the team may fall into disarray.
Things are getting worse for the Chicago Bulls as they fall further into the standings and may even be in danger of not making the playoffs.
It's almost eighteen years since Michael Jordan won a title in Chicago, and Jordan's heir apparent, Kobe Bryant, is also set to retire and the Bulls have yet to return to the Promised Land.
The team still has one of the most rabid fan bases in the league and while that is always a good thing, it can also translate into intense scrutiny and high expectations. According to Bulls team blog Pippen Ain't Easy, fans are not happy with Chicago's actions (or lack thereof) at the trade deadline. They thought it was the best time to make a move, but Bulls GM Gar Forman let it pass, and now there is an actual petition to get him fired.
The fans, as echoed by PAE's Dave Daniels, believe that the trade for Pau Gasol should have been executed, and the article even went as far as calling Forman a "coward."
"Forman was a coward at the trade deadline once again, and he didn't trade Pau Gasol even though the big man will almost definitely walk in free agency," Daniels wrote.
Forman recently addressed the issue with the Chicago Tribune. He has taken the fall for the team and offered his explanation.
"We understand the frustrations. Up to this point, it has been a disappointing year. We all realize - from ownership to the front office to the players to the coaching staff - we haven't done as well as we thought we would do. We hold ourselves accountable that we haven't met expectations," Forman said. "With that said, we certainly were not in any type of panic mode. We looked at the big picture. Obviously, the injuries that we've had have hurt. But that's not the only reason. We explored heavily and were very, very active with talks with a lot of teams. There wasn't something we felt significant enough to do something right now."
The Bulls seem to be confused with Pau Gasol as they first wanted to trade him early in the season. Then, they declared that they want to re-sign him when he opts out of his contract, but they involve him in trade rumors at the deadline again! The last time a team did that to Gasol, he packed his bags and left the big city with a massive fan base. He probably won't hesitate to do that again.
If Gasol walks and Joakim Noah also decides to leave, the once heralded Bulls' twin towers will leave a gaping hole, and there is no easy fix available.