On Thursday night, our Chicago Bulls will look to resume their belated tank against the Toronto Raptors. Chicago is angling to nab to a top pick in what\u2019s supposed to be a stacked 2026 NBA Draft.<\/p>\n
The on-court product has been a tough watch since the Bulls traded away key rotation cogs Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic and Kevin Huerter.<\/p>\n
Amidst injuries to Josh Giddey, Tre Jones and Jalen Smith, Chicago has dropped six straight. Giddey and Smith are expected back on Thursday, but the club\u2019s guard-heavy lineup and defense-free perimeter play could prove costly down the home stretch of the 2025-26 season. Playing with the fourth-toughest strength of schedule remaining in the NBA sure won\u2019t help.<\/p>\n \u201cScottie Pippen is the best small forward to ever play the game of basketball. MJ is the best game day clutch player to ever play the ball game,\u201d Harper said. \u201cYou not going to lose with MJ, you could be down 10, two, 18, he\u2019s going to wheel you to win. Scottie has a lot of basketball skills, high IQ, understand the game, knows how to play the game. Pippen is a phenomenal talent he can shoot it, dribble it, can guard one through five and was a great teammate to have. But when you want to get over that hill. You\u2019re going to have to go over there with 23 he will get you over the hill.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Ron Harper said playing with MJ meant no days off.<\/p>\n \u201cNo off days\u2026 when you walk in that gym, lace \u2019em up like it\u2019s gameday.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/zytpdXWWmC<\/a>\u2014 Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady (@VinceAndTmac) February 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n \u201cNo days off, when you walk in that gym. Lace them up like it\u2019s game day,\u201d Harper said. \u201cThat\u2019s what I tell people all the time that Chicago team, the work is extremely crazy. The game was easy, every drill you do was game speed.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cKyle Korver, before practice, he would stay in his car. I would see Kyle Korver stay in his car until the last minute. And I would walk by and I would see Kyle,\u201d Noah revealed. \u201cHis eyes were wide open. You knew what he was thinking: \u2018I don\u2019t know if I can do this right now.\u2019 He\u2019s like, \u2018We just had a game and we\u2019re doing defensive slides?\u2019 And it\u2019s like, \u2018What the f\u2014 is going on? There\u2019s no other team that\u2019s doing it.\u2019 And then [Thibodeau]\u2019s just looking at his books like, \u2018No. 1 defensive team, best rotation in the league.\u2019 And he\u2019s like, \u2018That\u2019s because you guys are doing it the day after practice, man. That\u2019s why we\u2019re doing it.’\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cAs Americans say, opinions are cheap \u2014 that\u2019s why everyone has one. Right now, at this moment, I\u2019m in Milwaukee,\u201d Antetokounmpo said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if I\u2019ll leave \u2014 it\u2019s not up to me. If it was up to me, maybe I already would have left. In a year and a half, when I become a free agent at 32, it will be up to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n![\"Ron](\"https:\/\/www.bleachernation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Ron-Harper-bulls.jpg\")
Bulls Bullets \u2014 February 19, 2026<\/h2>\n
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