Dan Bernstein Unfiltered

Episode: Will the Chicago Bulls move assets before the trade deadline?
Date: January 14, 2026
Host: Dan Bernstein
Producer/Co-host: Jason (presumed to be Jason Goff, regular Bulls commentator)

Overview

This episode dives deep into the Chicago Bulls’ chronic mediocrity, their injury-plagued season, and looming possibilities (or lack thereof) around the trade deadline. Dan Bernstein and Jason riff candidly on the state of the Bulls’ roster, debate the merits of tanking for the 2026 NBA Draft, and scrutinize Artūras Karnišovas’ (AK’s) front office moves. The conversation widens to reflect on league-wide developments, young prospects, and a healthy dose of Bulls-fan existential angst. The tone is irreverent, sarcastic, and unfiltered, aiming to give fans the “no BS” sports talk they expect from Bernstein.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Bulls’ Stuck in Neutral: Same Record, Same Frustration

• Opening context:

  • Bulls are 18–21, 10th in the East, stuck with bottom-tier offense and defense.
  • Injury list continually growing: Giddey out, Zach Collins in a boot, others day-to-day.
  • The symmetry to past years is “depressingly familiar.”

• Notable quote:

  “If this sounds familiar when I say The Bulls are 18 and 21… I think they have been 18 and 21 at least the last three years.” – Jason [00:42]

2. Injury Issues and Lack of Star Power

• Extensive discussion of Bulls’ injury problems and lack of a marketing draw.

• Fans want to see the few “draws” like Giddey and White, but squad is never fully healthy.

• Trey Jones and Jalen Smith highlighted as players making the most of opportunities.

• Notable quote:

  “If you looked at the bench… there are four seats that are unfilled… Like a youth hockey game where some kids can’t make it to the game.” – Dan [05:25]

3. Fan Fatigue Over Injuries vs. Playing Hurt

• Jason laments how the distinction between being injured and just being hurt is blurry, expressing frustration from a fan’s perspective:

  “There’s got to be a big difference between injury and pain and just being hurt.” – Jason [05:42]

4. Tanking and 2026 Draft Prospects

• Both hosts discuss the merits of pivoting to a tank given the 2026 NBA Draft class (highlighting DebonSA, Peterson, Boozer).

• Boozer, in particular, is praised for being NBA-ready, high-floor, smart, but not necessarily “spectacular.”

• Longer exchange:

  • Dan: “I don’t think he’s a generational type player, but I think he could be a multiple time all star.” [08:45]
  • Jason: “Like assuming he doesn't in around the quality of somebody like Al Horford… but I still don’t think there’s going to be—he’s just not a spectacular player, Boozer. He is. He’s skilled and smart and responsible and creative.” [09:18–09:29]

5. Looming Trade Deadline: The Same Old Bulls?

• Central question: Will the Bulls actually make changes at the trade deadline, or continue to cling to “continuity”?

• Bernstein is cynical:

  “They’re going to do nothing.” – Dan [11:51]

• Jason emphatic in contrast:

  “I’ll bet you on that one. They have to. You have too many guys with contracts coming up.” [11:55]

• Players cited as likely trade candidates: Vucevic (“Vuch”), White, Dosunmu, Herder, Jalen Smith.

• Trust in the front office (“AK”) is low, despite praise for the Lonzo Ball and Giddey trades.

6. Failures in Asset Accumulation and Team Building

• Critique of Bulls’ inability to stockpile draft picks, using Houston’s draft-based approach as a counterpoint.

• Rockets built with drafted players (Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson) – contrasted with Bulls’ piecemeal approach.

  “And there’s only one way to build a team. And it’s through the draft right now.” – Jason [14:29]

7. Game Recaps and Chicago Sports Detours

• Quick summaries of:
  • Bulls’ recent loss to Houston and Detroit (plagued by opponent athleticism and missing stars)
  • Dallas Mavs’ odd lineups
  • The United Center condensation-related postponement vs. Miami (“I loved watching Adam Ameen and Stacey… vamp” – Dan [22:21])
• Pops in and out of tangents on other Chicago sports moments (Cubs signing Bregman, Bears lucky sweater rituals).

8. East-wide Movements and Player Development

• Breakdowns of recent Eastern Conference trades, specifically:

  • Trae Young to the Wizards, McCollum and Kispert to the Hawks
  • Hawks emerging as contenders with backcourt retooling

  “And they got Porzingis. That’s a real ass team. They can compete.” – Dan [26:11]

• Cleveland’s Evan Mobley scrutinized for lack of offensive evolution

  “I think he’s limited by his inability to make threes consistently. I think that is it.” – Dan [26:36]

9. Bulls’ Unfulfilled Promise and Need for a Hard Reset

• Laments about how this could have been the year for “competitive continuity,” especially with other East teams in flux due to injuries … but the Bulls can’t field healthy lineups, let alone contend.

• Consensus: Tear it down for assets NOW; sell high on whatever value remains.

  “You’ve got to trade these people. You’ve got to make every single move that you can right now.” – Jason [30:54]

• Even “hopeful” assets like Patrick Williams have failed to blossom despite opportunities:

  “All these injuries have given him every chance, every single chance … And it ends poorly.” – Jason [33:27]

10. NBA and Bulls Trivia Showdown (Fun Segment)

• Father–son NBA scoring duos (with Dan and Jason trading guesses—trivia starts at [35:31])
• Players to draw the most charges since 2016 (Kyle Lowry, Jalen Brunson, Kemba Walker, Ersan Ilyasova, Blake Griffin) [40:02]
  • Colorful disbelief at Ersan Ilyasova’s inclusion sparks a running joke about his “realness.”

Notable Quotes and Moments (with Timestamps)

• “It’s a record that they tend to like.” – Jason [00:42]
• “Why don’t you just bring up a G-League guy and… just getting bodies at this point in the season when you’re 18 and 21, things aren’t looking up…” – Dan [07:43]
• “They’re going to do nothing.” – Dan (on Bulls at trade deadline) [11:51]
• “I’ll bet you on that one. … They have to.” – Jason [11:55]
• “He could step into the league right now and give you 15. I’m convinced.” – Dan (on Boozer) [10:44]
• “And there’s only one way to build a team. And it’s through the draft right now.” – Jason [14:29]
• “If Trey Jones makes one of those, that’s feasible. But Okoro shot well, Trade Jones shot remarkably well. Dalen made a three.” – Dan [13:14]
• “If Trae Young was holding the Hawks back… now… you finally have a real vet in the backcourt. … That’s a real ass team.” – Dan [26:11]
• “You’ve got to trade these people. You’ve got to make every single move that you can right now.” – Jason [30:54]
• “All these injuries have given [Patrick Williams] every chance, every single chance… and it ends poorly.” – Jason [33:27]

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Bulls at 18–21, repeat mediocrity: [00:42–02:00]
• Injury updates & bench depletion: [03:56–05:42]
• Discussion of effort vs. pain and injury: [05:42–06:49]
• Tanking and 2026 NBA Draft prospects: [07:43–11:15]
• Trade deadline showdown (“do nothing” vs. “they have to”): [11:46–14:36]
• Team construction critique & Houston’s example: [14:36–16:41]
• Detroit game recap & Bulls’ lack of athleticism: [17:13–19:29]
• United Center postponement story: [20:16–22:45]
• Eastern Conference shakeups / Mobley / Bosh talk: [25:27–29:26]
• Call to rebuild and asset accumulation: [29:59–33:09]
• Final word on Patrick Williams’ lack of progress: [33:13–34:21]
• NBA trivia showdown: [35:31–47:00]

Final Thoughts

• The episode is classic Bernstein: acerbic, insightful, occasionally exasperated, but always honest about the state of Chicago basketball and the NBA at large.
• The Bulls are “stuck in the mud,” repeating the same mistakes and hesitations, and the trade deadline looms as the last chance to break the cycle—or cement another year of half-hearted mediocrity.
• Listeners come away with not just a tactical breakdown of Bulls basketball, but a sense of the existential crisis facing fans: Stay invested, or finally demand a teardown and true rebuild?

End of Summary